With rising temperatures, demand for air conditioning is skyrocketing – just when we need to be looking at more energy-efficient methods of cooling our buildings. In this interactive flipbook, we will look at ways to mitigate carbon emissions. Open and start reading right away!
SUSTAINABILITY IN AUSTRALIA: HOW BIG ASS FANS CAN HELP REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS AND CUT COSTS FOR BUSINESSES
THE HEAT IS ON… Our planet is on an alarming global warming trajectory. A report by the World Meteorological Organization (May 27, 2021) revealed there is a 90% likelihood of at least one year between 2021– 2025 being the warmest on record. i According to the Climate Council of Australia, 2020 was the second hottest year on record. Climate Council expert Professor Will Steffen says right now we are on track for a catastrophic climate change of 3°C of heating. At just over 1°C of heating now, we are already paying a serious price. ii The Australian Government’s National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy confirms Australia’s average surface temperature has warmed by 0.9ºC since 1910, leading to an increasing number of hot days and heatwaves. With Australia lagging behind other developed nations on climate action, it is crucial we pursue actions that both reduce carbon emissions and build resilience and adaptive capacity as a matter of urgency. It has never been more important for buildings to be sustainable and energy efficient. With the operation of large buildings greatly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, engineers, developers, architects and landlords must commit to implementing measures that ensure sustainable energy consumption. Big Ass Fans, the world leader in innovative ceiling fans, has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability with exhaustive testing of its fans at its state-of-the-art research and development facility in the US to create reliable, energy-efficient products that help reduce the carbon footprint of buildings by reducing reliance on air conditioning and heating. Big Ass Fans also partnered with industry-leading scientists in a LEED-Gold certified military-grade test facility to conduct verified third-party laboratory tests to develop its innovative Clean Air System, providing UV-C technology into any space. This whitepaper explains the importance of sustainable building design in the fight against climate change and demonstrates how high-volume, low-speed fans can help lower a building’s carbon footprint, thus saving money, providing comfortable, greener spaces and contributing to a favourable public image for businesses that use them.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDING DESIGN Environmental sustainability involves making responsible decisions by reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable building design is a multidisciplinary research endeavour that involves the participation of architects, engineers, developers, owners, contractors, suppliers and tenants. But with temperatures rising, energy-draining equipment are further releasing higher greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating the problem. With rising temperatures, demand for air conditioning is skyrocketing – just when we need to be looking at more energy efficient methods of cooling our buildings. Some important facts to consider: ■ Buildings are responsible for about 40% of CO 2 emissions. iii The goal of the World Green Building Council is to reduce the building and construction sector’s CO 2 emissions by 84 gigatons and achieve net zero emissions buildings by 2050. iv ■ The Australian Government highlights that in a simple 12m 2 room, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually sit at 15kg for ceiling fans vs 160kg for split-system air conditioning. v ■ A 2020 report valued the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) market at USD$57.8 billion (AUD$78 billion) in 2020 and predicted it would reach USD$82.5 billion (AUD$111.3 billion) by 2026. vi ■ Global demand for air conditioners will triple by 2050. vi ■ By 2040, 70% of Australia’s coal-fired power stations will be 50 years or older. vii ■ Age, obsolete technology and the high proportion of power generated from coal explain why Australia’s electricity is one of the most polluting in the OECD. This information highlights the negative impact on climate change from the increased use of air conditioning.
Nowhere is this trend more prevalent than in Australia, which has a long way to go to catch up to ‘greener’ countries like Sweden and New Zealand. However, we do have two ratings systems that help building designers and owners to reduce their impact: the Green Star Rating System and NABERS . These certifications ensure buildings comply with environmental regulations. Getting their tick of approval is important for building designers, operators and occupants. Buildings that don’t meet high sustainability standards incur greater costs over time through greater power consumption and can attract a negative public image through their increased carbon footprint. Benefits of using Big Ass Fans to achieve Green Star/NABERS rating: ■ Better energy efficiency making it more attractive to tenants. ■ Reduced operational costs through reduced HVAC. ■ Less ductwork equals improved aesthetics and lower material costs. ■ Helps work towards a carbon neutral business. ■ Fans are highly durable with a long lifespan and minimal maintenance. ■ Cooler, more comfortable. environment.
SUSTAINABILITY/GREEN RATING TOOLS IN AUSTRALIA Green Star Rating System – The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is Australia’s leading authority on sustainable buildings and communities. It developed the voluntary Green Star Rating System to validate sustainability initiatives of the design and construction phases of eligible projects. It is an internationally recognised rating system that delivers independent verification of sustainable outcomes throughout the life cycle of the built environment. NABERS – The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is a nationwide system issued by the NSW government. NABERS is mandatory for all new buildings over 2,000 square metres and buildings that are for sale or lease. Each NABERS star corresponds to an energy usage and greenhouse emission threshold. So if energy usage of a building is reduced, their NABERS rating improves. NABERS star ratings give building owners a competitive advantage with prospective buyers, renters and tenants.
