Office buildings are typically not energy efficient, and globally they contribute to nearly a third of greenhouse gas emissions from construction to end of life.
Office buildings are typically not energy efficient, and globally they contribute to nearly a third of greenhouse gas emissions from construction to end of life. A new study out of the University of Waterloo analyzes data-driven improvements in Canada’s first zero-carbon, net-positive energy building showing how they play a vital role in that building generating more energy than it consumes.
In the first case study of its kind in Canada, researchers found that the net-positive building used more energy than originally predicted during the first nine months of operation while the operators were still learning about building systems. In 2019, the building failed to deliver on its promise to make enough solar power for its operations and some for the community. However, through continuous monitoring and implementing improvements, operations staff were able to reduce the building’s energy consumption by approximately 15 percent without compromising the comfort of people working in the space.
“The case study demonstrates that all buildings can experience operational inefficiencies – including environmentally friendly models,” said Monika Mikhail, a graduate student in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development and lead researcher on this work. “Implementing data-driven improvements to finetune operations can help sustainably designed buildings achieve their promise to create clean energy for society.”
Read more at: University of Waterloo
