Energy-efficient commercial buildings
2 min
During the COP25 international climate summit held in Madrid in late 2019, the European Commission launched its ambitious European Green Deal plan, aiming to make Europe the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050. This plan partly depends on a contribution from businesses.
37% of buildings in Belgium are non-residential, such as schools, offices, hospitals and healthcare facilities. They account for 14% of the country’s energy consumption and 6% of its total CO2 emissions. Between 1990 and 2019, CO2 emissions from non-residential buildings increased by no less than 33%, whereas the figure is supposed to decrease by 55% by 2030*.
But there's good news! More and more solutions are emerging to make buildings as energy-efficient as possible. If you don't know where to start, we can guide you every step of the way to a more energy-efficient commercial building.
Step 1: energy audit
An energy audit of your business premises is the essential first step. You'll immediately know what the biggest energy consumers are and what you can do to address them. Additionally, Belgium’s regions have different requirements and provide different types of support for mapping the energy consumption of commercial buildings.
Brussels
The Brussels-Capital Region offers a €3,000 Renolution energy audit grant, for both individuals and businesses, provided the building was constructed at least 10 years before the grant application. BRUXEO energy advisors can also perform a free energy assessment.
Wallonia
On 1 April 2024, the reform of energy audits for businesses came into effect in Wallonia. The new AMUREBA system focuses on grants that are better tailored to business needs, higher-quality audits performed by certified organisations, and simplified administrative procedures.
Flanders
In Flanders, obligations regarding energy audits require businesses with annual primary energy consumption of over 0.1 PJ (approximately 28 million kWh) to have an energy plan. Large businesses must undergo an energy audit every four years.
Additionally, the Flemish authorities encourage businesses to focus on greater energy efficiency with its Energiebeleidsovereenkomst energy policy agreement (EBO), while Vlaamse Energiebedrijf offers an energy scan.
Step 2: set priorities
Once you've received your energy audit results and identified measures to improve the energy efficiency of your business premises, it's time to set priorities. An energy-efficient commercial building is a long-term project. You can plan investments over several years, based on your budget and the work you need to do.
- Replacing single glazing with high-performance glazing should only be considered when the building's exterior "envelope" is in order and all walls are insulated.
- Installing a heat pump, for example, is only possible if your building is sufficiently insulated and the heating system is suitable.
- Solar panels can only be installed after insulating your roof.
Little things make a big difference
In addition to major renovation projects, small steps can significantly improve your building's energy efficiency.
- Is your company's boiler over 15 years old? Replace it with a new condensing boiler and save 15-30% on heating costs.
- A heat exchanger on the ventilation system can recover up to 85% of the heat from the extracted air.
- Many industrial processes lend themselves to energy recovery. For example, an air preheater on a steam boiler can increase efficiency by 3-5%.
- It's best to install an air compressor in a cool room: if the intake air temperature drops by 5°C, efficiency increases by 1.5%.
- In businesses, an average of 20-40% of compressed air is lost. Regularly check for leaks and adjust the compressed air system's pressure to the lowest possible level. For every bar of pressure reduction, you'll save 8% on your electricity bill.
- In office environments, computers, printers and other equipment can account for over a quarter of total electricity consumption. Switch them off when not in use.
- Fluorescent tubes that only light up at the ends consume three times more than ones that work properly. Replace them quickly!
Ready to make your professional premises more energy-efficient?
*Source: Recticel Insulation Barometer