Facilities management added value in closing the energy performance gap

Abstract

Abstract Existing non-domestic buildings tend to use more energy than expected. This paper investigates how the operational strategies of facilities management can contribute to reducing building energy use. A longitudinal case study of a higher education (HE) campus which was conceptualised with the objective of being environmentally friendly and energy efficient is presented. The paper reflects on the energy performance of the campus since its operation in 2001, based on 14 years of energy data and a detailed record of all initiatives undertaken by the campus’s facilities management (FM) team in order to optimise energy performance. The integrated FM strategy composed of low- and no-cost strategies, continuous improvements, ongoing commissioning and retrofits succeeded in reducing campus energy intensity from 174 to 87 kWh/(m2*yr), now outperforming most relevant benchmarks. This finding highlights the importance of operations and maintenance in reducing the energy usage of existing buildings. This presented findings draw on a single case only, which excels through a very detailed longitudinal dataset. Going forwards, the analysis of further cases is recommended to corroborate the findings. The presented results suggest that proactive operations and maintenance strategies in existing buildings can contribute towards significantly improving energy performance. The profile and competency level of facilities management personnel should consequently be raised strategically at the organisational and national/industrial policy level, whilst integrated design processes should be further expanded to include FM’s operational control and management in a holistically fashion.