With the cost of energy expected to almost double over the next decade, older building retrofits can be a smart investment.
There are many new and innovative approaches being utilized that can make retrofitting an older commercial building in Calgary not only a smart investment but can also attract more tenants.
Advances in sensor and automation technologies and the use of dynamic materials and building envelopes can allow landlords to not only retrofit their buildings to save enormous amounts of money in energy savings but also to sell excess energy to the existing power grid.
There are many companies that specialize in providing an expertise in how to retrofit a building for cost effective energy savings, but prospective owners should prepare the following to understand the overall costs and benefits including:
• Must ascertain all baseline data of the energy use of the older premise before considering a retrofit.
• Using a qualified engineer to provide an estimate on projected energy savings relative to the cost
Prospective landlords should approach their lender to discuss financing options and should seek out input from the Canada Green Building Council and also from Natural Resources Canada.
A full energy audit will need to be performed to fully know and understand the various options available to you and the potential costs required to complete the various aspects of the retrofit that you decide to undertake.
There is also the availability of potential energy grant money that may be available through both the federal government and government of Alberta which can help to significantly mitigate any costs that you might be considering in retrofitting an older commercial building in Calgary.
Some ideas that can be incorporated into retrofitting an older commercial building could include:
• The installation of LED based indoor lighting controls
• Vacuum and advanced insulation for walls and ceilings
• HVAC with small diameter delivery system
• Building energy management with Smart Grid interface
• Building-level electrochemical storage
• Engineered curtain walls with sensors
• Advanced roofing systems using ultra-high thermal resistance materials
• Rainwater management systems
Buildings which were built prior to 1985 may actually benefit the most from many of the available government grants because they have the greatest potential to be improved.
Many landlords fail to understand the economic advantages of incorporating cost saving green improvements as these types of enhanced green retrofit improvements will actually increase the overall value of the building.
Improving the cost of an energy inefficient heating system, reducing the cost of lighting and utilizing enhance insulation materials can significantly reduce costs not only to landlords but will act as an attractive enticement to prospective tenants.
Photo by minniemouseaunt.
