Age is just a number. Your building can be younger and greener!

When we hear Green Building, we typically think of novel developments studded with the most modern of amenities sprawled over acres of lush green land or a very modern business district in the corner of the city. We think of innovative designs that have been years in the making, and

We seldom think of aged skyscrapers in a city teeming with life. But we really should. Old buildings, with their own unique challenges, are often where we can create most impact in terms of sustainability and energy optimization. Let us see how.

What’s cooking in that corner? Real time Visibility.

It is pertinent to dig deeper into the energy consumption in different areas of the building – are any of the equipment running more than it should or is your HVAC installation a let-down?

Internet of things is your best friend. Virtual sub metering can pave the way for positive decisions for your commercial building.

Commission HVAC once, twice or always?

A successful IoT implementation can also help in ‘Continuous Commissioning’ of HVAC. Continuous commissioning takes into account present situation as well as historical data to enable the building and equipment to perform optimally.

Continuous commissioning can help resolve problems related to poor calibration of equipment, equipment set-points, malfunctioning ducts and valves, etc. Buildings typically see around 20% of energy savings from such implementations.

The resulting proactive maintenance extends life of equipment and the building

But this has got to be expensive right?

Rolling out an energy management system incrementally can be done at a fraction of the replacement or upgradation cost for failing equipment.

In buildings where there is no Building Automation system , or a very basic one, retrofit IoT sensors installed on equipment can capture and supply this data to an aggregator tool to fill the gaps in the BMS data. These retrofits cost considerably lesser than upgrading the entire BAS.

Can I go beyond HVAC? As a matter of fact, yes!

Forward thinking manufacturers are now incorporating occupancy sensors to detect whether a room needs to be lit at all, how much light, and how unused and available space can be redistributed.

Green roofing i.e., the practice of having some form of vegetation on the roof is gaining popularity to reduce ‘heat island effect’. Solar panels used in the roofs can meet a part of the energy needs making the building more sustainable.

Improved ventilation bears significant impact on Indoor Air Quality and makes for a more productive work environment. If the ventilation is good enough, a retrofit heat and noise insulation can do a lot to bring down energy consumption.

Similar rainwater harvesting is an option to preserve water. Improved sewage processing systems can help recycle water through filtration for use in vacuum flush systems.

A rather clever retrofit is to create an overall environment for sustainability such as having charging points for electric vehicles around the block to encourage such practices.

Do I call in others to participate?

Going greener is a social responsibility above all. Engaging customers through real time dashboards in public areas and pointing at opportunities where they can create and impact and how much ensures the message percolates deeper – particularly where the environmental impact can be quantified.

Similarly multiple buildings in an area can pledge a contribution towards energy savings not just in terms of money but in terms of group initiatives such as those to reduce peak hour demand by switching off for five minutes etc.

Most importantly the right partners and system integrators can make this journey easier with their expert advisory along the way.

So what do you think? Is your building getting any younger? You bet it is.

In conclusion, going the green building way is a choice ! And an excellent one at that. You just need the right partners and motivation to take the first steps.