A screening methodology for implementing cost effective energy retrofit measures in Canadian office buildings

Private and public sectors own and operate an array of office buildings that consume energy and contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). Energy demands can be reduced by applying energy retrofit measures (ERMs) to existing buildings. The choice of ERMs involves evaluation of applicability, energy end uses and cost of application versus energy savings. This paper describes a methodology developed to screen office buildings for their current level of energy consumption and potential for retrofit application. Selection of an optimal set of ERMs is influenced by climate, occupancy, heating and cooling systems, envelope properties and building geometry. When assessing the implications of applying ERMs to a large building stock it is vital to screen the complete building set for optimal retrofit opportunities. This can be accomplished by characterizing office building stock into a manageable set of archetypes and simulating building operation using energy simulation software. Using regression analyses, a model was developed for estimating the energy consumption. Present value analysis was used to optimize the evaluation of the various ERMs. The methodology developed can be used to simplify the ranking of buildings for retrofit; to select and combine ERMs, and to plan energy and GHG reduction activities.