Energy performance enhancement in institutional and commercial buildings

Abstract

The built environment has been identified as a major contributor to the energy consumption as well as the GHG emissions across the world. Enhancing the energy performance of the building sector is crucial in meeting the current climate action targets, as well as in improving the economic outcomes and welfare of building owners and occupants. With the current energy and foreign exchange reserve crises faced by Sri Lanka, it is clearly evident that reducing the energy use in buildings as well as the reliance on imported fossil fuels are important. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions curbing and climate action initiatives, demand side management initiatives appear to be more promising for Sri Lanka compared to supply side interventions, as the latter have higher costs of mitigation [3]. The effectiveness of the energy efficiency enhancement strategies employed in buildings depends on the archetype of the building as well as locational parameters such as climate conditions [1].