Westmeath Community Development

Energy Conservation for Non Domestic by Patrick Daly, Westmeath Community Development

 Energy used in non domestic buildings can account for a considerable portion of an organisations operational costs as well as contributing to carbon emissions. As such conserving energy not only reduces costs but can also improves comfort and reduce emissions into the environment.

Energy and environmental building specialist Patrick Daly, gives key advice on how to reduce your energy consumption and reduce your operational costs.

Non residential buildings use energy in very different ways and can have significant energy loads. Reducing energy consumption can provide significant cost benefits, both immediate and long term and can be achieve via a number of interventions such as:

Behaviour changes:

Changing how we use existing buildings and systems by education, awareness and training can result in significant energy savings. For example turning off lights when not required, or closing windows during heating periods can bring important savings.

Consider awareness campaigns, training and target setting  etc. as ways of reducing energy use.

Energy Management:

Monitoring and tracking of energy are essential to provide information to allow better management of existing buildings and systems. Establishing policy and procedures, setting targets and undertaking reviews on actions are ways to positively manage energy use. For example adjusting settings, programming, establishing maintenance procedure, and appointing an ‘energy officer’ are some ways to manage energy more effectively.

Maintenance and Servicing;

Regular servicing and maintenance of existing systems is important in checking for possible faults or failures and to optimise efficiency. Regular servicing of boilers for example can achieve good reductions in energy consumption

Upgrading of Systems;

Undertaking upgrades or replacement of older or inefficient systems provides excellent opportunity to make significant energy reductions including potential to introduce alternative fuels or renewables. Such measures, especially those relating to space heating are best undertaken in tandem with building improvements.

For example older boilers can be replaced with newer higher efficiency units with more advanced programming and controls. Replacing existing poor efficiency lights with low energy units and some element of lighting control can reduce electrical lighting loads, which is the largest energy load in some building types.

Building Refurbishment;

Upgrading, renovating or extending existing premises allows important improvements to be made that impact on energy efficiency notably in terms of reduced space heating demand from better insulated and airtight construciton, but can also benefit in terms of improved day-lighting (reducing lighting loads) improved ventilation and cooling (offsetting mechanical or air conditioning energy). For example  re cladding a building with more insulative and airtight construction will mean less demand for space heating and can significantly reduce energy costs.

Renewable Energy:

Where feasible consideration should be given to introducing renewable and alternative energy solutions such as Solar Heating, Solar Water Heating, Biomass Fuels,  Biogas, Geothermal, Wind and PV electrical generation, and District or CHP heating systems.

First steps are to undertake an audit of your current energy consumption, building and systems and assess potential improvement measures. Professional assistance may be required with this. Remember to keep focus on energy conservation first, then efficiency followed by alternative fuels.

Support and advise is available from SEI who offer a number of programmes www.sei.ie

For SME’s SEI provide the advice and mentoring, training and resources such as energy MAP. They also have a support programmes for public bodies and for  very large organisations SEI have developed a voluntary network to support energy management and efficiency actions.

Financial support is available from SEI under the following programmes, SEEEP, ReHeat and CHP programmes, and additional support under accelerated capital allowances.

CHP

The SEI CHP Deployment Programme provides grant support to assist the deployment of small-scale (<1MWe) fossil fired CHP and biomass (anaerobic digestion (AD) and wood residue) CHP systems. 

ReHEAT

The Renewable Heat (ReHeat) Deployment Programme provides assistance for the deployment of renewable heating systems in industrial, commercial, public and community premises and supports qualifying renewable heating systems in the following categories

Boilers fuelled by wood chips and/or wood pellets,  Solar thermal systems and Heat pumps

SEEEP

Under SEEEP financial support is available for business and the public sector, for energy efficiency projects that achieve significant energy savings and create demand for labour-intensive services during implementation.

ACA

The ACA is a tax incentive for companies paying corporation tax and aims to encourage investment in energy efficient equipment via allowing companies to write off 100% of the purchase value of qualifying energy efficient equipment against their profit in the year of purchase.

Importantly it is always advisable to seek professional advise and support when implementing such measures.

Patrick Daly is currently working for Westmeath Community Development on the development of its renewable energy strategy. A serious of public meetings will be held at the end of November/ early December where information will be provided to the general public/ business sector on renewable energy. These meetings will also provide rural communities with an opportunity to give their views and opinions on renewable energy and allow Westmeath Community Development to use this information  to influence its future actions. There will also be a series of articles in this publication for a number of weeks on renewable energy and sustainability topics.  Details and venues of the proposed meetings will be in next weeks article.