Commercial Code Compliancy
The electrical code sets out strict guidelines for energy use, with a set of regulations that have been ranked as among the most stringent in the country. All new builds and renovations will be required to meet the new energy guidelines.
Commercial developers, builders and real estate owners will need to ensure any new building, or new renovation, meets increased energy savings targets for lighting, space heating, and building envelopes. The guidelines put an emphasis on saving energy from the beginning of a building’s life cycle, with more energy-efficient infrastructure like LED lighting and more effective insulation, built in from the start. But it also applies to renovations, and insists that retrofits meet stringent guidelines for energy savings as well.
For example, interior and exterior lighting in all new builds and renovations will need to be supplied by LED units equipped with dimmable and automatic on-off capacity. They will need sensor controls to automatically switch on when an area is occupied, and automatically switch off when occupants vacate the area. And they’ll need to be programmed to automatically adjust lighting levels based on time of day and available daylight in any given area.
The government is applying these guidelines as part of their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They expect that for most facilities, the cost of installing or upgrading more energy efficient systems, like automatically controlled LED lighting, will be more than offset by lower utility costs that result from associated energy savings.
To further encourage building owners and operators to meet the energy codes, the guidelines offer flexibility for how building owners and operators can determine their compliance. It can be calculated using a space-by-space method, or a building area method. This lets users choose which method makes the most sense.
Either method requires builders, developers, and renovators to make choices about the equipment they install, and the infrastructure they choose. The goal is to make improvements that will help the state move toward a clean energy future. Additional updates will take that goal into consideration as well, meaning that any installed infrastructure will need to be flexible and upgradeable in order to meet future needs, and be eligible for future utility rebates and incentives as well.
As energy codes change, their targets get higher. Installing a platform that can continue to grow and evolve makes sense, both economically and environmentally.
Please contact Electrical Warriors for more information today on 0418 722 639 or click here!