1 STAR 2 STAR 3 STAR 4 STAR 5 STAR 6 STAR
Minimum Practice
Average Practice
Good Practice
Best Practice
Australian Excellent
World Leadership
Performance
Design & As Built Interiors Communities
The Green Star rating scale
1 STAR Making a Start
2 STAR Below Average
3 STAR Average
4 STAR Good
5 STAR Excellent
6 STAR Market Leading
KEY ENERGY ISSUES FACING AUSTRALIA
In Australia, tackling climate change requires at least 50-70% renewable electricity by 2030 and a transition to zero net emission in the electricity sector well before 2050 (ClimateWorks 2017). To achieve this target, we will need to transition to renewable energy sources and businesses will increasingly need to adopt products that reduce energy consumption. Systems like NABERS will be increasingly relied upon to ensure Australia meets its sustainability targets. Rising temperatures places extra strain on the ageing energy grid, leading to blackouts when the grid fails to supply enough power for the increased air conditioning demands.
Before 2030, ‘green’ building ratings like NABERS and Green Star is expected to be enforced and non-compliance will either attract a fine or lead to refusal of building permits.
DID YOU KNOW?
Currently, there is a $170,000 fine for failing to comply with the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Act , with the very real possibility of fines increasing in future. The Commercial Building Disclosure Program requires vendors and landlords of disclosure-affected buildings to obtain a Building Energy Efficiency Certificate (BEEC) before a building goes on the market for sale, lease or sublease. A NABERS certification is required to obtain the BEEC.
THE BENEFITS OF MINIMISING DUCTWORK: Standard HVAC systems requires
in.ø (21 m of 355 mmø) supply duct, and 84 ft. of 18 in.ø (26 m of 457 mmø) supply ducts. By calculating the benefits of these changes, Big Ass Fans found the cost of the system with the ceiling fans to be less than the fully ducted system (1.5 x times
the cost without fans). In situations where the central air handling unit serving the space can be reduced in size, the HVAC scope removed could be up to 4.5 times that of the two large diameter ceiling fans added to the project.
many air distribution terminals to evenly distribute supply air. A standard HVAC system typically sees air change rates range from 4-6 ir Changes per Hour (ACH) . However, there are far fewer issues faced when using ceiling fans, replacing the need for as many HVAC units and excessive ductwork. These benefits include: ■ Ceiling fans circulate a much larger volume of air in the same period of time, increasing the circulation of air within the room to 20-40 Air Turnovers per Hour (ATH). ■ Far fewer air supply grilles are required to uniformly distribute the air within the room and the need for ductwork is greatly reduced. ■ Material costs can be significantly reduced. ■ Labour costs are lowered with less maintenance and installation requirements. For example, by adding two ceiling fans, you have instantly eliminated twelve (12) supply grilles, 68 ft. of 14
Below is a plan view of a conventional duct layout in a typical gym where no circulator fans are used
Without fans:
With Fans:
HOW BIG ASS FANS IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
DID YOU KNOW?
Approximately 40% of energy consumed by buildings is used for heating and cooling to achieve thermal comfort. This rate can be reduced significantly through climate responsive design that integrates High Volume, Low Speed (HVLS) fans into a building’s HVAC system. Air conditioning on its own can be extremely expensive to install and run. Big Ass Fans’ products work with air conditioning systems, with fans using a fraction of an HVAC system, thereby reducing overall energy consumption. The use of ceiling-mounted fans to provide air movement for cooling in industrial and commercial premises is particularly essential in warm, humid climates like Australia. According to researchers in the US, using large diameter fans in place of conventional fans contributes to energy savings of 40%. ix
By incorporating Big Ass Fans into building automation systems, energy savings become easy and automatic. ASHRAE Standard 55 is an American National Standard that establishes the ranges of indoor environmental conditions to achieve acceptable thermal comfort for occupants of buildings. It defines six important factors that determine overall thermal comfort, including air speed, air temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, clothing insulation and metabolic rate. To comply with ASHRAE Standard 55, less than 10% of occupants should be dissatisfied with the comfort level. Big Ass Fans makes occupants feel cooler, allowing the thermostat setpoints to be raised without sacrificing comfort. Every setpoint raised can save 3–6% in energy costs. x
Australia’s National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy explains how building resilience to the physical impacts of climate change and extreme weather events is vital for the long-term sustainable growth of a business. In 2015, the Australian Government agreed on a target to reduce national emissions to 26–28% below 2005 levels by 2030. The government is in the process of implementing initiatives to achieve low-cost emissions reductions, including improving the use of low- energy reliant technology and developing a low emissions technology roadmap. viii
Images (left): Peter Kiewit Infrastructure and (right and below): Darwin International Airport.
