Building Energy Resource Hub 180 N. LaSalle St. #2210 Chicago, IL 60601 info@buildinghub.energy
The Building Energy Resource Hub is a project of Illinois Green Alliance.
EIN: 75-3098915
Enabling energy efficiency measures helps with future system upgrades and electrification by adding necessary infrastructure and allocating space in your building. For instance, to electrify equipment or add renewable energy to your building, you may need to upgrade other systems to enable the installation of heat pumps, solar panels, or other new technologies. These should be identified in your Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Audit.
Enabling measures requires long-term planning to ensure you can take advantage of future decarbonization opportunities, such as heat pumps, solar panels, and EV charging stations. You should review areas where upfront work may be needed to prepare your building for decarbonization. For example, if the boilers fail and need replacement, having the electrical service in place already allows for installation of a heat pump system. Similarly, if a large incentive opportunity for a solar array arises, the testing, location, and infrastructure is already set up to add solar panels.
You might have to upgrade your electrical service capacity depending on what exists onsite and the demands of new equipment. This requires getting an electrical load study by an electrical engineer or electrician and writing a load letter to coordinate with your local utility company. You need to work with your utility company, as new loads may require upgrades to transformers, feeders, and changes to the rate class or service structure. Upgrades include:
Upgrades to electrical capacity within the building may be required to ensure capacity for new electrified equipment. To test for this, your engineer or contractor will notify you that an x conducted by an electrical engineer or electrician is needed. Upgrades include:
System electrification (HVAC, hot water, kitchen, processes) is not always a one-for-one replacement. New systems can have different space or structural constraints that you should be aware of, such as:
1. Allocating space within existing mechanical or electrical rooms
2. Space for distribution
3. Structural upgrades to roof or other areas
Before implementing changes to HVAC or water heating systems, it is crucial that your building is working properly and has the capability to control these new systems. Sensors should be calibrated or replaced as needed. Additional controls may be necessary depending on the type and age of existing equipment. Deferred maintenance such as repairs or cleaning may also need to be completed. This can be completed by your facilities staff or by a third-party commissioning agent. See the Energy Efficiency Checklist and Operations and Maintenance guide for more detail.
When replacing existing systems with heat pump systems, some infrastructure upgrades might have operational differences in the equipment. These differences can include supply temperatures, flow rates, and the ability to modulate capacities.
Remember: building decarbonization requires a holistic approach. Ultimately, every enabling measure should line up with the building’s overall long-term plan.
This is an opportunity to include resilience strategies, such as relocating electrical rooms outside floodplains and ensuring adequate infrastructure for future EV or PV investments. Additionally, it’s essential to choose the right HVAC system and conditioning strategy that fits your building’s long-term phased plans.
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Mailing address:
180 N. LaSalle St. #2210
Chicago, IL 60601
The Building Energy Resource Hub is a project of Illinois Green Alliance.
EIN: 75-3098915