RETROFITTING PROJECTS: HIGH CAPACITY, LOW CAPABILITIES

The Head of FM and Retrofit Projects at Universal Voltas LLC, Ashok Jha, breaks down the common misconceptions encircling retrofit, fit-out, refurbishments, and retro-commissioning before delving into the pain points such as a lack of experience and expertise that need to be addressed within the MEP and HVAC sectors of the Middle East construction industry

- ANUP OOMMEN

With an increased focus on energy efficiency, nations across the world have set an ambitious target to reduce 30% of its energy use by 2030, which could result in a minimum of 1.7 terawatt-hours of energy savings and a reduction of one million tonnes in carbon emissions.

These targets are extremely essential in combating the ill effects of climate change, especially given that the existing global building stock is a leading contributor to greenhouse gases (GHG), generating approximately 40% of annual global GHG emissions.

Now, take into consideration that approximately two-thirds of the buildings that exist today will still exist in 2050.

There’s no doubt about the fact that even if every single building constructed from today is energy efficient – which is a stretch in itself – action still needs to be taken on the present-day buildings that are “fuelling the fire of global warming”.

On average, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contribute approximately 33% of a building’s total energy consumption, with major appliances such as water heating and freezers accounting for 18%, and lighting taking up an additional 10% of the power usage.

At the peak of their glory, the skyscrapers and towering buildings defining our skyline would have been well within their energy efficiency parameters, but given that many of them are now marking their 35th to 40th birthday celebrations, and are on the cusp of second childhood, the time has come to revisit their vitals – the electricity, mechanicals, and plumbing – which are keeping them alive and functioning.

Fit-out vs Retrofit vs Refurbishment