improve their overall operation and performance but also provide feedback to our manufacturers to improve these technologies and systems in the future .
JDM : For me , awareness is the most significant barrier , and that branches off into all sorts of other factors like costs , technologies , and industry practices . Awareness and costs sort of dovetail into each other in that owners may have an inaccurate perception that it will always be more expensive than a traditional building approach . For a higher efficiency building with reduced operating carbon emissions , costs are frequently front-end loaded in design and construction but pay off over the life of the building . From a design perspective , we typically spend more time upfront to provide more detailed modeling at the early stages of the project to better estimate the energy use of the proposed components and systems , looking at the first costs and operating costs . This may change our fee structure from a traditional project approach . At the same time , we have more leverage to make informed decisions at this stage that will influence the design . Most importantly , owners should be looking at the total cost of ownership instead of just the first costs .
A positive aspect of looking at higher efficiency components is that we can reduce loads , resulting in a smaller equipment footprint , and give back useable square footage to the programming of the building . We may look at some enhanced strategies that would minimize mechanical use , shifting first costs into the envelope while reducing mechanical capital costs and operating costs . Most owners aren ’ t used to the increased effort for early-stage modeling , which would show them that while they may pay more upfront , the total cost of ownership will be lower for a higher efficiency building and reduced operational carbon .
That being said , there will be many owners who will still be reluctant to take those upfront costs . This is why education and awareness are so important ; we need to educate the industry on what it really means to be carbon neutral . Like I said earlier , many owners don ’ t want to be the first to adopt new technologies . Some owners and users are used to operating in a certain way that they don ’ t want to introduce new technologies , even if proven , because they don ’ t want to learn a new system .
One way to help educate owners is to bring them to nearby facilities where these technologies have been implemented . For some recent projects at Palomar College that were striving for deeper energy savings and reduced operational carbon , we took their facilities staff to the San Diego State Student Union , which utilizes natural ventilation and radiant heating and cooling in portions of the building . Palomar College has natural ventilation in some areas of campus but was unfamiliar with operating a building with radiant heating and cooling . We engaged the SDSU Facilities Staff to provide a tour and help educate them on how they ’ ve adapted to a technology they were less familiar with when the building was first constructed over seven years ago . This helped ease some of the uncertainty associated with unfamiliar technology . I would also ensure we include proper training from the manufacturers to help them better understand the operations side .
How can the government and industry promote newer technologies that would help buildings decarbonize ?
AB : Both government and industry play an important role in helping decarbonize buildings . Providing subsidies and incentives at the state level is key to encouraging and promoting these technologies until the market stabilizes , demand increases , and prices come down , and they become affordable for everyone . I see decarbonization technologies following a similar trajectory to photovoltaic ( PV ) systems . Initially , utilities offered incentives , subsidies , and grants to promote these systems . Promoting these subsidies and incentives will help owners offset a portion of their costs to implement these technologies .
How do design professionals like yourselves contribute to the broader decarbonization effort ? How do you approach decarbonization for projects ?
AB : I mentioned before , the first step at the project level is to promote overall efficiency by reducing internal and external loads , promoting efficient systems , and providing smart control systems . Promoting electrification and reducing or eliminating natural gas usage would be another key element in decarbonization .
Optimizing the size of systems is critical in bringing down costs of these new technologies . We « right-size » these systems to not only reduce upfront capital costs but also help improve the overall efficiency of the equipment .
We also meet with our clients to not only discuss the costs of promoting decarbonization but also discuss the potential costs of business as usual . Eventually , we will all need to work together to meet overall emissions targets set by the state and avoid penalties in the future . We always recommend that our clients start working on a phased implementation plan to achieve decarbonization and carbon neutrality for their facilities .
Commissioning also plays an important role in reducing overall energy consumption . For example , if the lighting control system in a building is not working because a sensor wasn ’ t programmed or commissioned correctly , it keeps the lights on , even if there ’ s adequate daylight in the space .
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