1. Econetwork, new website with advice on energy, environment and waste management
2. Advice Electrabel on energy saving
1. Econetwork.eu
The environmental advisors of the Walloon Employer’s Association and the Valenciennes Chamber of Commerce and Industry have great pleasure in announcing the on-line publishing of the new www.econetwork.eu website dedicated to the European LIFE-SMIGIN project (Sustainable Management by Interactive Governance and Industrial Networking). This site explains the various actions that have been led within the framework of the collective environmental management on Walloon and French pilot parks of economic activities (landscaping, waste management, rational energy consumptions, mobility, etc.) and lists a large number of similar European experiences. The site aims to help any promoter of a project to implement initiatives of collective environmental management on its park of activities. www.econetwork.eu will be available in English in October, 2009.
2. Air conditioning without the pitfalls
Air conditioning has become commonplace over the last few years. Modern, thermally insulated buildings require regulated air flow, temperature and humidity management. The recent increase in heat waves has led to a knock-on increase in the use of air conditioning in our homes and work places. Studies have also demonstrated that excess heat has a negative effect on people’s intellectual and physical performance at work, and therefore on their productivity. Air conditioning can now be a real asset, provided that we avoid a few major errors.
Designing your system: a crucial step
When choosing an air conditioning system, it is essential to consider your overall needs and how often you will need to use the system each day and each season. There is a range of technical solutions available such as mono or split, water-cooled air conditioning, just air, cold ceilings, cold beams and two battery fan coil units. The optimal solution should always be chosen on a case by case basis and should take account of the amount of power to be installed, the number of rooms or areas it will serve, the number of people who will be using it, the level of comfort expected and tolerance of temperature and humidity changes. For areas that need to be kept permanently cool (e.g. computer rooms), it is best from an economic point of view, to opt for an individual air conditioning system rather than a central unit. Finally, it is also recommended that you insulate your cooling pipes, only circulate cooling fluid in areas that need it and install variable output pumps so that you can react to demand easily.
Keeping an eye on system use
On a day-to-day basis, the most common mistake is to set the temperature too low. It is best to keep to a difference of 4°C, or even 8°C at most, between the temperature outside and inside. The optimal working temperatures set out in the table below should therefore be adapted depending on the temperature outside. One advantage of this is that you will reduce your consumption!
It is also essential to involve all of the employees in your office or company. The people using the offices should then understand how the system works and can therefore avoid getting too cold, using the heating and air conditioning at the same time, and opening the windows while the air conditioning is on. In fact, there are trip switches that automatically turn off the air conditioning if a window is open.
And one last essential thing: keep the system in good working order by checking the volume of cooling fluid at least twice a year and by checking that the control sensors are correctly positioned.
Conclusion
A ‘good’ air conditioning system should consume between 60 and 80 electrical kWh per square meter per year in a traditional office. Consumption levels can vary, however, in hospitals and hotels, and in offices depending on the size of the building. A quick calculation will enable you to see how you are doing in comparison to this standard, and to take action if necessary!
Recommended temperatures depending on the activity (ISO 7730) in °C
| Sitting down, mainly intellectual | 21-23 |
| Light manual, sitting down | 20-22 |
| Physical, light, standing up with limited movements | 18-21 |
| Physical, moderate | 16-19 |
| Physical, hard | 12-17 |
This information is provided by Electrabel. For more information in French about the management and the rational use of energy, visit our website: http://www.electrabel.be/sme/energymanagement/energymanagement.aspx