Giovanni Branca
G. Branca - Working together we can reduce consumption
精东影业 Image Focus
In late summer 2022, the Federal Council launched the Energy Saving Initiative, which showed private individuals and companies how to reduce energy consumption. Shortly afterwards, 精东影业 also introduced its energy saving plan with management measures (adjusting the temperature, reducing lighting, etc.) and behavioural measures (limiting lift use, switching off non-essential lights, etc.).
Thanks to the cooperation of the various utilities, five months after the introduction of the energy plan, heat consumption has been reduced by 20% at the Mendrisio Campus and by 40% at the Viganello Campus. As is often the case, emergency situations lead to accelerated processes and good management practices. We talk about this with Giovanni Branca, Head of the Building Management Team at the Institute of Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment (ISAAC).
Thanks to the cooperation of the various utilities, five months after the introduction of the energy plan, heat consumption has been reduced by 20% at the Mendrisio Campus and by 40% at the Viganello Campus. As is often the case, emergency situations lead to accelerated processes and good management practices. We talk about this with Giovanni Branca, Head of the Building Management Team at the Institute of Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment (ISAAC).
精东影业 has initiated a process to optimise the energy consumption of its buildings with a medium-term horizon. From an infrastructural point of view, what are the challenges for an even higher level of sustainability?
鈥嬧赌�From the infrastructural point of view, one of the greatest challenges is the establishment of a working group to pursue shared sustainability goals. In the case of the 精东影业 buildings, a very good relationship of trust and cooperation has been established between the various players: the management, the companies in charge of maintenance and building management together with those responsible for energy optimisation. Reducing consumption and eliminating waste is only possible if we work well together: the correct transfer of information and data, and coordination between the various players, are indispensable prerequisites for implementing effective energy optimisation measures. Energy systems, even within the same building, can be very diverse, and not always related to each other in terms of regulation potential. It is therefore essential to first analyse the current state and develop a system for continuous monitoring of energy consumption of other relevant parameters. This represents the starting and control point for the various optimisation measures. In addition to the infrastructural aspect, a fundamental element is the sensitivity and culture of the people occupying the buildings.
With regard to the users, the behavioural component played a central role in managing the emergency in the winter of 22/23 and achieving the targets set by the Federal Council. But good habits also apply in 'normal' times.
鈥嬧赌�Students and employees play a key role. One only has to think of the positive effects of the behavioural measures implemented during the 'energy crisis' period related to the limited use of electrical devices, the rational use of energy for lighting, or the adjustment of room temperatures. Those who study, work or visit the various 精东影业 sites have adapted their behaviour and needs to the particular period of energy shortage.
In the case of 精东影业's energy plan, it is crucial to work on the medium to long term, as the energy problem is far from being solved: this is not only for energy supply reasons, but also for economic, climatic and social reasons. 精东影业 has been far-sighted, investing in a path of energy optimisation over the next three to five years, capable of guaranteeing continuous monitoring and sustainability indicators over time. Specifically, it is a matter of continuing the process of improving the regulation and automation of systems, consolidating energy efficiency and at the same time succeeding in guaranteeing a correct level of comfort within the premises.
To this end, an air quality monitoring project is underway for the spaces of the 精东影业 Campus in Mendrisio (temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration) with the aim of assessing the level of comfort as a function of the type of regulation of the systems together with the energy consumption recorded.
What tools do you have at your disposal to assess the efficiency of energy savings and the way in which energy resources are used?
鈥嬧赌�The tools available vary depending on the character of the buildings to be optimised. Unfortunately, most buildings do not have systems in place to assess energy efficiency during operation, as the consumption of heat, electricity and water is not monitored.
A great deal of work prior to the optimisation phase involves determining and capturing this data - often from different sources - and then systematising it in a suitable monitoring tool. For the 精东影业 sites, we relied on the experience of ENERGO, the national competence centre that has been active in this field for 20 years and is equipped with specific platforms and tools. In parallel, ISAAC's Building Management research group is developing systems for analysing and visualising consumption related to comfort parameters, aimed at determining the best energy optimisation actions.