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Carbon Neutrality: Steps to Achieve Them | |
| Radhika Laghate |
Building owners and facility managers must prioritise energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction in their buildings outlining four practical steps towards achieving carbon neutrality in buildings.
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The transition towards sustainability is gaining momentum, and as a result, building owners and facility managers must prioritise energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction in their buildings outlining four practical steps towards achieving carbon neutrality in buildings.
Firstly, upgrading HVAC controls can optimise the performance of a building’s HVAC equipment, and retrofit control solutions can be budget-friendly for building owners and easy for contractors to install and manage.
Secondly, standardised HVAC control sequences can help maximise energy efficiency and performance in a building’s HVAC system. ASHRAE's Guideline 36 can assist engineers in delivering better project specifications for building systems, balancing energy optimisation through a combination of different ASHRAE specs.
Thirdly, combining electrical power monitoring with a building automation system can help optimise energy consumption and maintain occupant comfort. By using a BAS to schedule HVAC operations based on tenant occupancy schedules, energy consumption can be reduced. Predictive fault detection and reactive visualisation can identify and address potential issues before they become problematic.
Finally, using the right valves for precise control in hydronic systems can reduce HVAC energy consumption by up to 30%. Building owners and facility managers must partner with a solutions provider that is knowledgeable about building efficiency and has access to the full breadth of hardware and software to create a complete solution.
By tailoring strategies to match the specific lifecycle of a building and relying on dependable HVAC equipment, automated controls, and software solutions, building owners can transform their properties into sustainable powerhouses that achieve optimal energy efficiency and performance while maintaining occupant comfort and satisfaction.
With stricter regulations and social expectations, building owners and facility managers need to focus on improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprints while enhancing building performance to bolster infrastructure for the future.