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![]() ![]() Other options for roofs and windows include adding reflective surfaces or low-e coatings to reduce energy consumption.īefore undertaking a building retrofit, however, you should consider these questions: For example, a building owner may replace a façade, add exterior installation, update or replace windows and doors, and repair or replace roofs or floors. ![]() Air sealing – the restriction of air passing through the building envelope – can reduce the need for heating by 20 to 30 percent.įortunately, envelope materials and technologies have improved over the years, and numerous methods exist for retrofits. And that’s important, considering HVAC and lighting make up three-fourths of the energy use in commercial buildings. Naturally, a building that minimizes the loss of air flowing in and out through gaps in its barrier operates more efficiently. In fact, the trend has shifted from new construction to retrofits, comprising 61 percent of today’s construction projects, according to McGraw-Hill. Generally, retrofitting a building envelope costs less than constructing a new building. Therefore, proactive owners must decide whether to demolish and build a new facility or retrofit their existing one. These components can be made of metal, wood, stone, glass, even fabric, and they play a key role in determining levels of comfort, natural lighting, ventilation, and how much energy is needed to heat and cool a building.Īs a building ages, its external components degrade, leading to poor energy efficiency and decreased occupant comfort, not to mention reduced equipment life and a decline in property value. Those in the commercial building arena refer to the primary thermal barrier between the building’s interior and its exterior as the “envelope,” comprising walls, windows, roofs, and floors. In this post, we’ll discuss the specifics of commercial building retrofits, how to determine if your building is a candidate, the building types where retrofits can have a significant impact, and retrofit funding options. One way to do that is by making improvements to building exteriors, known as an envelope retrofit. Understandably, these factors and others have led to today’s push for energy conservation in commercial buildings. And their average age? Fifty years (49.07 to be exact). These buildings consume 40 percent of our nation’s energy. More than five million commercial buildings exist in the U.S., according to a 2012 survey conducted by the U.S. ![]()
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