The rising cost of fuel at the pump should act as a good reminder that our utility energy costs can rise over time as well. Consider the advantages of insulating your business from volatility in the energy market with a high-performance building.
Throughout the life a building, the cost of energy becomes one of the largest expenses of that building, so optimizing performance is a strategic imperative.
Asset value
Beyond direct energy cost savings, there are other financial reasons to invest in a high-performing and environmentally responsible design. According to a survey by the Building Owners and Managers Association International, building tenants first want high energy efficiency, followed by access to natural light.
Another report by CoStar Group (one of the largest U.S. commercial real estate information companies) indicates there are now significant commercial real estate market value advantages for LEED and Energy Star certified buildings. It reports values are showing up in higher rent premiums, higher occupancy rates and sale values in similar non-certified buildings.
What you should know
As you are planning for a new building or remodel, here are a few key considerations for identifying cost-effective strategies to optimize a building’s long-term energy savings:
Establish goals early. Determining a project’s high-performance energy efficiency and environmental goals with design professionals in the earliest stages of the design process will maximize the potential benefits.
Green building programs such as LEED, Energy Star and the Advance Buildings Core Performance Guide offer a framework for establishing efficiency goals and strategies, but it becomes exponentially more difficult the later those goals are established in the process.
Building orientation: Oftentimes overlooked, this basic and theoretically no-cost design decision can have one of the largest impacts on energy performance. It relates primarily to solar impacts – passive and active solar energy, maximizing daylighting opportunities and controlling unwanted solar heat gain and glare.
Size (it matters): According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Energy, there is a direct relationship to the energy consumption of buildings and square footage: the higher the square footage, the more energy it will use. Look for creative opportunities to reduce unnecessary square footage, such as combining functions in shared or multi-purpose spaces.
High-performance envelope: Increasing insulation, air barrier detailing to reduce air infiltration, reducing thermal bridging, appropriately sized and tuned energy-efficient fenestration and glazing systems and other related exterior envelope investments (above and beyond the standard construction practices) tend to pay long-term dividends in energy savings.
Integrated system efficiencies: Use an integrated systems design approach to target the most cost-effective and long-term beneficial gains. Understanding where energy is typically used in commercial buildings also can help guide some of the targeted integrated strategies and prioritize where additional up-front cost investments can have the largest impacts.
Typically, 33 percent is used for heating, ventilating and cooling, 24 percent for lighting and 13 percent for variations.
Operations standards: Operations have an important role in maintaining the energy efficiency of buildings and can save up to 30 percent in existing buildings, according to DOE. According to BOMA, energy represents the single largest controllable operation expense for office buildings.
Although careful design considerations can reduce some costs, achieving higher performing buildings may also take a shift in the business model and require a larger investment up front to realize the larger long-term returns on the investment.
Timothy Buckley, licensed Architect and LEED Accredited Professional, is principal of Greenstone Architecture PLLC. He is president of the American Institute of Architects, Washington Council. He can be reached at www.greenstonearchitecture.com, 360-695-5454 or tbuckley@greenstonearchitecture.com.
