For the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA), Ingenium recently completed the study on cost-optimal levels in new construction of non-residential buildings. The conclusions are not only useful for the government but also allow us to provide even faster and more accurate advice to our clients.
The main objective of the study was to update the cost-optimal studies conducted in 2012, 2015 and 2017, focused on the evolution of the Total Actual Cost (TAK) from EU Regulation 244/2012, compared to the total energy consumption determined according to the EPN calculation methodology. Specifically, by applying a number of energy-saving measure packages to a number of reference buildings, we were able to compare the obtained cost-optimal levels with current and planned EPB requirements in new construction at component and building level.
We screened all non-residential buildings registered with their E-level in the Flemish government's database between 2017 and July 2022. This showed that they were mainly office buildings with limited floor space ( /- 500 m2), also a large proportion of commercial buildings, and in addition a minority of various building types. Based on that analysis, we selected 10 new buildings - 4 offices, 4 commercial buildings and 2 miscellaneous types - along with 2 buildings from the previous study with floor areas ranging from 10 to 20,000 m2.
We then analyzed the 2017 study substantively, resulting in a point cloud that plots the total current cost (= investment, reinvestment, energy and maintenance cost) over 20 or 30 years (for private and government buildings, respectively) against the E-level. This revealed a cost-optimal point linked to a certain E-level, and also a tipping point (= cost-optimal point 10 percent). For the buildings with the most favorable score, we looked at what measures were taken there in terms of building envelope and techniques.
Thus we arrived at 20 packages of measures: combinations of a particular building envelope with particular techniques for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and the like. We furnished these with unit prices for insulation and the various techniques, taking into account various capacities and orders of magnitude. The gas boilers that appeared in the previous study were omitted because the Flemish government is phasing out fossil fuel-based installations for new buildings.
TLHK designed for us a Phyton model that can very quickly calculate the different variants of a given building to determine the E-level. With the selected buildings, we thus determined a new cost-optimal point and a new tipping point 5 years after the previous study. In doing so, we could easily also determine variants taking into account fluctuations in energy prices and/or inflation.
Our integral report can be found on VEKA's website. However, the insights we gained exceed this assignment for the government. For our own clients too, we can now provide even faster and more precise advice on which measures are useful and/or cost-optimal to meet a specific E-level.
Want to know more about this study and what its added value could be for your project? Then contact our expert Raf De Herdt: raf.deherdt@ingenium.be - 050 40 45 30.
