WOBO thanks MBS for the link to Alex Hill’s article.

Alex Hill, Managing Director, Whitecode Design Associates says “building performance and efficiency are increasingly under the spotlight as a result of the move to carbon neutrality.”

This doesn’t come as a surprise given buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In making our buildings sustainable and efficient however, there can be a tendency to over-egg the pudding. Assuring technical compliance and meeting building codes is one thing, yet designing a building’s M&E systems to have more electrical, heating and cooling capacity than is needed costs more and drives higher energy consumption. To combat over-engineering, which smarter considerations can be utilised to ensure building services perform as designed and create an optimum environment for all?

Over-engineering has a significant impact on the cost and performance of a building project or scheme, particularly in terms of efficiency. Signs of over-engineering can manifest themselves in a variety of ways; from plant cycling to uncomfortably warm spaces, to slow pump speeds and stop-start chillers. These inefficiencies have a draining effect on a building’s performance and occupant comfort, and can also negatively impact a building’s green credentials.

Modern Building Services:  modbs.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/19619/Over-engineered_buildings_put_a_dent_in_efficiency_.html