High Performing Buildings - Spring 2009 - (Page 49) leSSOnS leArned Probably the most important lesson to be learned from the Szencorp building is the value of monitoring and constant building improvement. The building design received a six-star green star rating — the highest rating awarded by the green Building Council of Australia (equivalent to leed® Platinum status). A process of monitoring and constant refinement has allowed the building to be improved beyond its design intent. The building now has been occupied for three years and as every year passes, water and energy consumption has decreased. Public accountability has been important to szencorp. Comprehensive wartsand-all reports on the building’s performance are published annually, and live metering and Bms feeds are available for the public to view at the building’s Web site, www.theszencorpbuilding.com. Australia’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The converted Toyota Prius was retrofitted with additional batteries which allow it to be driven without using its petrol tank for at least 18 miles. The car can be charged using renewable energy from a standard power point but most interestingly, energy stored in the car can also be fed back into the building to augment the output of the building’s PV arrays. Performance The level of scrutiny applied to the building since the refurbishment was finished appears to have paid off. Electricity consumption was 74 MWh in the building’s first year of operation, 70% lower than prerefurbishment usage. In its second year the building only used 68 MWh — 8% less than the first year, and 71% less than prerefurbishment usage. Gas and water consumption were reduced by 22% and 37%, respectively, between the first and second years of operation. The building has achieved Australia’s highest energy and water performance ratings, based on measured usage. Monitors and data loggers are installed throughout the building. Electricity, gas and water usage rates have so far decreased each year since the renovation. Live BMS data and performance reports may be viewed by the public online at www.theszencorpbuilding.com. Some staff who need to use a car during work hours don’t have this option, so the company worked with the University of Technology in Sydney to develop a more sustainable mode of automotive transport. That project culminated in 2008, when the building became home to building PerFOrMAnce design intent electricity consumption 95 mWh First Year 74 mWh Second Year 68 mWh The building also is performing well in other areas. A post-occupancy study carried out in September 2006 found self-assessed staff productivity was 13.1% higher than in the company’s previous office. This result puts the building in the top 11% of rated Australian buildings for perceived productivity. Comfort, health and overall design also were rated above average by the study, and the building rated in the top 11% of the Building Use Studies data set for overall building performance and meeting user needs. Readers can view live BMS data and performance reports of the building at its Web site (www. theszencorpbuilding.com). • gas consumption 245 gJ 367 gJ 286 gJ AbOuT The AuThOr Water consumption 41,448 gallons 31,994 gallons 20,064 gallons normalized Whole-of-building emissions 0.01444 ton Co2 /ft2 per year stuart West is a freelance writer and former editor of ecolibrium® , the official journal of the Australian institute of refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating. spring 2009 HigH Performing Buildings 49 http://www.theszencorpbuilding.com http://www.theszencorpbuilding.com http://www.theszencorpbuilding.com http://www.theszencorpbuilding.com
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