Environmentally Sustainable Design and Services
Engineered Solutions for Building Sustainability is a Professional Building Services Engineering Design Consultancy operating since 2014 in Canberra
- the land of the Ngunnawal People.
Environmentally Sustainable Design and Services
The provision of Environmentally (or Ecologically) Sustainable Design Services is embodied in our work ethic and culture. The provision of ESD services range from applying sustainable design principles to projects throughout design, operation and maintenance, performing NABERS ratings, ensuring compliance with ESD requirements in the NCC, NABERS and Green Stars form part of our core services.
NABERS Ratings CBD and System Optimisation
ESBS perform NABERS ratings and CBD assessments. Rather than simply performing a NABERS rating, we have the design engineering capability to analyse the cause of poor performance in a building and to develop NABERS rating upgrade strategies.
Energy performance upgrades may include highly cost - effective measures ranging from additional sub - metering to exclude non - ratable energy consumption, the implementation of energy smart controls strategies and monitoring, replacing HVAC systems such as the upgrade of major plant such as chillers, boilers, cooling towers and air handling systems including the addition of features that significantly reduce energy consumption. These include the conversion of constant flow systems to variable air and water flow systems, heat recovery, demand controlled ventilation, re - set control of heating/chilled/condenser water, cooling tower wet bulb tracking, segregating heating and cooling loads that operate 24/7 from loads that operate during business hours only, setting - back wasteful and onerous temperature and humidity controls, and improving maintenance regimes to enhance energy performance.
Energy & Water Audits and Energy & Water Management
Well - structured and pragmatic Energy or Water Audits can significantly reduce consumption, costs and carbon footprint of buildings and processes. Over the years, ESBS staff have collectively performed more than 150 Energy Audits in compliance with AS/NZS 3598 Part 1 (commercial buildings) and AS/NZS 3598 Part 2 (industrial buildings or sites) to standards Type -1 (broad estimate), Type-2 (medium accuracy) and Type -3 (high accuracy).
ESBS staff, having multidisciplinary engineering design skills, excellent numerical data analysis proficiency, scientific and inquisitive minds. We are competent and confident when carrying out stakeholder engagement to gather information about operations in buildings and processes, on-site investigations, analysis including interval data and regression, to identify opportunities that reduce waste, and improve efficiency.
Being Practicing Engineers, we have the aptitude and credibility to develop cost effective solutions and develop business cases for implementing energy conservation measures identified in Energy Audits. In some instances, clients extend our scope beyond Energy Audits to cover design and tender documentation, cost estimating, tender stage assistance, construction stage monitoring, independent commission agent services, post occupancy evaluation, and sign off for verifying that project target goals were achieved. We have carried out such projects that provided grant funding to clients from NSW OEH, ACT EoGGA and the Commonwealth Green Building Fund.
Building Physics and Integration with Other Systems
To achieve optimal outcomes for building performance, energy and water efficiency, capital and life cycle costs, Mechanical, Electrical and Hydraulic services must be integrated to operate harmoniously with the building, considering occupancy types and patterns, temperature and humidity requirements, seasonal climatic variations, energy tariffs, and dynamic maximum power demand.
Complex multi - dimensional optimisation that includes building thermal modelling, energy simulation, passive solar design, thermal storage - either building fabric and/or phase change material, equipment efficiency including part load performance, solar PV generation, battery energy storage and electricity tariffs must be considered.
Apart from optimising performance, an understanding of building physics is also essential for aspects such as predicting surface and interstitial condensation, mould growth and corrosion.
On buildings where critical conditions must be maintained, we assist clients to achieve low air permeability through facilitating design workshops that encourage design teams to pay close attention to detail during design and installation, and verification through air permeability testing which is also important for building integrity.
ESBS has acquired a very good understanding of environmental control in critical areas such as Archives, Museums, Conservatories, Libraries, indoor Swimming Pools and Conservatories.
Leisure Centres: Lakeside Leisure Centre (2018), Gungahlin Leisure Centre (2018). Portland Leisure and Aquatic Centre (2018)
Canada High Commission: Chancery and Official Residence (2020)
Phillip Health Centre: (2019)
Prisons: Alexander Maconochie Centre (2018), Bimberi Youth Justice Centre (2018)/
Police Stations: City Police Station (2018), Tuggeranong Police Station (2018), Winchester Police Centre (2018)
Laundries: Capital Linen Canberra
NABERS Upgrade Pathway Reports: 82 Northbourne Avenue (2016), 222 Exhibition Street (2016)
Governor Generals Residences: Admiralty House and Government House
Miscellaneous: Schools, Leisure Centres, Supermarkets, Food Processing, Fire and Police Stations.
Let’s Discuss Your Project
Whether you are planning a new development, upgrade, feasibility study or building services review, ESBS can provide practical engineering advice and tailored consultancy support.