On the road to Net Zero, energy efficiency measures may not grab the headlines as “Clean Energy Innovation”, but energy efficiency is essential, practical and often simple to install.
Fire Doors
Sustainability in construction is a much-discussed topic right now, and one that, off the back of COP26 summit, is something that will be continued to be addressed as the UK works towards its Net Zero Carbon aims.
In tackling the issue of climate change and the construction industry, “Better Material Choice” features heavily in the literature as an accepted, actionable step towards net zero, which is why many building product businesses are putting material choice at the forefront of their product development initiatives.
Fire door sets that are constructed of timber, are sustainable in their nature – since they are inherently renewable and a natural insulator, making them highly energy-efficient.
One of the biggest challenges in reducing emissions from the energy system to net-zero by 2050, according to the “Committee on Climate Change” (CCC), is the decarbonisation of building heating.
This will inevitably require the creation of buildings that are highly insulated in order to limit thermal bridging.
Fire door sets constructed primarily of timber are an obvious choice in the goal for a well-insulated environment, and when used alongside a whole building approach to thermal performance, can help to greatly improve thermal efficiency in buildings.
LED Lighting
With energy prices and global emissions reaching all-time highs, businesses need to take quick action to tackle climate change. One way to do this is by challenging our current energy outputs such as our lighting.
After phasing out the incandescent light bulb worldwide, there have been huge efforts to transition to energy efficient connected LED lighting as the new standard for “General Lighting”. This shift aims to help meet the goals of the UK’s 10-point plan and other commitments that nations have made around the world in line with the “Paris Agreement” to reduce emissions and install greener energy.
“The Climate Group” states “LED lighting has been recognised as one of the most actionable and ready to implement technologies for cities to transition to a low carbon economy and peak emissions in the next decade.
Switching to LED’s is an easy win. Something as minor as a 20% reduction in energy costs can add the same benefit as a 5% increase in sales for business. Upgrading from conventional lighting to LED lighting technology can deliver significant cost savings of up to 80% for a business, according to “BEIS” (Business Energy & Industrial Strategy).
The use of appropriate lighting controls can further boost savings, including daylight linked control, presence detection with occupancy sensors, time switching and flexible manual and remote controls.
LED’s are one of the simplest changes to make across an estate with pretty much guaranteed financial and environmental benefits that pay back in a reasonably fast time to. The technology is proven and benefits firms’ overall carbon reporting and footprint and provides visible proof that your business is serious about energy efficiency. Anything other than LED lighting for a modern business increasingly looks like a legacy decision.
Net Zero Carbon
A whole life consideration
Building Asset360 and Net Zero Carbon are linked by their whole life approach. The best way to Net Zero Carbon from lighting is maximising the use of the Lighting Asset as described best by the World Green Building Council (WGBC). The WGBC makes clear the best path to lowering embodied carbon to raise the overall sustainability of buildings, is to maximise the use of existing assets and to explore opportunities to avoid construction altogether.
Additionally, by utilising the premium range of the Generation 4 drivers, luminaire manufacturers are to take advantage of the cradle-to-cradle certifications, which highlight the comprehensive testing undergone on this range of technology to determine whether it meets a stringent standard for environmental sustainability and human health.
Through the incorporation of Tridonic’s latest Generation4 Driver platform, luminaires from manufacturers will seamlessly gain the advantage of being lumDATA enabled. This crucial data encompasses health evaluations for each luminaire, resulting in a shift towards a more informed replacement approach which is the best path for lowering embodied carbon. As a result, luminaires will be replaced based on their health status rather than adhering strictly to a time-based strategy, ensuring more effective long-term outcomes. With the lifetime data from the drivers and the critical lumDATA collected from the luminaire, estate managers will now be able to make data driven decisions on whether to maintain, reuse, redistribute, refurbish and re-manufacture or recycle elements of the luminaire.
