Sustainable Building Technical Manual - Etn-presco.net

❑ Repair lighting fixtures that produce glare, flicker, insufficient illumination onwork surfaces, and other conditions that can cause eyestrain, headaches, andother discomfort.(See Chapter 9, “Daylighting,” and Chapter 12, “HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems.”)Acoustics❑ Control noise based on the needs of occupants rather than industrial exposurelimits (decibels), which are geared toward protection from hearing loss.❑ In open offices with little or no privacy, consider noise-masking technology suchas “white-noise” generation.❑ Inspect and repair or replace noisy HVAC systems, which not only can be stressfuland distracting to occupants, but may also indicate mechanical problems or inappropriatedesign or capacity.(See Chapter 14, “Acoustics.”)Energy Efficiency★ S I G N I F I CA N C E .Perhaps the single greatest building O&M challenge is to minimize consumption of energyand other resources in heating, ventilation, cooling, lighting, and other equipmentwhile providing a comfortable, healthy, and productive indoor environment.Fortunately, opportunities for substantial reduction of energy use, and cost savings,abound across all building systems, and energy-efficiency technologies are continuallyimproving, ensuring a steady flow of viable alternatives. It is the facility manager’sresponsibility to identify and implement such energy- and resource-efficient options onan ongoing basis.HVAC performance, for example, can be improved by replacement or repair of worn-outor inefficient equipment with energy-efficient components. Many new, highly efficientHVAC technologies are continually being introduced. These components—which includeoccupancy sensors, variable-speed drives, automated ventilation control, heat exchangers,and efficient motors—can reduce energy consumption by adjusting the levels ofheating and cooling to maintain a healthy and comfortable environment.Lighting also offers numerous opportunities for energy conservation. In some office buildings,it can represent 40 to 60 percent of total energy costs. The major approaches for savinglighting energy include using natural daylight whenever possible, reducing excessiveillumination levels, limiting hours of operation, and increasing lighting efficiency.Additional energy savings can be found in a building’s water treatment and distributionsystems. In general, water-heating energy is conserved by reducing load requirementsand distribution losses and improving the performance of water-heating equipment.Finally, building owners and managers can conserve energy by encouraging occupants toselect appliances and office equipment with high energy-efficiency ratings.(See Chapter 12, “HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems.”)