HOW BIG ASS FANS BRINGS SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Darwin International Airport With over 2 million passengers travelling throughout the airport each year, it was important for Darwin International Airport to make a good impressions and sense of place. However, the foyer constantly had doors opening, letting warm air in and the cold air out. To compensate for this, they turned the air-conditioning down, using more energy and more air flowing out the front door. Darwin International Airport decided to install 10 Essence fans in their foyer. As a result, they were able to move a huge amount of air with virtually no noise. “And if you don’t look up, the only thing you just think is there is just a breeze in the terminal” Glen Newport says. Darwin International Airport was able to reduce their energy bill by $57,000 over the year from installing Essence fans, reducing their air conditioning set point by 2°C. This resulted in an energy saving of 203 MWh per year, which is enough energy to run 30 homes or the equivalent of taking 54 cars off the road. Darwin International Airport has now mandated Big Ass Fans as part of the design feature for future hangers and development.
operating costs in the long term. In addition, through these energy savings, they were able to pay off the fans in just 12 months. This installation reinforced the sustainability benefits, from the point of view of air quality, thermal control, and energy efficiency. Antonio Santini, Architect and Founder of RED Studio Inc. Architects said ““Big Ass Fans were a no-brainer. The energy efficiency alone sealed the deal. The way it’s worked out from the mechanical, design and air-quality perspectives, I would use this system again and again.”
Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Antonio Santini and the design team at RED Studio Architects wanted to provide the Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Co. office with an innovative, environmentally conscious alternative to traditional HVAC design. The ductwork required by such systems is unsightly and costly, both initially and long-term. RED Studio Architects prides itself on design solutions that take into account occupant comfort, health and well-being, so they devised an unconventional strategy for an efficient, effective system that also achieved aesthetic brilliance. RED Studio utilised 17 Essence® fans by Big Ass Fans® to move air through the construction company’s 33,000-sq- ft (3,066-sq-m) office space, which brings together 130 employees. The increased air movement eliminated most of the ductwork and reduced the HVAC tonnage significantly. The Big Ass Fans – each with its own control – then push the conditioned air to floor level, efficiently cooling the space and maintaining a high level of air quality and optimal air circulation for the constant movement of fresh air. RED Studio’s careful planning paid off for the office. The fans were 7% cheaper than the ductwork (HVAC) option, which offset the entire cost by reducing the mechanical costs associated with a standard HVAC system and decreased
WINTER ENERGY SAVINGS AND DESTRATIFICATION
Fans aren’t just for cooling. In the winter, heat rises and can get trapped at the ceiling, leading to huge temperature differences and massive heating bills. In a space suffering from stratification, the floor temperature might be 18ºC while the ceiling might be 29ºC. With a large fan continually mixing the air, the temperature at floor level will even out and less heating will be required.
LEADING THE WAY IN INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
Australia’s buildings and infrastructure work towards a more sustainable future, call 1300 244 277 or head over to www.bigassfans.com/au .
Big Ass Fans has developed its own research and development (R&D) facility in the US, where it conducts extensive research and testing. This laboratory is a LEED® Gold certified facility dedicated to developing energy-efficient fans. No other facility exists to meet the unique requirements and challenges of testing and developing new innovations. At this high-tech facility,
and a more effective use of heating. By using more energy efficient products like Big Ass Fans, business owners and operators can be assured they are taking the right steps to help protect our environment and lessen their carbon footprint. To find out more about how Big Ass Fans can help
Big Ass Fans works toward developing the best products possible for use in passive design, which works with the climate, not against it. HVLS fans contribute to passive design by helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions through reduced reliance on air conditioning
Big Ass Fans’ LEED® Gold certified R&D facility
iv Leaders commit to save 209 million tons of carbon emissions equivalents (CO 2 -e) by 2050 at launch of world green building council net zero carbon buildings commitment, 2018, worldgbc.org. v https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency-and- reducing-emissions/save-energy-in-the-home/reduce- cooling-costs-at-home/calculate-cooling-running-costs vi HVAC Services Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021–2026), Mordor Intelligence (2020). vii Energy Facts Australia, Climate Council, energyfactsaustralia. org.au/key-issues/key-energy-issues/.
viii National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy, Australian Government (2015) p11-13. ix Fan Size & Energy Efficiency, Aysnley, R. School of Engineering Technology & Management Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, GA, USA. x Hoyt, T., H.L. Kwang, H. Zhang, E. Arens, T. Webster, 2009, “Energy savings from extended air temperature setpoints and reductions in room air mixing.” International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics 2009
References i New climate predictions increase likelihood of temporarily reaching 1.5°C in next 5 years, World Meteorogical Organization (May 27, 2021). ii New Global Data: 2020 Second Hottest Year on Record, climatecouncil.org.au (January 1, 2021). iii J. Lassio, J. Franca, K. Santo, A. Haddad. Case study: LCA Methodology Applied to Material Management in a Brazilian Residential Construction Site, J Eng (2016).
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