Energy Performance Indicators in the Swedish Building Procurement Process

Ingrid Allard, Thomas Olofsson and Gireesh Nair
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Ingrid Allard: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Thomas Olofsson: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Gireesh Nair: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: In Sweden, all new buildings need to comply with the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s requirement on specific purchased energy (kWh/m 2 ). Accordingly, this indicator is often used to set design criteria in the building procurement process. However, when energy use is measured in finished buildings, the measurements often deviate significantly from the design calculations. The measured specific purchased energy does not necessarily reflect the responsibility of the building contractor, as it is influenced by the building operation, user behavior and climate. Therefore, Swedish building practitioners may prefer other indicators for setting design criteria in the building procurement process. The aim of this study was twofold: (i) to understand the Swedish building practitioners’ perspectives and opinions on seven building energy performance indicators ( envelope air leakage , U-values for different building parts , average U-value , specific heat loss , heat loss coefficient , specific net energy , and specific purchased energy ); and (ii) to understand the consequences for the energy performance of multi-family buildings of using the studied indicators to set criteria in the procurement process. The study involved a Delphi approach and simulations of a multi-family case study building. The studied indicators were discussed in terms of how they may meet the needs of the building practitioners when used to set building energy performance criteria in the procurement process.

Keywords: design criteria; energy performance; specific energy; simulation; procurement process; indicators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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