Aside from grand signature buildings, are there smaller initiatives that can make a design statement?
Definitely. There are ways to save energy that are pretty much invisible to the building user. A lighting control system, for example, will sense when there is daylight coming into the building and will automatically dim the lights to a level that is good for the work environment. Also there are occupancy sensors (these detect when a building has few people inside) which will adjust the light accordingly. On the mechanical side, a lot of old buildings have constant volume systems. What you really want are variable volume systems which allow the air to vary according to factors like occupancy or time of day. Many measures are inexpensive and have short paybacks (switching up light fixtures, putting in control systems). But as you get into more intensive renovations, you can’t think of it as an immediate payback. Instead you should think – what can I gain from revitalizing this building? Could it be more utilized or better occupied? There is a market for this kind of investment. If you p
