What is an Energy Efficiency Retrofit?

When you retrofit buildings for energy efficiency, you upgrade their overall energy assets. This can provide a big impact on both the energy costs and the environment, throughout a building's lifetime. Changes made to commercial buildings often involve improving energy efficiency, and significantly decreasing energy demand. Performing retrofits reduce the overall operational costs of buildings, making them more environmentally-friendly, while also improving their value on the market. 

What Changes are Done to a Building During an Energy Efficiency Retrofit?

The primary focus of an energy-efficiency retrofit is to reduce the energy demand and consumption for buildings. Therefore, the changes focus on improvements that are more energy-efficient. The primary goals of an energy retrofit are to:

• Prevent Air From Escaping

Wasted energy is a big concern for buildings, especially those that are older or have had little updating. Buildings can have numerous small cracks, leaks and openings, where heated and cooled air can escape. This increases energy use and drives up the utility bills. 

An energy audit is performed to determine locations where energy loss happens. This can include simple visual inspections, or more in-depth testing, such as blower door tests. After determining the location of leaks, the next step is to seal and properly insulate the leaks using energy efficient insulation options. Simply stopping energy from leaking out can result in significant energy savings. It also provides better humidity control, and fewer places for pests and allergens to enter the building. 

• Install Upgraded Appliances and Lighting

Another step when you retrofit buildings for energy efficiency is to upgrade appliances to more energy-efficient ones. This involves using ENERGY STAR-certified heating and cooling technologies, which allow saving a significant amount of energy, while still providing a comfortable environment. Depending on the temperature of an area, the buildings being retrofitted there can benefit from installing heat pumps. These are used for heating and cooling, but use only a fraction of the electricity of traditional systems. Retrofits will also have their lighting upgraded to LED bulbs which can save up to 90% of the energy use of the buildings' lights while still providing proper lighting.

• Redesign With Energy-Efficiency in Mind

It is important to redesign spaces from the mindset of energy consumption when making a large-scale investment in retrofit upgrades. This can mean replacing older windows, adding exterior insulation, and adding green roofs. All of these upgrades will allow for lower energy use when maintaining the temperature inside. 

LEED Certification

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification is a rating system that is imposed by the U.S. Green Building Council. It verifies buildings as energy-efficient and classifies their level of energy-efficiency among labels including Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. These rating levels are given for nine different categories including:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Location and Transportation
• Integrative Process
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Innovation
• Regional Priority
• Indoor Environmental Quality

Energy Efficiency Retrofits in Action

An energy-efficient retrofit of a 65,000 square foot office building, located on 82 Westmorland Street in downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick is currently underway. Once completed, the project will be the first of its kind in New Brunswick to be certified as a LEED Gold Existing Building. The project is estimated to cut energy consumption in half, and reduce carbon emissions to a level that is equivalent to removing 37 cars off the road. 

As more buildings tackle energy retrofits, the community will benefit from reduced energy costs and consumption, along with better outdoor air quality. 

As we move towards the future, energy efficiency remains a continued concern. With power costs rising, and natural resources depleting rapidly, building owners must focus on technological advancements to ensure their buildings should become energy efficient from the design phase itself. The good news is, there are many innovators focusing on a more energy-efficient future. Many are focusing on retrofitting buildings to improve their energy efficiency.

82 Westmorland Street

82 Westmorland Street is a passion project currently underway to show the benefits of retrofitting a building. The aim is to show the positive impacts a retrofits can have on the community and the environment. The retrofit project is expected to take six months to complete. It is expected to produce energy savings of 2,325 GJ - enough to halve energy use of the building. Along with energy savings, the retrofit of the 65k square foot office space on the corner of Westmorland St. & Queen St. is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 175 tonnes (equivalent to removing 37 cars off the road). 

Planned upgrades to the building include new ventilation and cooling system, LED lighting, and upgrades to heat and hot water system. After the project is completed, it will be the first in New Brunswick to achieve LEED Gold Existing Building certification: Operations & Maintenance.

Why More Buildings Should Become Energy Efficient?

While the retrofit of 82 Westmorland Street may be one of the first of its kind, it will stand as a testament to why communities should invest in energy-efficient buildings. There are many problems that come with urbanization including congestion, high costs of living, and pollution that can lead to a wide range of health hazards. While there has been a lot of focus on the energy-efficiency of new buildings, little concern is given to improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings and iconic landmarks. So why should we have more buildings that are energy-efficient?

