A third-party commissioning agent was appointed to optimise the design and ensure that commissioning of the renewable energy , hot water , lighting control , BMS , daylighting control and HVAC systems was carried out according to ASHRAE guidelines .
HVAC With HVAC being one of the largest single consumers of energy in a building , the mechanical engineers spent a great deal of time designing a system that was both efficient and also allowed for control flexibility . They chose to go with a Heat Recovery Variable Refrigerant Volume / Flow ( VRV / F ) system . The system included Central Outdoor Condensing Units that had a very small footprint to be sensitive to aesthetic impact on the building . The heat pump technology ensures space heating with a Coefficient of Performance ( COP ) of 1kW electricity for 3-4kW of heating or cooling . The VRV / F system makes it possible to achieve simultaneous heating and cooling for indoor units meaning that temperature control is entirely flexible depending on user preference . The system is 20-30 % more efficient than conventional air-cooled direct expansion split type systems .
Insulation Of course , one of the most effective ways to manage a building ’ s energy consumption is to ensure that it is properly insulated . Energy models were run right at the beginning of the project ’ s design phase . This was a very effective tool in understanding the effect of the local climate on different areas of the building . Double-glazing , together with air-tightness tests , were employed to ensure that the architects designed the building relative to its specific micro-climate . The end result was not only a drastically reduced load on the building ’ s systems but also vastly improved comfort levels for the building ’ s end-user .
Water Consumption Reducing water consumption was also critical in ensuring the overall efficiency of the building . The plumbing system is designed with low-flow fixtures and fittings which manage the volumes of water consumed by the building reducing the
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