SUSTAINABILITY IS IN THE AIR a reality . Energy costs in Europe are much higher than in the United States , which created an economic driver for their success , a success that needs to be applauded . Asia is moving rapidly towards an NZEB future , but probably has the most ground to cover for a variety of reasons . A compelling argument can be made that our significant successes over the past nine years shows conclusively that we are on the right path and that the goal of an NZEB future is attainable .”
To that end , ASHRAE has unveiled a powerful energy management tool . Building Energy Quotient ( Building EQ ) accurately and reliably evaluates the energy use of a building and compares that energy use to a similar building stock in a similar climate zone . “ Building benchmarking and disclosure is a necessary first step in this process so building owners know with precision how much energy their building is using and its potential for further energy conservation ,” explains Olesen . “ Once an owner is empowered with this knowledge they can make informed decisions consistent with their needs and expectations .”
Highlighting the dramatic decrease in photovoltaic pricing and advances in battery technology in the automotive industry , Olesen points toward a future where electrical energy will be produced inexpensively on an immense scale , further enhancing sustainability : “ Coupled with advances in building information modeling software , technology will allow us to design , construct , operate and maintain buildings at much lower energy levels to achieve NZEBs while maintaining the needed levels of human comfort and indoor air quality .” Olesen predicts that technology , and the increased use of renewables , will be the biggest drivers of the HVAC movement towards sustainability . “ ASHRAE will play a key role in accelerating the use of innovative technologies ,” he confirms . “ As a global society with members all over the world , we can provide and disseminate knowledge from one part of the world to be used the world over . The HVAC industry has an opportunity to serve as a catalyst to building owners and designers , encouraging the achievement of sustainability goals . An ASHRAE-certified building provides builders credible , reputable recognition in the marketplace .”
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