Improving Energy Use & Building Performance

Energy Use Intensity (EUI) targets.  EUI expresses a building’s energy use as a function of its size.  A building’s EUI is typically expressed in ekWh/sqft units.  Although energy use targets are established with Building Owners and Engineers, and monitored via the energy model during the building design phase,  it is important to collect the ‘actual’ energy use data from the Owner or operator (ie. utility bills) over an entire year of real-life use to see how the building is actually performing compared to its design targets.  We are very pleased at the actual performance of several of our recently completed projects.

Nelson Mandela Public School in Brampton ON, which opened its doors to 800 students September 2015, is performing at 9.86 ekWh/sqft, the School Board’s best performing building for lowest energy use per square foot.

We are also pleased at the performance of King George Public School (500 pupils) and John Galt Public School (400 pupils), in Guelph ON

King George Public School is performing at 11.38 ekWh/sqft.

John Galt Public School is performing at 11.50 ekWh/sqft.

We attribute this efficiency partially to building’s utilization of thermal mass strategies for heating and cooling.

We continue to educate ourselves, consultants and our clients on ways on cost effective to reduce energy use in buildings.