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BUILDING PERFORMANCE CARBONBUZZ


CarbonBuzz data shows buildings in use consume, on average, 1.5-2.5 times more energy than expected


Figures in brackets indicate number of buildings in each sector on the CarbonBuzz database


use, while evidence emerging from the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Building Performance Evaluation programme is showing the same conclusions. At the root of the performance gap is


CIBSE TM54 – Evaluating Operational Energy Use at the Design Stage – is due out in September and will be available from the CIBSE Knowledge Portal


that, to comply with Building Regulations or (in Scotland) Standards, designers only need to assess a building’s energy consumption potential. This is done using calculations that are not rooted in statistical evidence. Instead they evaluate designs under idealised operating circumstances, without taking into consideration ‘value engineering’, rushed contractors, poorly trained building managers or unpredictable occupiers. Yet CarbonBuzz surveys show that built environment professionals and policy makers assume compliance is a reliable way of improving energy use. Moreover, current legislation rewards complexity in both systems and controls, even though these were shown to present a major risk to operational energy use decades ago (as explored by Bill Bordass, et al). In the ongoing TSB Building Performance Evaluation programme, most building users have struggled with building management systems, impacting on maintenance costs and, often, occupant comfort and productivity. While technological solutions offer a great potential to reduce


consumption, smart buildings need smart owners, occupiers, designers, and contractors – and even smarter operators. Clearly, more needs to be done to target


low operational energy use. CIBSE is developing a new technical memorandum that provides a more robust framework for predicting operational energy use in buildings. It aligns with the CarbonBuzz methodology of ‘counting everything’ and identifying risk areas early on. As part of a CarbonBuzz survey, many respondents raised concerns over liability. Can architects and engineers be sued if a building consumes a lot of energy in use? That seems unlikely for now. However, newly emerging procurement models targeting operational energy use, will reward those with a track record in achieving better value for their clients. With post-occupancy evaluations soon


to be incorporated into the procurement of all public projects, the productivity benefits of lower energy and maintenance costs will become more pronounced. For now, CarbonBuzz has achieved what few thought was possible – knowing what your building consumes is the ‘new cool’. CJ


JUDIT KIMPIAN MA(RCA) PHD, ARB, RIBA is director of sustainable architecture and research at Aedas.


24


CIBSE Journal June 2013


www.cibsejournal.com


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