Integrative Design:
Making Older Buildings More Efficient
by David Boyer, Founder and Chairman, Aerco Industries
You own an old building with out-dated equipment. You know your energy costs are more than they should be. Instead of just upgrading to more efficient lighting or HVAC systems and controls, consider…
- Right sizing: Are there smarter ways to configure the building and the interaction of the systems within it?
- Right timing: Can the necessary changes coincide with other major renovations in the building that could be related to tenant changes or lease expiries, etc.?
Now you’re thinking good integrative design.
While traditional engineering practises and principles are still adhered to, the integrative design process often asks different questions in a different order to get a better answer. It often can combine old and new technologies.
And it requires developers, architects, engineers, contractors, and building owners/operators to collaborate.
Integrative design is becoming common for Aerco customers. Many are moving to smaller system capacity and therefore lowering HVAC costs. And they install new lighting that generates far less heat and reduces the overall cooling requirements of the HVAC systems. And the icing on the cake is to switch to low emission double-glazed “super-window“ technologies which block at least two-thirds of the winter heat loss and half the summer heat gain – that alone can cut a building’s overall cooling load by up to one-third. All changes considered, the savings are substantial and often outweigh the costs of the renovation.
In situations where right sizing and right timing are the right choice but beyond the budget, Energy Service Companies (ESCo) including Aerco can help make ideas into realities. In this case, the savings generated by the retrofit finance the capital costs of the installation.
Contact Aerco today to learn about the options for your building.