The BCCC Sustainability Committee is pleased to introduce the new Sustainability Series – one of the important ways that the Committee will help BCCC members better understand the business opportunities and challenges related to sustainability and Brazil. The Sustainability Series is a special collection of articles dedicated to shining light on commercial opportunities in such areas as energy, clean technology, water, forestry and mining. In this issue, BCCC Sustainability Committee member, David Douek of OTEC shares his insights on a new certification program for energy management that is expected to generate major, long-term improvements in energy efficiency.
New Standard in Energy Management Emerges
by David Douek, Director of OTEC, Sustainability Consultancy
Energy efficiency has found solid support in regions like Europe and North America, and all signs are pointing to this movement becoming a mainstay in Brazil as well. Supporting this trend are developments that include Brazil’s National Plan for Energy Efficiency (NPEE) – which spells out the intention of government to reduce energy consumption by 10% by 2030 – the growth of LEED green building certification in Brazil, and local labeling standards that contribute to improving building performance, like AQUA and PROCEL EDIFICA.
Among the most recent global energy management initiatives, is the ISO 50001 certification scheme, which is dedicated to achieving major, long-term increases in energy efficiency. Like other ISO (International Organization for Standardization) programs, which include standards for quality management practices (ISO 9000 series) and environmental management systems (ISO 14000 series), this new standard is designed to stimulate substantial, continuous improvements through enhanced processes and energy management practices.
This focus on processes rather than defining end-results or targets – the approach taken by programs such as LEED, AQUA and PROCEL EDIFICA – is an important distinction, though both routes are indeed complementary and important. At the core of ISO 50001 is a focus on developing an energy policy and a plan of action, in addition to managing implementation, verification and ongoing feedback.
A sign of how this movement is beginning to gather momentum in Brazil is an event that was hosted by Dr. Marco Saidel of the University of Sao Paulo (USP) on December 6 -8th, 2011, which was dedicated to engaging the building industry on ISO 50001. I had the opportunity to address this audience alongside Michael Holtz, a partner of OTEC in Brazil and founder of the American consultancy, Architectural Energy Corporation. In addition to providing a comprehensive overview of the certification process, associated tools and expected results, Holtz also presented an interesting case study.
The case study profiled two American buildings located in Tennessee: the Andrew Jackson Building and Rachel Jackson Building, featuring 18 and 9 floors respectively. Both buildings were subject to the application of a measurement and verification (M&V) plan – a critical tool for effective energy management. In both cases, the reason for implementing an M&V plan was the need to measure the gains from effective implementation of energy efficiency measures (EEMs), according to established performance contracts with local companies.
Whether you are a building owner/operator, or a service/technology company that serves the building sector, what specific activities can you expect to undertake as part of ISO 50001 implementation? An important early step is preparing an energy audit – a process involving interviews with building managers, punctual measurements, and the use of a calibrated energy model, which enables assessment of the building’s potential to reduce energy consumption. Based on this analysis, a technical study can be performed to assess the financial impact of measures that could range from minor equipment adjustments to replacing major building mechanicals.
Key to conducting this kind of analysis is energy modeling, which is a tool that allows the energy consumption of a building to be objectively projected and analyzed. Based on inputs such as occupancy data, building geometry and materials and equipment used, these computer simulations (powered by software tools such as DOE 2.1, Energy + or DesignBuilder) help estimate the impact of design strategies against a building’s baseline performance.
Returning to our previously cited case study, the analysis presented by Holtz showed design scenarios projected to generate savings of US$678,225 and US$147,970 for the Andrew Jackson and Rachel Jackson buildings respectively. Examples like this illustrate that there truly can be a compelling business case for green buildings, and show how our ability to devise effective strategies is steadily improving with the emergence of initiatives like ISO 50001, and the tools, technologies and design and management expertise that evolve around them.
Beyond financial payback, it is clear that issues such as ongoing global efforts to reach international climate agreements, and fresh concerns around climate-related human and environmental impacts – particularly in rapidly growing economies like Brazil – will put renewed emphasis on solutions for energy efficiency.
By focusing on processes and using tools already within our reach to optimize how we design, build and maintain the buildings we conduct our daily lives in, we can find our own path toward saving energy, saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
