Jason Doherty

SEAI

Article: The best time to invest in energy efficiency and in energy management is at the design stages of a new investment so as to optimise its energy performance. New investments however often achieve less than optimum energy performance. This is because energy management typically starts after  a period of time in operation by the owner organisation – and not integrated within the design process, where the opportunity is lost. A framework to manage and control the energy efficient design management processes is necessary and this is what SEAI have tried to address through the development of a program called EXEED.

EXEED (EXcellence in Energy Efficient Design) certified program is an exciting and effective new program launched by SEAI in 2016 for incentivising, rewarding and facilitating energy efficiency in businesses. EXEED enables organisations to establish a systematic approach to design, construction and commissioning processes for either new investments or upgrades to existing assets.

The principle aim of the program is to influence and deliver new best practices in energy efficient design management which designs, verifies and manages optimum energy performance at the earliest stages of the lifecycle.

EXEED is applicable to any sector, any organisation, and any project. It can be applied for use in any industrial site, new, modified or renovated facilities, buildings, equipment, systems and processes. Projects can be of any scale or complexity. Such projects can include:

  • Greenfield design
  • Brownfield design (repurpose)
  • Energy upgrade to existing asset
  •  re-engineering and retrospective commissioning
  • Major renovation of existing asset

So, what are the benefits? First of all, owners and operators are primed for optimum energy performance, enabling them to create continuous savings. By providing independent certification and quality assurance, the scheme will help investors to identify projects with valuable green credentials and lower financial risks. EXEED challenges management norms, offering service build market capacity and propel Ireland to the forefront of efficient energy management.

What makes EXEED different? Well, unlike your standard audit approach, EXEED requires a holistic and systems-thinking approach, which challenges, innovates and drives the adoption of longer-term solutions as opposed to quick wins or a focus on isolated opportunities. EXEED strategically addresses lifecycle energy and carbon costs by commencing and integrating the energy management discipline at the earliest possible stage of design.

Something that is often unknown or ignored at the design phase of projects is that up to 95% of the lifecycle cost can already be committed at the end of the design process. Case study projects who adopted energy efficient design methodology in the past have demonstrated that savings available can range from 20% and even up to 50% improvement from a baseline design. In fact, EXEED projects thus far (since April 2016) show an average of 30% predicted energy performance improvement from a baseline design. The short time-bound period of design provides the greatest energy saving potential with the most attractive return on investment.

What separates EXEED from traditional design approach is primarily its requirement for two phases called design for energy performance and design forenergy management. In summary, these two phases are the heart of EXEED and they revolve around a process called ‘Challenge & analyse’ which essentially encourages and forces the owner/operator to challenge the significant energy users and the service requirements throughout the asset to be certified. Rather than just focusing on replacement of existing equipment with more energy efficient equipment, for example, EXEED requires you to challenge right back to the energy service (desired outcome that necessitates the consumption of energy) and question what it is and how it is delivered. This can often lead to significant energy savings as processes and equipment

tend to be oversized and this method encourages correct sizing of process and equipment to meet an energy service along with other aspects such as control, operations & maintenance and management. Article: The best time to invest in energy efficiency and in energy management is at the design stages of a new investment so as to optimise its energy performance. New investments however often achieve less than optimum energy performance. This is because energy management typically starts after  a period of time in operation by the owner organisation – and not integrated within the design process, where the opportunity is lost. A framework to manage and control the energy efficient design management processes is necessary and this is what SEAI have tried to address through the development of a program called EXEED.

EXEED (EXcellence in Energy Efficient Design) certified program is an exciting and effective new program launched by SEAI in 2016 for incentivising, rewarding and facilitating energy efficiency in businesses. EXEED enables or ganisations to establish a systematic approach to design, construction and commissioning processes for either new investments or upgrades to existing assets.

The principle aim of the program is to influence and deliver new best practices in energy efficient design management which designs, verifies facilities optimum energy performance at the earliest stages of the lifecycle. EXEED is applicable to any sector, any organisation, and any project. It can be applied for use in any industrial site, new, modified or renovated facilities, buildings, equipment, systems and processes. Projects can be of any scale or complexity. Such projects can include:

 

  • Greenfield design

 

  • Brownfield design (repurpose)

 

  • Energy upgrade to existing asset

 

o             re-engineering and retrospective commissioning

 

  • Major renovation of existing asset

 

 

 

So, what are the benefits? First of all, owners and operators are primed for optimum energy performance, enabling them to create continuous savings. By providing independent certification and quality assurance, the scheme will l help investors to identify projects with valuable green credentials and lower financial risks. EXEED challenges management norms, offering service suppliers an innovative approach to boosting the quality and profitability of their services. Ultimately, EXEED is a valuable instrument in helping to build market capacity and propel Ireland to the forefront of efficient energy management.

What makes EXEED different? Well, unlike your standard audit approach, EXEED requires a holistic and systems-thinking approach, which challenges, innovates and drives the adoption of longer-term solutions as opposed to quick wins or a focus on isolated opportunities. EXEED strategically addresses lifecycle energy and carbon costs by commencing and integrating the energy management discipline at the earliest possible stage of design.

Something that is often unknown or ignored at the design phase of projects

sign methodology in the past have demonstrated that savings available can range from 20% and even up to 50% improvement from a baseline design. In fact, EXEED projects thus far (since April 2016) show an average of 30% predicted energy performance improvement from a baseline design. The short time-bound period of design provides the greatest energy saving potential with the most attractive return on investment.

What separates EXEED from traditional design approach is primarily its requirement for two phases called design for energy performance and design for energy management. In summary, these two phases are the heart of EXEED and they revolve around a process called ‘Challenge & analyse’ which essentially encourages and forces the owner/operator to challenge the significant energy users and the service requirements throughout the asset  to be certified. Rather than just focusing on replacement of existing equipment with more energy efficient equipment for example, EXEED requires you to challenge right back to the energy service (desired outcome that necessitates the consumption of energy) and question what it is and how it is delivered. This can often lead to significant energy savings as processes and e

quipment tend to be oversized and this method encourages correct sizing of

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