The operation of buildings still accounts for a large share of CO2 emissions. Measures such as switching to gas heating, improving insulation, etc. have reduced emissions in the building sector. However, continuing this momentum alone would mean that climate targets will not be met. So we urgently need to increase the rate at which we reduce emissions in the building sector.
Whether in new construction, renovation and conversion, or small adjustments in operations. Owners should be guided by a number of principles, processes and technologies. In doing so, they will secure the value of their property and lay the foundation for an energy-efficient and resource-saving operating phase.
First: For Europeans it is essential to observe the EBPD
The requirements from the European Building Performace Directive (EPBD) of 2018 should be urgently observed when making investment decisions. The requirements from the EPBD have not yet been adopted in all member states. However, this does not change the fact that the EPBD and the specifications made therein are legally binding for the EU member states.
The EPBD 2018 formulates requirements in the categories of communication capability and monitoring; control and regulation; electric vehicle charging; and the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI).
Many buildings will have to be equipped with building automation and monitoring systems in the future, according to the EPBD. In order to meet the requirements for monitoring and control technology, the installation of the technical infrastructure should be considered at an early stage, because the subsequent retrofitting of sensors and actuators is complex and expensive.
Second: Setting up a measurement concept and installing meters
A metering infrastructure is a necessary prerequisite for the energy-efficient operation of buildings. Without detailed knowledge of consumption, targeted measures can neither be planned nor monitored. It is also only possible to track down clandestine consumers with meters.
Furthermore, in some countries a metering infrastructure is needed for the demarcation of third-party consumption. Such differentiation is f.e. mandatory in Germay for electricity tax refunds. To ensure that meters are installed in the right places, a metering concept is essential.
Owners with several buildings should ensure that consumption values can be recorded and evaluated across the portfolio. This is an important basis for a overall optimization strategy, which is increasingly demanded by investors.
Third: Naming data points so that they can be used for optimization procedures without detours
All technical systems have data points. In order to be able to process these systemically, the data points must be uniquely designated. This is usually done during installation. Individual companies already follow a convention here and have defined so-called data point keys or system identification keys. You can imagine this as the designation of the rooms in a building. Here, a clear convention is followed to make rooms findable. However, even in these few cases where data points are named according to a fixed method, these say nothing about the systemic relationships. Based on the currently used designations, for example, it is not obvious which components belong to a technical system. It is of high relevance to know which interdependencies exist. Semantic identifiers or an ontology can remedy this situation and also form a decisive basis for optimizing building operation.
Forth: Introduce a combined Building Energy Management System (BEMS).
If a building has control systems, mostly a Building Management System (BMS) is available as well. For those responsible for operations, the control technology is an important tool that allows them to perform extensive analyses and access the automation technology from a distance.
Energy management systems are now also very common. Mostly, however, these systems are located in departments that have little contact with building operations. This is bad, because sustainable savings are only possible if energy management and building operation refer to the same data and consumption can be related to observations in the plant. The easiest way to achieve this is with a software solution that maps operation and consumption in one system. With such a BEMS, deficits are quickly identified and measures can be planned with pinpoint accuracy and their effects monitored.
In addition, a combined system reduces costs because there is no risk of installing a redundant measurement infrastructure. Also in the long run, a BEMS saves more than 50% of the costs for operation and maintenance.
Fifth: Aligning air exchange rate with demand
In many buildings with automatic ventilation, the air exchange rate is much too high. This generates enormous costs. It is very costly to move air, and especially if no heat exchanger is installed, an unnecessary amount of warm air is led outside during the winter months.
Demand-oriented ventilation is based on the CO2 content of the room air. This value can be recorded with inexpensive sensors and used as the basis for controlling the system. An enormous saving can be realized here with an inexpensive measure.
A further savings effect results from the automatic adjustment of such demand-controlled systems to opening hours, etc. In conventionally controlled systems, there is usually a calendar program that can be used to maintain opening times separately. However, experience shows that such programs are poorly maintained or not maintained at all, or the entries have been overridden by manual operation.
Sixth: Adding predictive control to automation
Building automation regulates according to fixed principles and is based on current conditions such as a CO2 value, which is used to optimize air exchange. In addition, calendars are used to align the plant technology with opening and usage times. However, due to the computing capacity required, the continuous alignment of the plant operation to future conditions cannot be achieved by controllers used for automation only. However, the savings potential of predictive control is enormous. Such systems require a digital building model. Data is the linchpin here. For this, data from the building is recorded over a longer period of time. With this model, the behavior of the building and its demand for heating, air conditioning and ventilation can be simulated at any time and under different conditions. Intelligent predictions provide exactly as much heating, cooling and fresh air as needed for an optimal indoor climate, with as little energy input as possible. Predictive control keeps the climate in the building more stable and guarantees satisfied customers and employees.
Those who follow these principles, automate more, increase the degree of networking and rely on data-based optimization can realize enormous savings and sustainably increase the value of their property. In new and existing buildings, a data infrastructure is the basis for sustainable optimization.
Most Governments have financing programmes in place that support efficiency investments. Get in touch with your local authorities to check the programmes and the ways to access them.
