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To reach net-zero, rethinking what we do with existing buildings is a non-negotiable. From simple operational optimisation interventions, to more in-depth retrofit upgrades and renewable installations, there are a multitude of options to consider to improve existing building performance and maximise the potential of our current building stock.
Of course, this will not be a simple task, and there are a number of complexities that we must navigate to achieve the scale of change that is required. However, many projects are showing that it’s not only possible, but increasingly achievable, to decarbonise our existing buildings, particularly when equipped with the right tools and data insights.
In this blog, we’ve rounded up a selection of real-world case studies to demonstrate how IES technology is driving transformative improvements in existing building projects. From early-stage energy auditing and dynamic modelling of retrofit interventions, right through to post-retrofit commissioning and ongoing measurement and verification (M&V), these examples highlight the practical steps being taken to unlock significant performance gains across the entire building lifecycle.
To support their sustainability commitments, Tifco Hotel Group - the second largest hotel operator in Ireland - appointed IES Consulting to conduct a series of detailed energy audits, encompassing 9 properties across their portfolio.
The consultants conducted site surveys and detailed assessment of energy use data to identify the major consumers and build a complete picture of the energy flows across each site, including any monthly or seasonal trends. Their initial assessment identified domestic hot water (DHW), the building HVAC systems and space heating as being the highest energy consumers across the portfolio, with kitchen electrical equipment and lighting also being amongst the areas highlighted for potentially significant savings opportunities to be achieved.
Having established the areas of high consumption, the team were able to produce a series of energy action plans for the various sites. These encompassed a variety of measures, ranging from operational adjustments and behaviour change initiatives, all the way through to deep renovation plant and fabric upgrades, heat pumps and renewable installations. Overall, it was determined that the measures advised would have the potential to deliver a 50% reduction in energy use, a 30% reduction in energy cost and a 43% reduction in CO2 emissions, across the sites analysed.
Key Facts
Dublin City Council were supported by IES in determining the energy efficiency and carbon impact of four different retrofit strategies to regenerate three of the city’s vacant social housing blocks, constructed in 1962.
Leveraging the connection between IESVE and One Click LCA, it was possible to conduct a whole life carbon assessment of four different retrofit strategies (shallow, medium, deep and reduce to core & shell and rebuild), considering both the embodied and operational carbon impacts, to identify which would produce the lowest emissions over a 20, 40 or 60 year period.
The dynamic modelling approach indicated that a deep retrofit strategy would have the lowest whole-life carbon impact, with a predicted 85% cumulative reduction in carbon emissions over 60 years. The results were communicated via interactive dashboards, enabling clear visualisation and comparison of the various strategies to aid the decision-making process.
Key Facts
IES were appointed to provide monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) services following the energy efficient retrofit of this LEED Platinum certified office building.
The comprehensive retrofit strategy, implemented in 2017, encompassed a variety of measures which included glazing retrofits, lighting upgrades, solar PV installations, and a new energy-efficient mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery.
IES applied their iSCAN data analytics platform to gather data from the BMS and other available data sources to support the MBCx process and ensure that systems were operating at optimum levels of efficiency. While, in theory, the retrofit was expected to result in a highly energy efficient building, the project identified that, in reality, the building was not performing as efficiently as expected.
Through the MBCx process, the team were able to advise on a series of operational improvements to deliver annual energy cost savings in the region of €108K and 302 tonnes of CO2 savings per year.
Key Facts
The University of Liverpool was the first project to use the IES Live energy and carbon management platform to verify the impact of a recent HVAC refurbishment in real time. Having initially used the IES Digital Twin suite to test the impact of different refurbishment scenarios, prior to implementation, IES Live enabled the university to connect live data from their BMS, energy meters and sensors to a performance digital twin, and provided the facilities management team with a single pane view of operational performance metrics via the cloud.
The project verified a 23% energy reduction and £25K initial cost savings, over an initial 9 month period. These savings are continuing to increase over time, through effective ongoing performance monitoring and optimisation.
Key Facts
For more insights and practical advice on how to get your existing building to net-zero, you can check out our Net-Zero Retrofit page and resources below.
Free guide download: Energy Modelling for Retrofit: A Best Practice Approach to Decarbonising Existing Buildings
On-demand webinar: Energy Modelling & Data Analytics for Net-Zero Retrofit
