Are Energy Efficiency and Comfort Compatible?

We have already discussed the energy crisis that Brazil is facing, and everyone is already feeling its effects in their pockets, with the series of increases in electricity rates in recent months.

Companies are responding with a growing interest in energy efficiency, hiring consultants and training to help them find strategies to reduce consumption, but what exercises should be done in the search for savings? Is it worth reducing the air conditioning or turning off some of the lighting? How will this affect people's comfort?

When implementing energy efficiency measures, the reduction in consumption must not compromise the quality of the services offered by the building to its occupants. There are minimum levels of thermal and visual comfort that must be respected by law. In addition, the well-being of people in their work area directly influences their level of productivity, and is also a powerful tool for retaining good employees. Considering that payroll accounts for over 80% of the operating costs of a typical commercial building, it is important that the building's users are satisfied.

Assessing the satisfaction of a building's users is not an easy task, as the configurations are very subjective and complex. Therefore, after decades of studies, a methodology known as BUS (Building Use Studies) was developed in the United Kingdom, which transforms the perception of occupants into quantitative results, allowing an objective assessment of buildings and the recommendation of improvements.

BUS provides company directors and building managers with the tools to make decisions that improve the comfort of their employees while increasing their productivity, based on concrete information.

After being officially approved by the UK Government for the assessment of English buildings, BUS is now included on all continents, having been used to assess more than 800 buildings worldwide. Recently, MITSIDI became an official partner of BUS, bringing the methodology to Brazil as well. The technical training completed in April made MITSIDI the first company accredited to apply BUS in the country.

With this, we hope to continue our mission of improving the reality of national buildings, in terms of transparency, efficiency and quality, focusing not only on energy consumption, but also on people.

Visit our page on the official BUS website here for more information about this methodology. If you want to better understand how BUS can be applied in your building, contact us at [email protected] .