What is the impact of your building on local energy consumption?
Recently, scientists have developed a new rating for buildings that assesses their monster energy golf bags consumption. So what does this rating mean?
The new Tier rating from the EPA assigns points to any building and/or infrastructure that meets certain efficiency requirements. This can include sustainability measures, as well as costs and access to services like transportation. A Tier 1-3 rating will be used in order to track performance over time and view how they compare with other buildings in the United States. The national standard for a Tier 3-rating requires an investment of $1 million or more in efficiency measures at scale.
1. A lot of toilets and air conditioning
The first tier of this rating system aims to mitigate problems caused by poor indoor environmental quality. Simply put, the environment inside a building can be considered uncomfortable or unhealthy if there is too much moisture or too little ventilation and airflow. Indoor humidity level should be below 60%, while the guideline for temperature is not higher than 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). Achieving this through energy-efficient equipment is usually the most cost-effective way to improve in this category.
2. The energy-efficient appliances
The second tier is a little more advanced. It aims to reduce the amount of electricity used for heating and cooling. Energy-efficiency ratings of equipment will be required for insulation, air conditioning, water heaters and refrigeration systems. The humidifiers and dehumidifiers will also have energy-efficiency ratings in order to reduce the amount of moisture released into the atmosphere.
3. High performance lighting
The third tier is aimed at saving electrical energy through smart technologies which then further cut costs by reducing air pollution and waste disposal needs. This means turning lights on and off in an optimal way and setting up controls to reflect the amount of sunlight entering a space.
4. And thermal mass
The fourth tier, which targets the use of thermal mass when heating and cooling, aims at improving the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. This can include building materials that can be warmed by solar energy or natural ventilation while also absorbing heat, as well as reducing air pollution during active use.
5. Energy-efficient water heaters
The fifth tier is aimed at improving heat transfer through hot water systems using energy-efficient electrical components such as flow controllers that ensure optimal pressure rates for the desired temperature.
6. And water
The sixth tier is all about saving energy through the use of a water-saving irrigation system. This means installing low flow louvers, pitchers and faucets, while also reducing the number of toilets used in public spaces.
7. Making a positive impact on heat
This tier focuses on reducing the need for gas-fired heating systems by using energy-efficient appliances and other equipment to direct heat into spaces that are more suitable for passive heating systems. For example, in some cases a building could be heated by ground sources or other geothermal sources that use the earth’s natural heat to passively warm an indoor space.
8. Water sources
The eighth tier targets the use of the most cost-effective water source for a building. This means installing a water-saving irrigation system that uses less water and energy. It also means reducing the amount of toilets used in public spaces, like public restrooms.
9. And surveillance and automation systems
The ninth tier aims at reducing costs by improving building surveillance via an integrated control system. This means ensuring efficient lighting to reduce energy needs, and making sure that automated systems are only used when needed, such as automatic doors or lights that turn on based on occupancy levels or motion sensors in hallways and rooms.
10. And automated control systems
The tenth tier aims at designing the building to run on a presence-only system that includes both a factory mode and an automation mode. In an automation mode, lights and doors turn off when no one is there, while in the factory mode all equipment operates as they should without any assistance from humans. This most advanced tier of the Tier rating involves advanced automated heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
11. And HVAC
The eleventh tier uses energy-efficient HVAC systems which can be controlled by computers and advanced mains automation to optimize efficiency during active use or passive cooling, taking advantage of solar or geothermal heat sources during times of low energy demand.
12. And insulation
Finally, the twelfth tier uses an advanced building envelope which retains heat in the winter and prevents excess heat from entering in the summer. This is achieved by using a triple pane window with a low U-Value (thermal resistance), a vapor barrier that prevents moisture from entering, and an advanced roofing system that is energy-efficient, reflective and well insulated.
13. Energy analysis
The EPA has developed the Tier rating in order to help buildings pursue energy efficiency goals efficiently. They are asking owners and managers of buildings to report their buildings’ energy use annually. This way we can compare our buildings with one another and see how efficiently we are using our buildings’ resources compared to each other.
