Survey finds cost saving is main driver for energy efficiency in buildings
Building owners around the world are increasingly pursuing energy efficiency, according to a survey led by Johnson Controls’ Institute for Building Efficiency, the International Facility Management Association and the Urban Land Institute. Commenting on the survey of nearly 4000 building owners and operators around the world, Dave Myers, vice president and president of building efficiency for Johnson Controls, said, ‘We are seeing record levels of energy management and reduction projects around the world — driven mainly by financial reasons more than environmental concerns
‘Regardless of the motivations, buildings account for 42% of global energy usage, so the growing trend of making buildings more energy efficient is smart business, helps create local jobs and benefits the environment. We applaud building owners for stepping up efforts to make their facilities more energy efficient and sustainable.
Although energy cost savings remained the primary motivation for energy-efficiency projects, government incentives and enhanced public image were also important — ranking second and third in the survey. Greenhouse-gas reduction ranked fourth in 2011, down from second position the year before.
80% of respondents expect double-digit increases in energy prices over the next year and have set an average energy-reduction target of 12%.
However, funding and financial returns are problems. Dave Myers comments, ‘Building owners continue to tell us that access to capital remains the top barrier for improving energy consumption. By making funding more accessible, policymakers have a tremendous opportunity to influence the achievement of their energy and environmental goals.’
The survey found that lighting and heating, ventilation, air conditioning and controls improvements continued to be the most popular energy-efficiency improvement made last year.
Little use is made of energy data. Over 80% measure and record data at least weekly or monthly, but fewer than 20% review and analyse that data at least weekly.
Organisations that set a reduction goal, analyse energy data frequently, add internal or external resources and use external financing were found to implement four times as many improvements as those which did none.
