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PRACTICAL WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY IN COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS - Rising electricity
tariffs coupled with increasing pressure
locally and globally to reduce carbon emissions
and conserve energy, are resulting in increasing
interest among businesses regarding practical
ways to implement energy saving measures
in commercial buildings. Read
more |
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| PRACTICAL
WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS |
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Rising
electricity tariffs coupled
with increasing pressure locally
and globally to reduce carbon
emissions and conserve energy,
are resulting in increasing
interest among businesses regarding
practical ways to implement
energy saving measures in commercial
buildings.
Structural, Mechanical
and Electrical Savings
Sean Liebenberg, senior manager,
facilities management, for JHI
Properties, says there is a
broad range of energy savings
devices or interventions which
can be implemented, which are
categorised according to low
to medium cost. “These
incorporate structural, mechanical
and electrical savings –
which can achieve savings up
to 25% or more but generally
seek to achieve on average about
11%, as well as human or managerial
interventions such as behavioural
changes – which can see
savings of up to 5%,”
he says.
Owner
Occupier
He says if the business is an
owner occupier of an entire
building then energy saving
measures can easily be implemented.
Tenant Occupier
If the business is a tenant
then in cases where the tenant
occupies the entire building
the business owner is in a better
position to determine and manage
the usage patterns and consumptions
of the business operations within
the building than if the tenant
only occupies a portion of the
building. |
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Minimum Savings Criteria
The tenant can either retrofit
the premises to improve on or comply
with minimum savings criteria set
out by supply authorities, or insist
as part of the lease negotiation that
the landlord implements these savings
prior to occupation.
‘Green’
Buildings
Either way, anything is possible as
more and more national and international
tenants are insisting on energy efficient
or ‘green’ buildings to
meet international carbon footprint
/ emission targets set out according
to global standards - or individual
corporate strategies.
Initial
Tenant Fit-Out Process
Tenants occupying partial or limited
spaces in buildings have fewer opportunities
to make changes or impact on usage
or consumptions in general. While
such interventions are usually initiated
and implemented by the landlord on
their behalf, the tenant can make
improvements to their installations
during the initial tenant fit-out
process.
Separate
Metering
Liebenberg advises that where tenants
have made improvements to their individual
space or areas, they insist on separate
metering to ensure that they can isolate
and calculate their consumptions and
be billed accordingly. Common areas
beyond that will be billed proportionately
and according to usage patterns and
energy efficiencies of equipment in
these areas.
No Obligation
Liebenberg says currently the landlord
is not obliged to make any commitments
in terms of retro fits to meet energy
savings in a tenant’s premises
and so each tenant, depending on their
own strategies, will choose to pursue
this process or not.
Legislation
However, once legislation is implemented
and demand savings are monitored,
then it will be a ‘hand in hand’
process upon which both the landlord
and tenant must embark.
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Systems
and Infrastructure
The landlord will then need
to ensure that systems and infrastructural
changes, if required, will be
carried out to meet demand savings
criteria, while the tenant will
also have to determine and reflect
on how his or her business uses
power within their premises
in order to avoid having an
adverse effect on the total
building usage pattern.
Landlord under
Pressure
In many instances tenants are
pro-actively driving the process
and implementing energy savings
solutions within their premises
– and demanding similar
or better of the landlord in
common areas. Landlords are
under pressure to ensure their
properties are as energy efficient
as possible because tenants,
due to the rising costs of utilities,
are becoming wiser and more
demanding of available space
before committing to or renewing
leases.
Cost
of Blackouts
He says with
the rolling blackouts
experienced in recent
years some landlords have
invested in back-up generators
in order to provide power
to all or limited installations
and systems within the
building during power
outages. In practice,
running power supplies
off generators is very
costly to the users and
negotiations with landlords
and tenants are required
to determine to what extent
these generators need
to supply power. |
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Constant Power Required
If in many instances tenants cannot
afford downtimes or the nature of
their business requires security of
power supply for various purposes,
then these requirements must be either
met by the landlord’s generator
supply or by installing an additional
generator linked directly to the tenant’s
premises and systems. The latter would
then be a direct cost to the tenant
for installation, operation and maintenance.
