Managing the risk of the energy performance gap in non-domestic buildings

Abstract

Energy use in buildings accounts for one-third of the overall global energy consumption and total building floor area continues to increase each year as new developments are constructed and delivered. If stringent climate goals are to be met, these buildings will need to consume less energy and emit less carbon. However, design intentions for energy efficient buildings are not always met in practice. This performance gap between calculated and measured energy use in buildings threatens the progress necessary to meet these energy targets. The aim of this paper is to identify the factors that contribute to the performance gap and propose solutions for reducing the gap in practice. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of two research programmes completed in the past few years was utilized for an in-depth look at the performance of around 50 non-domestic buildings in the United Kingdom. While no direct links were found between any one variable and the performance gap, several correlations exist between contributing factors indicating a complex, entangled web of interrelated problems. The multitude of the variables involved presents a formidable challenge in finding practical solutions. However, the results indicate that the combination of the ventilation strategy of a building and the building services control strategy during partial occupancy is a key determinant of the performance gap. A more straightforward procurement approach with clearly delineated targets and responsibilities, along with advanced and seasonal commissioning instituted at the beginning of a project and implemented after building completion can also be very effective in reducing the gap. Finally, mandatory requirements or an appropriate system of incentives for monitoring and disclosure of performance data can help identify many of the underlying issues affecting performance in-use and untangle some of the web of complex issues across the building sector. Awareness of the performance gap and knowledge of the factors contributing to its impact on the building industry is important for all stakeholders involved in the design, construction, operation and occupation of non-domestic buildings. Understanding potential solutions to mitigate these risks may help to reduce the prevalence and magnitude of the performance gap.

Systematic Review on the Barriers and Challenges of Organisations in Delivering New Net Zero Emissions Buildings

“…This makes contractors reluctant to utilise reclaimed materials [78,100]. Furthermore, the literature also suggests that disjointed and inconsistent procurement approaches and rushed the process of commissioning and handover contribute to the performance gap [93].…”

“…Bui et al [31] pointed to this barrier and mentioned that lack or ineffective involvement of contractors at an early stage prevents their consideration from being integrated into building design, and insufficient communication between architects and engineers results in inefficient design. Additionally, Thompson et al [93] highlighted the importance of communication between the design team, client, facility manager and operation team in accurately predicting the future use of buildings and emphasised that insufficient communication can cause the designer to make wrong assumptions in their building performance modelling, and consequently, the actual energy demand can be significantly different from their calculations. Cruz Rios et al [13] also elaborated that a lack of collaboration between the design team and contractor prevents architects from having the necessary data required for design for disassembly (DfD) and, therefore, hinders circular economic design.…”

Application of Soft Landings concept in Sri Lanka to narrow the building performance gap, enablers and barriers

“…It assists project teams and clients to obtain positive functional outcomes from a built facility (Jawdeh et al , 2010) while ensuring a “soft landing” for the building owner by taking the facility from construction through several testing and commissioning sessions till its handing over and its actual operation (Atkin and Bildsten, 2017). The successful cases (in the UK) that mitigated the performance gap with the use of SL as a procurement arrangement have highlighted the importance of the learning loop (passing on knowledge to subsequent projects to innovate better designs) as much as it is important to follow SL elements in each stage (Ahmed et al , 2021; Thompson et al , 2021). While the SL framework evolves with time, this study is based on the 2015 revision that complements the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work 2013.…”

Reshaping energy policy based on social and human dimensions: an analysis of human-building interactions among societies in transition in GCC countries

“…Similarly, some studies established a strong correlation between the precise actions of an occupant (building temperature set point) and building age (Rinaldi et al, 2018). Even though the assessment and inclusion of HBIs and behavioral factors at the building operation and design level are inevitable, they cannot completely fill the gaps (Thompson et al, 2021). Tianzhen et al (Hong et al, 2020) investigated the correlation between personality types and behavior related to interactions with colleagues, environment control systems, and energy sharing.…”