Dissatisfied with the one-dimensional nature of defining energy efficiency as it relates to commercial buildings, international engineering firm Buro Happold developed a metric that links energy use to economic performance. The Building Economic Energy Coefficient (BEEC) could help many commercial building owners whose properties use a lot of energy (input), but add economic value to their cities and regions (output). This metric can also be a game changer that influences how local governments create policy to monitor the energy use of buildings.
(Download Buro Happold's white paper on the subject.)
Most systems of measurement deem a building efficient or inefficient based solely on how much energy it consumes. By contrast, BEEC measures a building’s energy use against economic performance indicators to give a more complete picture of a building’s productivity -- hence its overall efficiency. For example, a building might use less energy, but its tenants do not contribute as much to the regional economy. By this definition, another building that uses more energy might have an exponentially greater economic performance, making it more efficient.
When observed from this more comprehensive vantage point, some buildings that were previously thought of as energy hogs are revealed to be using energy more efficiently than many low-energy buildings. Buro Happold used proprietary research from CoStar Group to determine economic performance of commercial buildings in New York.
“Energy efficiency is framed in a very black-and-white way – either a building has low energy intensity or it is considered wasteful. With this research, we can now see whether or not commercial buildings are putting energy to good use. It allows us a much more nuanced and complete picture of what’s really going on with energy use,” said Steven Baumgartner, PE, CEM, HBDP, LEED AP, associate at Buro Happold, who led the research team, along with Jim Coleman and Amelia Aboff of Happold Consulting, Buro Happold’s strategic consulting arm.
City officials, building owners, and members of the AEC industry measure a building’s energy use on a per square foot, per year basis. This is known as its Energy Use Intensity (EUI). EUI is a very useful metric in determining a building’s performance but it only tells half of the story.
“Buro Happold has been a pioneer in sustainability for decades, and now we are intensively involved in the challenges of the 21st century,” said Craig Schwitter, PE, BSCE, MSCE, principal. “We are a multidisciplinary firm that brings a comprehensive approach to problems at multiple scales – from the individual building to the region. This groundbreaking research will have a major impact on the way that energy use is discussed and regulated as we meet the ongoing challenges of an increasingly complex world.”
BEEC data is currently limited to New York City commercial buildings. With more funding, Buro Happold hopes to expand the scope of the research to include more cities, and with greater detail. “This is a huge first step toward redefining energy efficiency,” added Baumgartner, “and we’re excited to take this research to the next level.”
Related Stories
Architects | May 20, 2016
NCARB survey indicates continued growth of U.S. architects
The number of U.S. architects surpassed 110,000 in 2015, a 2% increase from the previous year.
Multifamily Housing | May 19, 2016
Architect Jean Nouvel designs flood-resilient Monad Terrace in Miami Beach
A man-made lagoon with lush vegetation at the base of the complex is expected to adapt to climate change and rising sea levels.
Building Team Awards | May 19, 2016
Chinatown library unites and serves two emerging Chicago neighborhoods
The 16,000-sf, pebble-shaped Chinatown Branch Library was built at the intersection of new and old Chinatown neighborhoods. The goal is for the building to unite the communities and serve as a catalyst for the developing area.
Building Team Awards | May 19, 2016
NYC subway station lights the way for 300,000 riders a day
Fulton Center, which handles 85% of the riders coming to Lower Manhattan, is like no other station in the city’s vast underground transit web—and that’s a good thing.
Market Data | May 17, 2016
Modest growth for AIA’s Architecture Billings Index in April
The American Institute of Architects reported the April ABI score was 50.6, down from the mark of 51.9 in the previous month. This score still reflects an increase in design services.
Architects | May 16, 2016
AIA and HOK partner to advance Design and Health Research Consortium
The groups' key priority is to identify and develop practice-focused opportunities for funded research, publications, and tools in the area of design and public health.
Senior Living Design | May 16, 2016
Perkins Eastman releases white paper on biophilic design in senior living
The paper highlights some of the firm's top projects that feature biophilic design, a sustainable architecture strategy that connects people with nature.
Architects | May 16, 2016
3 strategies to creating environments that promote workplace engagement
VOA's Pablo Quintana writes that the industry is looking for ways to increase engagement through a mix of spaces suited to employees' desire for both privacy and connection.
Architects | May 11, 2016
AIA to create a resilience curriculum for architects
The program will teach resilient design and decision-making on hazard mitigation, climate adaptation and community resilience.
Retail Centers | May 10, 2016
5 factors guiding restaurant design
Restaurants are more than just places to eat. They are comprising town centers and playing into the future of brick-and-mortar retail.