Building Are Long-Term Investments 

Buildings are long-term and long lasting investments. When a building is more energy-efficient, it provides for better financial and social returns in the future. On a global scale, buildings account for 60% of electricity use, 12 % of water use, 40% of waste, and 40% of material use. With each energy-efficient improvement, the community will save money and resources. With lower income residents putting a large portion of their income towards utility bills, less energy use by buildings will translate to more affordable energy prices in the community.

Building Energy-Efficient Buildings is a More Affordable Way to Positively Affect Climate Change

As companies and the community become more environmentally conscious, reducing climate change causing emissions is a vital concern. With an energy-efficient building, you can significantly reduce carbon emissions at a marginal cost, and also enjoy a return on the initial investment in the energy cost savings that it will produce in as little as six months.

Energy-Efficient Buildings Can Improve Community Health

More than 3 million deaths occur each year as a result of energy-related outdoor air pollution. Smog and other pollutants can destroy the quality of the outdoor air leading to health hazards for the nearby community. Having more energy-efficient buildings not only reduces deaths, but also reduces the costs of pollution-related healthcare. 

When communities and corporations invest to focus on developing energy-efficient buildings and retrofitting current ones, everyone wins. Energy-efficient buildings provide for better health and energy costs for the whole community while having a global impact on the environment.

...And this is why 82 Westmorland has taken the initiative to have an energy retrofit for the benefit of the community, and the environment!

For more information on 82 Westmorland's energy efficient upgrades, click here!

For many people, work is their home away from home. You spend much of your day at work, but unfortunately, issues like poor indoor air-quality and uncomfortable temperatures can make your workplace a less appealing place to spend your time. Luckily, many companies are now focusing on the future, by retrofitting their workplaces to make them more energy efficient.

Energy-efficient buildings make employees more comfortable, and in turn, increases their workplace satisfaction, improving their company's image. Check out ways an energy-efficient building can improve your work environment and help you to work more efficiently.

Improved Temperature Comfort

An energy efficient building is designed to control the flow of air, moisture, and temperature. Using Energy Star® windows and insulation ensures effective sealing of the building, which keeps the conditioned air from escaping. 

Environments that are too cold, can cause discomfort and a lack of mobility. Similarly, environments that are too hot, can lead to dehydration and other health concerns. By maintaining a consistent temperature, you will feel comfortable throughout the day. Therefore, not only will you be more productive, but will suffer fewer sick days from poor temperature conditions.

Savings on Monthly Utility Bills

When your workplace is designed to be energy-efficient, it will save money for the business. Some companies may even see up to 30% savings off heating and cooling bills, by simply preventing air leaks. Your business will improve its bottom line as less energy will escape the building and get wasted. This will free up funds for more important business concerns and keep the company healthy & moving forward.

Improved Indoor Air Quality

While many people think of outdoor air as being significantly more polluted than indoor air, they are often wrong. Indoor air pollutants such as dirt, dust, allergens, and chemicals all release into the air supply and circulate in the air you breathe, wreaking havoc on asthma and allergy symptoms, and leading to various types of respiratory illness. Much of these pollutants come in through cracks and leaks in the building and can reach dangerous levels without proper ventilation. Outdoor pollutants can be kept out if a building sealed for energy-efficiency, and ventilation can then control the airflow to ensure the air is being refreshed consistently. Moreover, the pollutants will be directed towards the filter, where they will be trapped. 

Reduced Moisture

When moisture builds up in your workplace, it can cause all kinds of problems. Moisture and heat lead to high levels of humidity which not only makes the air thick and difficult to breathe, but can can deteriorate the air quality. Heavy moisture buildup in your workplace can lead to staining on walls, ceilings, & windows, and mold growth. As moisture approaches the 50% mark, it can be difficult to control airborne disease. Once a building has been retrofited, air leaks will be minimized, and there will be proper ventilation, preventing moisture buildup and keeping humidity levels in the workplace comfortable. 

Better Resale Value of an Energy Efficient Building

When a building is more energy-efficient, it costs less to operate, is easier to maintain, and has a much longer life. Comfort, improved indoor air quality, and the low cost of energy bills make such a building appealing to potential buyers. Thus your company's building will become a greater asset after an energy retrofit. 

Reduced Emissions and Fossil Fuel Usage

An energy efficient retrofit can significantly lower the amount of greenhouse gases that your building uses. This helps your company do its part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the air that can have a damaging effect on climate change. The building will also consume fewer fossil fuels to heat since the energy use in the building will be significantly reduced. 

Working in an energy efficient building comes with numerous benefits from better comfort and indoor air quality, to lowering dangerous greenhouse emissions and reducing overall energy use. Help the environment and your local community by pushing for positive changes in work environments that can come from using an energy-efficient building. Find out more about retrofitting your Fredericton building by contacting Naveco Power today to discuss possible solutions.