Structural Energy Interventions
Says Liebenberg: “Structural
energy interventions to modernise
and improve buildings include - to
name a few:
• improvements
to natural light during daylight hours;
• insulation of internal
spaces to maintain optimal internal
operating temperatures in all seasons;
and
• insulation of the
building ‘envelope’, especially
the roof.
Roof Insulation
If the roof is not correctly and efficiently
insulated and regularly maintained
this can place strain on the mechanical
systems of the building, e.g. air
conditioning and heating, in order
to compensate – thereby wasting
energy and increasing costs.”
Mechanical Energy Interventions
He says in regard to mechanical energy
interventions, these are designed
to:
• monitor,
•
improve,
• maintain and
• modernise installations.
Lifts
For example in regard to lifts
- specifically lift drive gears,
modern and efficient new motors
can in some instances generate
or store power as part of the
general usage.
Mechanical
Energy Saving Methods
Other mechanical energy saving
methods include upgrading to
more modern HT (high tension)
and LT (low tension) installations
or to complement with new support
systems, and upgrading or modernising
boilers.
HVAC
Regarding heating, ventilation
and air conditioning (referred
to as HVAC) there are opportunities
to improve energy efficiency
during peak times through the
insulation of pipes and ducting,
conducting regular maintenance
and the use of intelligent software
which manages and monitors optimal
systems usage. Avoiding individual
space heaters in favour of central
systems can also effectively
conserve energy. |
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| JHI
Properties are metering
utility consumption in
Fourways Golf Park –
a small building with
multi-tenants. |
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Sick Building Syndrome
Commenting on HVAC Liebenberg makes
the observation that ‘sick building
syndrome’ can occur. “Some
buildings are prone to this syndrome
and in most instances maintenance
of HVAC systems and ducting is to
blame. Unless addressed and monitored
buildings can fall prey to this. The
design of systems providing and controlling
air flow in the building are paramount
and so taking into account planning
and budget constraints, no short cuts
should be taken in this regard. Many
‘sick buildings’ have
been turned around by retro-fitting
systems and implementing correct and
sufficient maintenance regimes.”
Saving Electricity
Saving electricity is key and interventions
to achieve this include retro-fitting
the building with:
• energy
efficient light fittings and bulbs
such as CFL’s (compact fluorescent
fittings) and LED lighting;
•
smart lighting installations in parking
lots and occupancy sensors or timers
to conserve electricity when vacant;
• the use of reflectors
to maximise light;
• and
reducing or dimming artificial lights
in common areas during daylight hours
where practically possible.
Minimise Energy Consumption
Adds Liebenberg: “Further savings
in regard to behavioural energy interventions
can also effectively minimise energy
consumption. By determining the usage
patterns of occupants and designing
an optimum usage strategy –
including the use of timers and sensors
– in order to minimise the use
of mechanical and electrical systems
savings can be achieved.
Use of Natural Light and Better
Planning
Systems and equipment can be turned
on only when required instead of left
running constantly. Many businesses
today are already making maximum use
of natural light and planning office
installations around this, i.e. open
plan offices, using glass walls in
deep spaces and reflective or lighter
materials and finishes.”
Objective Holistic Analysis
He adds: “The sky is the limit,
but don’t rush into implementing
new energy saving methods until you
have done your homework. Read up about
the ‘Draft Energy Efficiency
Strategy’ to be implemented
in South Africa and look for energy
efficiency partners that are not linked
to specific technologies and/or brands,
who can give you an objective holistic
analysis and recommendation on which
technology or approach to implement
to best suit your needs, business
requirements or to complement the
building structure, mechanical or
electrical installations.
Energy Audit
Begin with an energy audit to determine
the baseline of current energy demand
and then ensure that the solutions
proposed can make substantial and
quantifiable improvements before making
final commitments.
Energy
Usage and Savings Achieved
“In addition to the baseline
of current energy demand, a great
deal of emphasis should be placed
on metering and verification of energy
usage and savings achieved. Unfortunately
this is often an afterthought and
not well planned, yet it forms a crucial
piece of the puzzle and will be the
indicator to whether the savings achieved
will provide the return on investment
initially anticipated.
| "If
this is done correctly and accurately,
it will play an important role
in ensuring the correct decisions
are made in future regarding
other projects in other buildings
within a property portfolio,”
concludes Liebenberg. |
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| Monterey, 12-14 Klaassens Road, Bishopscourt,
Cape Town, 7708, South Africa |
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