Energy reduction strategies for existing buildings

Considering the current Global economical crisis, it is understood that "People are renovating than building new". This is the correct time to focus on reducing energy consumption in existing building to save money and reduce carbon emissions.
Existing building present greater challenges, they offer us a greater opportunity to significantly impact our overall national energy demand,reduce our dependence upon oil and gas and minimise our carbon footprint.

Strategies of energy reduction:

• Reduce building footprint.
• Reflective white roof.
• Daylight harvesting.
• Maintaining light density of 0.8w/sqft.
• Using energy recovery units.
• Variable volume ventilation systems.
• A High-Albedo roof that reduces heat absorption.
• Water efficient landscaping.
• Water efficient fixtures within building.
• Increase wall and roof insulation.
• Efficient glazing, extensive day lighting, lighting sensors and occupancy sensors.
• CO2 & CO sensor with controls.
• Waste water usage reduction using waterless urinals and bathroom sinks with automatic shut-off.

Building Integrated Photovoltaics- Gaining Momentum

The major problem in incorporating solar power in building is the availability of space in roof to accommodate solar panels or collectors. Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) provides the solution.
BIPV incorporates photovoltaic as integral part of the building components such as part of roof or wall or vision glass. This has been used in Masdar city, Abudhabi project.
The International Energy Agency estimates that, with good solar yield assumed to be 80%. BIVP solar power production potential over current electricity consumption by PV floors and facades varies from 15% to 60%.
The achievable level depends ultimately on the building area available, as well as on solar radiation levels and electricity consumption. All theses factors implies that BIVP could have a massive potential in Middle east, where major international players are positioning themselves carefully to take advantage of the "desert renewables boom".
However, a big challenge are the cost and the difficulty of installation process. These factors could be mitigated by current research and development, then MEP consultants and architects could change there design to benefit from a totally new slot of the market.