Energy Retrofit: Shaping the future, decarbonizing building by building

Discover the keys to decarbonization and cost-saving through energy retrofitting of commercial buildings.?

In short, retrofit makes old buildings up-to-date. But, why is that important? If we are to mitigate climate change and meet the goals of Paris Agreement and other frameworks such as The Science Based Target Initiative, The European Energy Directive and The Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD), we must act on it.? One of the ways is decarbonizing our cities. Cities account for two-thirds of global energy consumption and more than 70% of annual global carbon emissions, which makes them the second largest source of energy-related carbon emissions.??

We all know that the greenest energy is the energy we don't use.?Energy efficiency is the quickest and most affordable way to decarbonize our economy and to make existing buildings energy efficient, we must renovate them.??

Before we continue with energy retrofitting, if you are curious to read more about decarbonization, have a look at our whitepaper Roadmap for decarbonizing cities .?

There are three main reasons why energy retrofitting is important. First one being already explained (energy efficiency), we move to the second one, which is compliance with legislation. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) aims to achieve a fully decarbonized building stock by 2050. Among other requirements, the directive mandates that non-residential buildings with energy consumption over a certain level must implement a building automation and control system (BACS); that hydronic balancing should be implemented when the building’s heating source is changed; and that buildings achieve a smart readiness factor that enables data on the building’s usage to be analyzed and shared. All these elements are essential parts of a retrofit strategy.?

And thirdly, it makes a good financial and business sense. With energy retrofitting, building owners can optimize the way energy is distributed through the building. This results in measurable energy savings and improved building's energy performance, making it more attractive to tenants and investors.?

Change won't happen overnight. Green transition is like running a marathon. But, like being resilient with each step you take on a race, incremental upgrades can have significant impact on a building's energy performance. So, let's maximize property potential through retrofitting. In this spirit, we have created a series of RETHINK Live events covering various topics surrounding retrofit strategy.

Join our upcoming Live event on June 20th at 9:00 CET. We'll explore advanced retrofit strategies that enhance the performance and sustainability of commercial buildings.?

• Discover the potential of hydronic balancing for optimal energy efficiency.???

• Gain insights on static vs dynamic balancing and their impact on system performance.???

• Understand the digital transformation in HVAC systems, specifically the integration of digital actuators with PICVs.?

Sign-up here: RETHINK Live: Win-win combination for Retrofit in Commercial buildings ( on24.com ) ?

There are three elements to consider when one asks the question 'How do we energy retrofit a building?'.?

• The building envelope, which covers the building’s construction and insulation.??

• Energy generation and supply, which involves measures such as heat pumps, chillers and district energy.??

• Active control of the energy flow within the building, which includes BACS measures like hydronic balancing valves, pressure independent control valves (PICVs), thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), floor heating controls and drives.?

Retrofitting a building involves changing one or more of these three elements. If you are interested in gaining practical insight on how to initiate and navigate energy retrofit projects, we invite you to watch our first episode: Energy retrofits in commercial buildings - why, how and what.??

Watch it on demand: Energy Retrofit in Commercial Buildings - Why, how and what ( on24.com ) ?

As the building industry evolves, the push for sustainability and ESG excellence has never been more urgent. There is a growing demand for sustainable solutions in buildings, with increased focus on circular economy to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. And with that comes the requirement for transparency and accountability in ESG reporting. To help you understand how you can reduce the carbon footprint across all phases of a building’s lifetime, we invite you to watch on demand our second episode from the series: How to improve sustainability performance in Commercial buildings.?

Link to on demand video: RETHINK Live: How to improve sustainability performance in Commercial buildings ( on24.com ) ?

Conclusion??

Studies show that improving energy flows throughout the building is the area that holds the most promise in terms of energy efficiency gains. That includes BACS measures like hydronic balancing valves, pressure independent control valves (PICVs), thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), floor heating controls and drives. Making small adjustments to a building’s energy flow can make big impact on energy savings. The innovative products and solutions are already here to decarbonize buildings. So, let’s maximize property potential through retrofitting. Together, we can shape the future, decarbonizing building by building.?