Remember I said a while ago that the number of buildings in the USA would double by 2035? Well, here’s another proof that the construction sector is on the rise. Just received a tip-off from Houston Neal, who has written a great article about green retrofits for commercial buildings. McGraw Hill has estimated that green retrofits would become a $15 billion market in the USA by 2014. So, if you’re studying architecture or electronics, I can tell you – congratulations, you’re in the right boat!
So, how do we approach green retrofitting of commercial buildings? Mr Neal suggests five simple steps:
1. Dumping the incandescent bulbs and switching to LEDs or eco lightbulbs.
2. Daylight harvesting – making the most of the natural light. Many office buildings have glass facades making it extremely easy to benefit from the natural daylight.
3. Upgrading the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
4. Installing solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines.
5. Smart-managing the energy consumption by using monitoring devices and energy management solutions.
Check the original article about green retrofits for an in-depth analysis.
