Greening Commercial Buildings

Opportunities

  • Heating, cooling, lighting and moving people up and down buildings accounts for approximately three quarters of the energy use in buildings.
  • Typically, energy accounts for a third or more of a building's operating costs.
  • Technology has changed and there is ample opportunity to cut these costs.
  • In addition to cost reductions there are also potential benefits to occupants' health and wellbeing.
  • Each building's eco profile will become more visible and this will effect its capital value and demand for leasing.
  • Improving building performance reduces the carbon footprint and other forms of pollution, something that more and more owners, tenants, staff and customers care about.

Risks

  • Those buildings that don't improve risk higher operating costs as electricity, gas and oil increase.
  • There is the danger of being surprised by changes in regulations.
  • Competitors that adapt more quickly gain a marketing advantage.

Regulations

Under the government's national Commercial Building Program it became compulsory for most sellers or lessors of more than 2000square metres to have a NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) Rating from November 1st 2010. (This was previously known as Mandatory Energy Efficiency Disclosure).

From November 1st 2011 a full Building Energy Efficiency Certificate (BEEC) will be required, these will be valid for a year.

Phase 2 involves consideration of expanding disclosure to other commercial building types, including hotels, retail buildings, schools and hospitals.

Also example The Energy Efficiency In Government Operations Policy Summary sets the minimum NABERS rating at 4 and ½ stars for government office buildings.

Systems

There is normally significant opportunity for improvement in the following areas:

  • Air Conditioning and Chillers
  • Heating and Boilers
  • Pumps
  • Cooling Towers
  • Air Management and Distribution
  • Lighting
  • Electrical
  • Automation
  • Envelope
  • Telecommunications
  • Landscaping
  • Waste
  • Water

Asset Lifecycles

Many building operators now have asset lifecycle planning, so that they are fully aware of budgeting requirements.

Marketing Communications

Often real estate agent sales or leasing advertisements for commercial buildings do not promote the benefits as well as consumers demand (although the coming regulations will make performance disclosures compulsory). For savvy operators there is the opportunity to communicate their building's advantages with a dedicated website.

For businesses that wish to explore these ideas further,
please Contact Us.

 

Green Commercial Building