Sustainability

The world is facing the impact of climate change and the need to develop greater net-zero resilience-building systems. Managing for these risks has become more prevalent, with increased emphasis on energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality, conservation of water resources, consideration of sustainable products, and disclosure of organizational sustainability performance.
Our approach to sustainability is summarized in the following design principles:

 

Minimize Non-renewable Energy Consumption

Through research, we have developed robust innovations to minimize energy consumption in buildings, lower carbon footprint, and improve indoor air quality. We have implemented these innovations over time and proven them to be effective and resilient to withstand the test of time. Reducing fossil fuels with zero carbon and low emissions alternatives is an essential step to achieving net-zero goals.
 

Renewable Energy Strategies

Government Regulators are setting mandates to meet certain renewable energy targets with time. As renewable energy becomes more cost-effective this will eventually replace the use of fossil fuels as the primary source of electricity generation and replace them with renewable sources.
 

Sustainable Material Choices

We choose resilient materials that will prolong a product’s life delivering performance throughout the life of the building.
 

Water Optimization

Installation of low-flow plumbing fixtures such as faucet aerators, high-efficiency toilets, and low-flow shower heads are essential in each building. Rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling to optimize building water use and decrease the city water consumption.
Reducing building cooling demands by innovative energy systems will reduce the makeup of water for the cooling towers and capturing condensate at the cooling coils in high humidity ambient locations could be a significant factor in reducing the city’s domestic water requirements.
Additional alternative water sources would be atmospheric water generation, foundation water, blowdown water, and desalinated water.
 

Improving Indoor Air Quality

It became apparent during the pandemic that ventilation systems have been one of the key elements in controlling infection in buildings. It has been our experience the 100% outside air variable air volume with a multi-stage heat recovery mechanical system gives the best value for first cost, improved energy, flexibility, efficiency, and better indoor air quality in controlling infection within the hospital building. Intakes to the air-handling unit to be upstream of prevailing winds and a minimum code required distance away from building exhaust air to avoid air entrapment in the supply air. For commercial buildings where energy is a factor, the systems should be capable of the use of economizer systems to take advantage of bringing as much outside air as weather permits.