See on Scoop.it – Green Building Design – Architecture & Engineering

Energy efficiency is at the heart of changes that will be incorporated into structures of the future

By Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun October 27, 2012

“Retrofits are crucial.

One of Hood’s main assignments is overseeing the redevelopment of existing buildings. More often than not, that means uncovering, through energy audits, glaring examples of waste – air leaks, inadequate insulation, inefficient heating and ventilation systems.

“We are involved in residential projects where we can achieve 80-per-cent reduction in energy use …. These are tried and true technologies around good building enclosures and high-performance mechanical systems such as heat pump technology.”

“On the commercial side, a lot of the audits we do for energy we’re seeing 30-to 50-per-cent reduction in energy use in ways that are cost-effective. The payback is five to eight years.”

See on www.vancouversun.com