Which Facilities Management Trends Make Sense For Your Building?
Net-Zero Energy (Zero Net Energy Consumption)
Traditional buildings are responsible for more than 40% of all fossil fuel consumption in the United States. A net-zero energy building, meanwhile, is one whose energy consumption is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on site. This impressive feat is quickly becoming a sought after goal for many facilities. This means greatly reduced fossil fuel use and greatly reduced carbon emissions.
The number of net-zero energy buildings has more than doubled in the last two years, according to the New Buildings Institute. And this trend is expected to continue into 2015.
Resilient Buildings
A resilient building is one which is better equipped to handle the worst effects of climate change. Some cities, like New York, have begun to incorporate resiliency into its building codes. Meanwhile, the U.S. Green Building Council is making resilience a policy priority as well.
Energy Reporting
Actionable data is becoming more and more important for facilities looking to curtail energy usage and cut costs. This data helps building owners and facilities management professionals better understand energy usage, allowing them to better adapt future practices. The more data, the better.
Integrated Building Automation Systems (BAS)
With the intent to “Go Green” and reduce their carbon footprint more and more property managers and building owners are working to curtail CO2 emissions and decrease energy consumption with the help of Building Automation Systems (BAS). Click Here to learn more.
Leedv4
Late last year, the U.S. Green Building Council extended the deadline for project teams to use the old LEED 2009 rating system until October 31, 2016. So what does this mean for LEEDv4? Only time will tell.
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) And Health Product Declarations (HPDs)
Experts expect more and more manufacturers to develop environmental product declarations (EPDs) and health product declarations (HPDs) in 2015 as criteria for building product selections. LEEDv4 gives points for using building products where EPDs and HPDs are available.
Is My Commercial Facility Energy Efficient?
For over 14 years, Crockett Facilities Services has helped commercial facility owners and property managers to lower energy consumption and extend HVAC equipment life through comprehensive preventive maintenance programs, repairs and retrofits.
Crockett Facilities Services earned the Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MSCA) GreenStar National Designation for Environmental Excellence, demonstrating environmental responsibility and a commitment to energy-saving practices. The MSCA GreenStar designation is a very exclusive designation given to less than 1% of HVACR contractors.
To learn more about how you facilities management can improve the performance of your commercial facility, please contact CFSI at 202.600.2787 or sales@crockett-facilities.com. In addition to mobile HVAC and preventive maintenance services, we also offer on-site engineering services.
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Sources:
Top 5 High-Performance Building Trends for 2015, Facilitiesnet