Challenges and Opportunities
These new regulations present us with dynamic challenges and opportunities. As consulting engineers, these carbon emissions limits will redefine the way we conduct our business.
Today’s commonplace retrofits have a smaller carbon impact than most realize. Retrofitting existing equipment with variable speed drives or replacing equipment with new high-performance versions of the same technology, while effective, may only decrease carbon emissions 5 to 10 percent per office building. Deeper savings requires more comprehensive projects affecting multiple systems, on a scale usually only considered for major capital and infrastructure or repositioning projects.
The biggest future change for engineers is the likely push toward “electrification”. Fossil fuels consumed in buildings have a significant carbon emissions impact and will always contribute carbon to the atmosphere, regardless of how many renewable-energy sources are on the electric grid. Electricity, however, will be a moving target as utilities begin bringing renewable generation to the grid.
Consider Intro-1253: The emission factors outlined in the law for each fuel source (electric, natural gas, fuel oil and steam) show electric as the highest emitter per Btu. Simply put, the outdated and crude sources of electric heat (electric resistance heating) are not a carbon improvement. However, more efficient electric heat-pump heating technology is a carbon improvement. Specifically, by their very nature, all fossil-fuel heating sources have an efficiency, or COP, of less than 1 when used to heat a building; heat-pump technologies have wide-ranging heating efficiencies, varying from as low as 1.75 to greater than 5, dependent on operating conditions. When considering the efficiency and emissions from each of these options, the electric heat-pump source is less carbon intensive at any COP greater than 1.6.
When evaluating electric options, it’s also important to consider current and potential utility rates and emissions contributions. In cities, such as Boston and New York, where building owners need to make tough choices, moving forward with an all- electric building may be significantly more costly until utilities see enough critical mass to enhance their grids and revise pricing structures (buying gas is still generally less expensive). The answer might be designing with “electric-ready” strategies that may be converted when the electric grid becomes significantly decarbonized and rates become favorable.
Often, the biggest road block to efficient electric heating in existing buildings is the ability of the present heating infrastructure to accommodate new heating technologies. Recently, there has been a discussion about making infrastructure upgrades from older steam distribution systems, or high temperature hot water, to lower temperature hot-water systems capable of using heat from heat-pump technologies in the coldest climates. Doing this cost-effectively in an existing building, however, would be challenging.
While New York’s new measure represents one of the boldest and game-changing impacts to the retrofitting market, it is emblematic of a larger national dialogue about urban sustainability. From Los Angeles to Boston to Washington, D.C., and beyond, local officials and municipalities are taking steps to tackle emissions through various measures, including stricter laws, revamped transit and the use of new technologies, transforming the urban landscape as we’ve come to know it.
Energy-consumption App
Although building owners and facility managers can proactively embrace and adapt to New York City’s new 80×50 regulations, it’s imperative to recognize what’s out of their control. Buildings generally use energy because people use energy. To maintain comfortable working or living conditions, in commercial and residential markets, occupants will have to become key to realizing savings.
Behavioral changes and tools that help bridge communication about energy consumption in real time are critical. Platforms that present energy consumption transparently to all building stakeholders are a must. New York-based AKF Engineering has developed a one-of-a- kind app, which calculates emissions output for existing New York City buildings based on energy bills, predicting the potential carbon fines facing building owners. Use the app now.