Modern Building Services

INSTALLERS VIEW 28 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JULY/AUGUST 2021 N owadaysmanyenterprises place sustainability at the very top of their strategic agendas and plan their long-term growth in ways that consider their wider ecological and socio-economic environment. In this context, the smart buildings and facilities management industry provides unprecedented opportunities for improving a company’s sustainability. Facilities managers leverage smart building technologies to provide a comfortable, healthy, and productive environment to their tenants. Sustainable buildings deliver this comfort and productivity in a resource efficient and environmentally responsible manner. The Business Value of Sustainability Sustainable buildings exhibit exceptional environmental performance, which is the reason why they are commonly characterised as “green” buildings as well. However, the concept of sustainability goes beyond environmental friendliness. Sustainable facilities consider not only the need to save the planet, but also the needs of tenants and businesses. Specifically, sustainable buildings are set to maximise the comfort of the tenants and boost the long-term economic growth of businesses. In this direction, sustainable buildings are developed based on a holistic approach that considers architectural, planning, design, construction, operations, maintenance and demolition aspects at the same time. For instance, a sustainable design strives to benefit the most from sunlight and natural ventilation, while taking advantage of eco- friendly materials. As another example; sustainable building operations aim to maximise energy efficiency and minimise waste. This holistic approach delivers many benefits to modern facilities and their users. As a prominent example, resource efficient operations lead to significant cost savings for building owners and tenants. Moreover, sustainable buildings boost the brand value of their owners, while increasing the loyalty of the tenants. Furthermore, they ensure the facility’s compliance to green regulations, such as the new energy conservation code in NewYork City. Sustainability Goals and KPIs When it comes to building sustainability, the choices of building owners and facilities managers matter. Facilities managers must set and pursue ambitious sustainability goals, striving for: • Energy efficiency (“Net Zero Energy”): Sustainable buildings minimise their energy needs through energy efficient operations. Facilities managers strive to minimise the energy consumption of building assets and operations. For instance, HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems must consume the least energy possible, while LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting must be deployed as widely as possible. At the same time, facilities managers try to benefit fromonsite production of energy leveraging renewables and other forms of clean energy. The ultimate vision of a facilities manager is to achieve a “Net Zero Energy” goal i.e., to cover energy needs using onsite energy production. • Water efficiency: A sustainable facility must also boost water consumption efficiency. In this direction, facilities managers can employ various strategies aiming at reducing indoor potable water use, use of non-potable water for irrigation application, and minimising water waste due to problems in the infrastructure (e.g., leakages). • Waste Management Optimisation: Waste management is one of the most important sustainability strategies for modern facilities. Specifically, facilities managers strive for maximising the amount of waste that is recycled. This requires the deployment of waste recycling systems, yet it is also associated with eco-friendly procurements (e.g., the use of products that can be recycled). Building sustainability is a marathon rather than a sprint race. It requires long term commitment to eco- friendly technologies and practices. Therefore, it is also important for property owners and facilities managers to track sustainability performance by means of proper KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Sustainability KPIs can be used to track progress and to compare Pippa Boothman , VP Marketing & Communications at Disruptive Technologies looks at the strategic agendas for smart buildings and facilities managers. Internet of Things: A Power Enabler of Buildings Sustainability FEATURE INSTALLERS VIEW