Environmental Sustainibility, Technology
Technology and Sustainability
By: Nancy Larson, LEED AP O+M, Envision Realty Services Technological innovations have made it possible to advance sustainability in building operations through features such as systems monitoring and energy performance tracking, but the term technology has always been a bit nebulous. How does it involve us personally; particularly in the buildings that are our workplaces? Until recently, building automation and energy management systems seemed to be run by “the man behind the curtain,” with the building’s systems being hidden behind the walls, unseen by the building’s occupants. As the focus of building performance has shifted to include not only energy efficiency, but also occupant wellbeing, so has access and engagement with building technology for the occupants. A greater awareness of building ventilation systems and its role of curbing the spread of infectious disease with the COVID-19 pandemic has created more of a demand for personal engagement with the building’s technology. At a recent U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Conference, “Better Buildings, Better Lives,” Luke Dorna, product manager with Healthy Building Solutions at Carrier, spoke about the company’s Center for Intelligent Buildings, a customer experience center that brings building systems into view and makes them interactive. The experience gives visitors a better understanding of the space where people spend their time. He noted that a few years ago, that just showing people an air handling unit (AHU) in their customer experience center was an eye opener. Following the advent of the pandemic, he said news anchors are now talking about ventilation rates, and the general populace has a better understanding that there are hidden systems handling invisible air quality issues. The type of question being asked has gone from “What is a filter?” to “How well is that filter working?” Dorna believes that’s where smart solutions providing performance transparency that enable higher indoor air quality (IAQ) with minimal
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Insight • Issue 2, 2021
impacts to energy conservation goals meet to create the once-in-ageneration opportunity to tackle these problems holistically. Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program was created to offer enhanced solutions with the goal of balancing imperatives for healthy, smart, and sustainable indoor environments. Dorna said that tech as an enabler is a key point. He also commented that systems integration has been driven without a deep understanding of the systems, and that the focus should not just be on the equipment but viewing technology as a tool that improves lives, health, and comfort. This shift in focus results in a different set of outcomes.
For instance, while the design goal may be set at a predetermined optimal temperature range, we may instead want to consider at what temperature is the tenant comfortable? New technologies such as microscopic filtration systems and touchless building controls are now being viewed as essential rather than as extras, or “nice-to-haves.” While standard features for monitoring indoor environmental quality in the past have been focused on temperature, CO2, and humidity, the current focus includes air pollution and particulate control. Controls and sensors could comply with the capacity of your system, targeting the areas of highest risk in the building, and delivering more fresh air to where it is needed the most. Mobile apps have enabled tenants to become more connected with their work environment and to provide feedback on their comfort levels. Health and safety, in addition to features such as comfort, space usage and wayfinding, have become part of this equation. These apps enable people working in the building to engage in a proactive way and allow the building to respond without compromising energy efficiency. As an example, Carrier’s MyWay app offers building occupants in open office spaces the ability “vote” for comfort preferences.
