It has long been clear that many buildings – residential and non-residential – in Belgium do not score well when it comes to energy efficiency. Both in the public and the private sector, there is still a lot of work to be done to fulfil the ambitions of the new climate plan.
At the end of December 2020, the European Council set a binding EU target of a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU of at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. Subsequently, in July 2021, the European Commission published its “Fit for 55” package proposing to tighten the Belgian national target to 47% by 2030 compared to 2005. Negotiations on this are still ongoing, but it is clear that we will have to make significant efforts at both the federal and regional levels to reach the target.
How to make buildings more energy efficient
One of the measures that can contribute greatly to this is the energy renovation of (older) buildings. This can be done in various ways: using as little energy as possible, generating the necessary energy locally as sustainably as possible, limiting the use of fossil fuels as much as possible or using them as efficiently as possible.
Making buildings sustainable requires investments – sometimes large ones – but the impact of these measures is considerable: large savings in energy consumption, a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, more comfort for the users/occupants, added value for the building, etc.
Saving energy on all levels
Luminus Solutions helps companies make this energy transition a reality with a whole package of measures to make buildings more energy efficient.
Energy renovation of a building is not limited to installing an energy-efficient boiler or better insulation of roofs and walls.
Of course, there are quick wins that can achieve (limited) results quickly. Think, for example, of LED lighting or a smart thermostat. But the greatest energy savings are achieved by intervening on several fronts at once:
Renovating the building envelope
Wall and roof insulation, energy-efficient windows, airtight, watertight,…
Own energy production
Solar panels, combined heat and power (CHP),…
Optimising HVAC
Heat production, cooling, ventilation,…
Relighting
Eco-friendly lighting, better working conditions,…
Intelligent automation
HVAC, lighting
Guaranteed energy savings with an energy performance contract
An energy performance contract is very suitable for this type of renovation. With such a contract, the various energy-saving measures are thoroughly studied and coordinated, and they are installed and maintained with guaranteed energy savings for the entire duration of the contract.