Building energy efficient buildings requires a change. Not just a change in the way we think about our building, the materials we use, or the technology available; it requires a change in our design process.
All too often we see beautiful buildings being built with minor consideration made towards the energy requirements of the building fabric until it becomes time to apply for a building license.
As energy efficiency requirements and awareness around energy efficient buildings increases, builders, architects and building designers need to take a deeper look at the way they are designing our buildings, and how they can design them to meet and exceed the standards set by the NZBC.
However, as seen with the energy efficiency requirements in cavity walls, energy efficiency in general is often seen just as another box to tick in the building process and only considered enough to meet the minimum required standards.
It is by changing our building design process and understanding the role of an ESD consultant that we can make a positive change to the built environment and the attitudes surrounding energy efficiency requirements in the industry.
The deal with ESD Consultants
ESD consultants aren’t just there to assess and show compliance to the energy efficiency requirements of the building code. They are a valuable tool when it comes to designing better buildings.
Not only can your ESD consultant provide advice on design plans and materials for a more energy efficient building, they can perform simulations before your building goes ahead and determine exactly how your building will perform in real life. The upside is they can do all of this before you have committed a lot of time and money into the design of your building.
ESD Consultants should be part of the initial process. They should be engaged early to ensure your building will perform efficiently without blowing your budget. They shouldn’t become just an afterthought or just to tick another box on the checklist of to-dos in order to gain building consent.
The benefits of engaging an ESD consultant early
Should you accept that the solution to all your energy efficiency problems can be solved by a simple change of process? Well, the results speak for themselves.
How many times have you heard of a building getting to the permit phase only to be rejected by an ESD consultant for not meeting the minimum energy efficiency requirements of the NZBC?
Once the design of your building has been all but finalised there is very little room for an ESD consultant to manoeuvre if you need to boost the energy efficiency. Quite often the only option is to upgrade the glazing on your windows or upgrade the window frame to thermal broken frames in order to deliver the required energy efficiency without having to start the design from scratch. This can be a costly exercise and budgets are often blown by having last-minute updates made in order to increase the overall performance of the building.
Sometimes even this isn’t enough, and it is back to the drawing board for the designer. Starting a design from scratch (or at least taking a few steps backwards) to accommodate a few additional energy efficient solutions, is not only time that could have been saved earlier on in the process, but it is also a waste of money put towards redoing work that has already been completed.
If the building does meet the requirements of the NZBC the building can proceed, but it is likely it is doing so performing in a less-than-efficient manner. In an era where energy efficient building is shaping our future, it is vital building designers are no longer looking only to meet the minimum requirements but instead are looking forward and designing buildings that outperform those regulatory requirements.
Switch it up
In order to ensure ESD Consultants are properly engaged and have the opportunity to identify energy performance issues early on in the design process, it is necessary for building designers, architects, and builders alike, to consult with ESDs at an earlier stage.
Building a better future
Although many architects, builders, and building designers out there are well and truly across the minimum standards required for energy efficiency, by simply taking a different approach to the design of our buildings, we can open up the opportunity to have a better built environment.
By collaborating with ESD consultants from the early design stage, we have the opportunity to surpass the minimum requirements and design higher performing buildings.
We can take into consideration small design changes that can make big differences and do it for less money than it would cost for a last minute glazing change.
Achieving and exceeding the required energy efficiency ratings is an opportunity to advance our industry. It should not be seen as an unnecessary, annoying task in the way of your design and a building permit.
