ACR Journal

CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai acrjournal.uk 21 CONTROLS public sector organisations, were found to be less hampered by budgetary constraints, allowing for greater uptake of smart solutions. However, others, like commercial o ce space, face huge deficits – up to 50 per cent of their existing budget, making it di cult to realise the benefit they want from their smart investments. These investments can take many shapes. It might mean festooning the walls with flow sensors — little devices that can detect, for example, when the fourth floor is empty, prompting a second smart system to turn o the lights, and then a third to lower the central heating, so energy isn’t wasted. In an era of hybrid and home-working, when buildings will likely be at reduced capacity for the foreseeable future, such a setup could create huge savings — financially and environmentally. This sort of tech has a bright future. Though the short-term priority for most building owners is occupant health and safety (a consequence, no doubt, of heightened COVID-awareness), over the next five years, their focus will move onto energy e ciency. By 2030, when several major companies hope to hit net zero carbon emissions, including Rolls- Royce, AstraZeneca, and Legal and General, sustainability and achieving net zero targets will be the prime concern for the majority. This, in part, is a result of ever-tightening government regulations. For example, from 2025, gas boilers will be banned in all new-build homes, while non-domestic buildings will face increasingly strict energy e ciency standards. In addition, the UK itself has set the target of being net zero by 2050, adding a recent target of 78 per cent reduction in emissions by 2035. The knock-on eect on building owners and occupiers varies depending on the type of industry or business – but it’s safe to assume every organisation is under pressure to deliver on eco-targets. More than simply hitting incremental energy saving goals, making bold strokes on sustainability is more important than ever to keep employees happy. Younger generations, in particular, have come to expect it, if not demand it from their current and future employers. As a result, many businesses must now ramp up what their workplace oers its sta to rival the most comfortable and personal working environment of all: home. Happier, healthier, greener HVAC systems have always been critical to keeping employees happy and healthy at work, but this has had a negative impact on the planet for a long time. Ine cient HVAC systems can give a building a much bigger carbon footprint than it would ideally have. Last year, our Energy E ciency Indicator survey found that 75 per cent of organisations plan to increase their investment in energy e ciency and smart building technologies. 3 The opportunity, then, to overhaul HVAC systems to limit the spread of COVID-19 is also an opportunity to invest in more e cient, greener HVAC technologies built for the future. Taking a holistic approach to your HVAC equipment is the best way to do this, to ensure e ciency gains can be made across an entire building or estate by connecting intelligent systems. Chillers, for example, with e ciency and intelligence built in as standard, can reduce energy use and carbon emissions for a building or collection of buildings, helping FMs meet energy targets and keeping costs low. A smart solutions guide Specialist expertise will be required to see success — especially with tight budgets, questioning boardrooms, and unclear return on investment calculations. A methodical approach is needed. First, weak areas in a building’s operationality need to be identified. For instance, are your HVAC systems measuring the optimum occupancy levels of an area, taking air ventilation and air change rates into account? Next, formulate a clear idea of the needs and expectations. Occupant comfort plus e ciency is an excellent place to start. After that, assess the eectiveness and flaws of any pre-existing smart tech and how it might integrate with a future setup. Fourth, draw up a concrete plan to present to the wider organisation, sharing how smart technologies can help reach the objectives of the business. And finally, deliver on the plan: this is a defining moment in the evolution of smart building technologies. Now is the time to take our buildings seriously and install solutions that can positively impact lives and help change the world around us. 1. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/ press-release/building-sector-emissions- hit-record-high-low-carbon-pandemic 2. https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/ en_gb/insights/2021/thought-leadership/ thinking-smart 3. https://www.johnsoncontrols . com/media-center/news/press- releases/2020/02/04/2019-energy- e ciency-indicator