Part of the job being a sustainability consultant is to keep myself updated on energy efficiency trends, not only in terms of technology advances and government policies, but also from the financial institutions perspective.
I have recently attended a seminal organized by ESTA’s Energy Performance Contracting Group (EPCg) to find out what is the future policy for energy services and energy performance contracting (EPC) and how we, consulting engineers can be involved.
Energy Performance Contacts (EPC) is still not a widely spread practice, with the barriers being complex contractual agreements and uncertainties with measuring and targeting, as well as long contractual periods (10-15 years). Whilst, MEP engineers canon help on structuring the legal part of EPC, we can certainly help with design and energy performance assessment.
Audit and specification
CD International have been looking after clients‘ property estates for more than 30 years and developing energy efficiency programmes. We start from reducing energy demand, upgrading building envelope, HVAC and power equipment. The next step, we look at optimising and de-carbonising energy supply - CHP installations, heat pumps and renewables.
Maintenance and post occupancy evaluation
However, the most significant savings come from working with contractors and facility managers during the operation of a building. Monitoring, measuring and management as important as influencing behavioural changes in the quest to bridge the gap between design and operational performance.
Sustainable investment assessments
We have been involved in EE projects financed from a CAPEX budget of a company, where correct metering and validation of the results provide data to substantiate any future investment. Also, we have experience with providing services for large investment funds. Starting with an energy audit of the properties, where we would identify the savings opportunities and help to build a business case. We would develop a model and produce a design resulting in improved performance. Hearing from banks like Lloyds and Barclay’s, there was an impression that many of them developing their own investment assessment guidelines. One would hope that requirements would be unified across the sector.
Well-being
And while we are talking about energy, health and well-being is one of the current focuses of the FM and construction industry. JLL recent survey shows that productivity gain is 10 time more valuable to a business than operational efficiency, which is in turn 10 times more valuable than energy management. These needs to be taking into account during design stages.
Our inspiration is Zero-Carbon and WELL-building. Challenging? Yes.
