PwC – Reducing energy in an already efficient building

Year:PwC Logo

2013

 

Company Description:

PwC is the largest professional services firm in Ireland and provides integrated audit, tax and advisory services across all industries in Ireland and internationally.  In Ireland, PwC employs over 1,800 people in seven locations – Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford.

 

Business Issue:

At PwC, we take our role in the community and our impact on the environment very seriously.  We have made very positive progress to date and we are committed to identifying further ways to minimise our carbon and general environmental footprint.

 

Solution Applied:

In 2011 we made substantial investments in energy efficiency projects in our Spencer Dock building.  This building is approximately 21,000m² and was completed in 2007.

We commissioned Ascough Consulting Engineers to carry out an energy audit to examine how well the building was performing and used this information to compare ourselves to similar buildings.  The findings suggested considerable potential for enhancement, despite the fact that, according to recognised international standards (CIBSE), we were already classified as an energy efficient building.

 

To date PwC has invested significantly on the energy efficiency project opportunities identified in the audit. These enhancements included:

 

  • Replacing the original twin T5 switch controlled lighting system with a single eco lamp T5 fitting coupled with DALI (digital addressing lighting interface) presence detection and daylight linking.
  • Replacing all CFL down-lighters with LED equivalents.
  • The retro fitting of VSDs (variable speed drives) on large air conditioning fan motors.
  • Fitting a condensing unit to one boiler.
  • Substantially reprogramming the Building Management System control strategy to introduce a Comfort Control strategy to the building.

 

 


Company Benefits:

Since we implemented the changes, our 2012 energy consumption was down 29% and 21% for gas and electricity respectively.  We are experiencing a 43.5% reduction in our lighting energy requirement and the reduction in power required by our 3 main Air Handling Unit’s after the VSDs were enabled amounted to 46%.

 

   
   

 

Stakeholder Benefits:

PwC is committed to play a leading role in achieving a sustainable future, to promote responsible business practices, and seek to minimise our impact on the environment.

 

 

 

Department Involved:

Environmental initiatives at PwC are managed by our Infrastructure Department, with the participation of all our people in order to ensure an effective result.

 

 

Solution Champion:

Ray Long, Infrastructure Senior Manager. Email: ray.p.long@ie.pwc.com