FEATURE
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THE EMISSIONS ISSUE
INSIDE THE MIND OF...
A SUSTAINABILITY
CONSULTANT
GIVEN THAT BUILDINGS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 40% OF
THE WORLD’S CARBON EMISSIONS, IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT
ENGINEERING FIRMS ARE PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY RIGHT
UP THERE WHEN IT COMES TO BOTH NEW BUILDS AND
RENOVATION PROJECTS. ELECTRICAL GEMS GETS THE
LOWDOWN FROM NORTHROP CONSULTING ENGINEERING’S
SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT MATHEUS SANTOS.
hen it comes to
sustainability, what
are the key things
you consider when designing
a building?
W
The environmental impact of
buildings is primarily established
at the schematic design stage. The
most basic decisions of size,
orientation and form often have
the greatest impact on the
resources required during
operation. If the design team
consistently think of minimising
energy consumption as these
decisions are made, the building
itself can have a great impact on
the efficiency of heating, cooling
and lighting.
After the building is designed,
you then look at maximising the
use of natural energy, through
passive heating, passive cooling
and daylighting systems, and then
you ensure the mechanical and
electrical equipment used is as
efficient as possible.
Why is natural light in
buildings so popular, and how
do you make the most of it?
In the second half of the 20th
century, we saw vast amounts of
electric lights being used in
buildings – daylighting wasn’t
really considered. It’s easy to
understand why – it’s cheap and
electricity was abundantly
available. It meant designers
were permitted to ignore
window size and location when
designing buildings. But the
dynamic nature of daylight is
now seen as a virtue, from a
wellbeing perspective as well as
an energy perspective.
And what about natural
airflow? How can you use that
to regulate temperature, rather
than using an air conditioner?
By naturally ventilating a building
and mechanically assisting
natural ventilation, you can
reduce or eliminate the use of
HVAC (heating, ventilation and
air conditioning) systems.
Simulations of thermal comfort
show that, depending on the
climate and the specific purpose
of the building, these strategies
would maintain the user’s
comfortability for around 80% of
the time throughout the year.
What type of products can
help reduce a building’s
emissions?
The equipment installed in
a building can have a high
impact on sustainability. From the
installation of PE and motion
sensors on lights through to the
incorporation of monitoring on
or turn off lights when is senses
sufficient daylight is a relatively
recent development.
What role do electrical
engineers play in designing a
new build?
Light and power are two of the
key areas that control every
environment that we work, live
and play in. Lighting selection
affects how we perceive spaces,
interact and feel throughout the
day and, as such, electrical
engineers provide some of the
most interactive elements of the
design process. The power supply
is often not thought about
enough, and Level 3 electrical
engineers are vital for all new
buildings to ensure that power
can get in and out of the building.
Otherwise, all of the other
systems won’t work.
What are the most significant
contributions you’ve seen an
electrical engineer make to
the outcome?
Matheus Santos
is a sustainability
consultant at Northrop
Consulting Engineering
how often the flush is activated
on urinals, and to the colour of
lights and how they affect the
circadian rhythms of a building’s
occupants. Other products that
are beneficial in this regard are
lighting controls including
dimmers, Deciphering Digital
Addressable Lighting Interface
systems, organic response
lighting; the efficient selection
of IT/ICT equipment, dim
systems when not in use and
effective monitoring of systems.
When it comes to security,
a lighting system that dims
and turns off when no one is
around can be useful, while
the correct selection of backup
power systems can be highly
important. The use of photocell
controls to automatically dim
I have seen a lot of contributions
from electrical engineers,
especially when achieving
great sustainability outcomes.
Usually done by effectively
working closely with the
design team with an integrated
design approach, the electrical
engineers were able to specify
very efficient lighting systems
coupled with daylight and motion
sensors for an office building,
reducing the heat loads from the
lighting system. A big part of the
energy consumption was offset by
energy from the solar panels on
the roof.
What do contractors need to
get involved in such projects?
Passion. A passion for
sustainability and reducing
emissions is essential to work on
interesting projects that are
designed to make a difference. If
you are not willing to actively
seek out and justify the best
solution, you will always settle for
a sub-optimal end product.
JUN – JUL 2019 GEMCELL.COM.AU
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