Many arts organizations that operate older buildings find that their aging building systems result in higher-than-necessary utility costs, as well as high greenhouse-gas emissions that harm the environment.
Lighting and HVAC systems are the major drivers of energy use, and therefore utility bills, in most cultural buildings. The quality of roof and wall insulation, and window and door seals can also have a big impact on the amount of money going towards electricity and gas each year.
In recent years, due to increasing concern about environmental sustainability, climate change, and energy use, advances in control technology have brought very high-efficiency building systems to the marketplace.
When contemplating a major maintenance project, it is worth investigating high-efficiency options to see if a small increase in initial investment can yield annual utility savings that will help offset this cost, or even pay for the improvement over time.
This is known as the payback period, and the engineers or consultants helping you plan your major maintenance project can assist in calculating it. A short payback period can be a very powerful driver for making significant improvements to your building.
This post is also available in: French
