The commercial use of real estate, whether in office buildings, nursing homes or hotels, requires a precise consideration of energy consumption. A multitude of small energy guzzlers can significantly burden the cost balance. Professional operators are looking for ways to optimise energy efficiency and reduce operating costs, whereby investments in sustainability must always be made from a profitability perspective. Betterspace identified key areas for action and corresponding solutions.
Challenges and Optimisation Potential in Existing Buildings
A major "hotspot" lies in the refurbishment of existing buildings, particularly older structures. These often exhibit above-average energy consumption due to outdated heating systems, inadequately insulated pipes, and a room layout that complicates efficient operation. Measures are recommended that are effective immediately without major reconstruction work and quickly amortise. These include the hydraulic balancing of heating systems, the insulation of pipework, the renewal of seals on windows and doors, and the implementation of intelligent energy management systems.
Another deficiency often consists of a lack of transparency regarding energy consumption. Efficient metering techniques are not always implemented comprehensively, meaning consumption is usually recorded only building-wide and not differentiated by areas, usage times, or individual users. Digital energy management systems such as the “better.energy” solution remedy this by measuring, analysing, and visualising energy consumption in real time, enabling more precise control.
Digitalisation and Effective Cost Management
Personnel are often overwhelmed with the efficient operation of energy systems due to a lack of specific know-how and the necessary tools. Even modern heating systems do not realise their full potential if they are incorrectly configured or not configured at all. Digitalisation and automation offer solutions here for central consumption measurement and intelligent control of heating and cooling systems, even without structural interventions during ongoing operations. Furthermore, numerous electrical devices in non-residential buildings, which are often in operation around the clock, represent significant power guzzlers. Here, intelligent load management can strategically control electricity consumption and identify savings potential.
A significant obstacle to sustainability progress is investment backlogs and limited budgets for refurbishments, digitalisation, and modernisation. To overcome this, a three-pronged investment strategy is proposed. This includes the use of subsidies, the application of contracting models, and the prioritisation of measures based on their savings potential and amortisation period. As an example of the effectiveness of such measures in nursing homes, specific savings potentials and amortisation times were identified:
- —Hydraulic balancing: Savings of 10–15% of heating costs, amortisation period 1–2 years.
- —Intelligent radiator control: Savings of 10–30% of heating energy, amortisation period 1–3 years.
