Slashing energy consumption and improving efficiency can be eco-svelte too!
Energy efficiency is to svelte new solar fields what a grey tweed coat is to a bright cherry one: decidedly dull in comparison. But shaving off a few kilowatt hours here and there can dramatically improve either a home or business’ bottom line, even without adding an array of shimmering solar panels to the roof.
While some businesses look to cherry-colored changes to enhance their sustainability profile, the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut, along with both the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Lebanon are taking the grey approach by refining their energy consumption.
4 Seasons
The Four Seasons Hotel, IFC, and the UNDP have each awarded contracts to Energy Efficiency Group (EEG) – a leading Energy Services Company (ESCO) in Lebanon – to reduce their energy consumption.
The hotel has awarded an “Investment Grade Energy Audit” which will map out the hotel’s energy usage and then implement practical measures to cut down its overall use. This can be done by checking windows and doors to ensure that they aren’t leaking heating and cooling, by upgrading incandescent lighting fixtures (which typically consume up to 1/10 of a building or home’s energy) to more efficient fluorescent or LED varieties, and by switching off unused electronics.
IFC
The IFC is taking their greening to an even greater level. Originally designed by Kevin Dash, the Audi Plaza in Beirut Central District is already a flagship building, according to AME, that is slated to receive a “Green Building Audit” from EEG. This will include an assessment of the building’s Indoor Environmental Quality and Solid Waste Management on top of the standard Energy Audit.
UNDP
The UNDP is going one step further by commissioning EEG to install a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) for a municipal building in Bejje Village. The GSHP is a heating and cooling system that uses stable subterranean temperatures to either heat or cool water circulating through buried pipes to significantly slash energy expenditures. This system will include 12 boreholes of 100m.
A Cut Above the Rest
EEG has become increasingly busy since they added energy efficiency audits to their list of services, according to Construction Week Online.
An energy modelling engineer for the EEG group, Hind Dirani told the paper that businesses hoping to stay competitive by offering sustainable initiatives won’t be able to do so unless they consider their energy efficiency services. That sounds like a challenge to us!
:: AME Info
More on Energy Savings in the Middle East:
6 Secrets of Happiness (Living with Less Carbon) from the Green Sheikh
Saudi Arabia’s Green Construction Potential
Keeping Buildings Pearly Green from Design to Operation
image via The Entire Mikey
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
