Hong Kong Association of Energy Engineers (HKAEE) Webinar

28 Apr 2021 (Wed)

Impact of COVID-19 on building energy

management strategies
Ir Dr. Sam C. M. Hui 許俊民 博士 工程師
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
E-mail: sam.cmhui@gmail.com / cmhui@hku.hk

(http://ibse.hk/cmhui/210428_HKAEE_Webinar_COVID-19_BEM.pdf) Apr 2021

Contents

• Introduction
• Impact of COVID-19 on Building Operation
• Health & Safety Concerns
• Building Energy Management Strategies
• Conclusions
Introduction

• COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden, new

way of life upon the world
• It has presented many challenges to building
operation & management, and energy fields
• Important to reduce the risk of virus transmission
and also minimize the building operating costs
• Health & safety concerns must be prioritized
while trying to maintain as efficient a building
as possible
 Keep COVID-19 out of your premises & safeguard operations

(Image source: https://www.hkt-enterprise.com/en/news-events/news/keep-covid-19-out-of-your-premises)

 Introduction

• The COVID-19 crisis has affected global

energy intensity in three main ways:
• 1. Structural shifts in the economy (make it more
energy intensive)
• 2. Changes to energy using behaviours (could have
future benefits)
• 3. Changes to investment in efficient technologies
• The pandemic threatens to set back already-
weakened energy efficiency progress
(Source: Energy efficiency in the Time of Covid-19: Highlights from Energy Efficiency 2020 https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/aa463e6c-
fe4a-4ff8-bf91-808bc433c396/EEMR2020_KeyMessages1.pdf)
 Introduction

• Many people may think that when building

occupancy decreases, energy costs will drop
dramatically, so there’s no need to invest in
energy efficiency measures
• Latest research indicates that empty buildings
still use a significant amount of energy*
• Energy use & Occupancy – it is not 1 : 1
• How to optimize building operations for the
“new normal”
(*Source: https://www.carbonlighthouse.com/covid-building-occupancy-energy-use/)
 Varying occupancy effect on load and utility bills

For empty buildings

(0% occupancy),
normal load is still
60% & annual
utility is 70%.

(Source: https://www.carbonlighthouse.com/covid-building-occupancy-energy-use/)
 Impact of COVID-19 on
Building Operation

• During COVID-19, restrictions on movement

& lockdowns have prompted mass teleworking
& eLearning, shifting activities & energy use to
the residential subsector (from IEA*)
• For example, residential energy consumption in the
United States has increased by an estimated 6-8%
compared with this time last year
• Global Internet traffic surged by almost 40%
between Feb and mid-Apr 2020, has led to higher
energy consumption in data centres & networks
(*Source: https://www.iea.org/reports/the-covid-19-crisis-and-clean-energy-progress/buildings)
 The year-on-year growth rates of energy demand in 2019 and 2020

(Source: Jiang P., Fan Y. V. & Klemeš J. J., 2021. Impacts of COVID-19 on energy demand and consumption: Challenges, lessons and emerging
opportunities, Applied Energy, 285: 116441.)
Impact of COVID-19 on
Building Operation

• COVID-19 changed living conditions & energy

consumption patterns
• Work from home => net increase in residential
energy demand
• Retail shops & facilities are closed or operating at
reduced capacity
• Hotels are largely quiet or have been changed to
quarantine use
• Increase in energy demand for hospitals &
healthcare facilities
 Energy consumption patterns of buildings and at home

(Source: Jiang P., Fan Y. V. & Klemeš J. J., 2021. Impacts of COVID-19 on energy demand and consumption: Challenges, lessons and emerging
opportunities, Applied Energy, 285: 116441.)
Impact of COVID-19 on
Building Operation

• Many non-residential buildings also need to

adapt their energy operation schedules from
full-space to partial-space operations
• Present challenges to building operation & energy
management
• May not be always possible with existing control
strategies & equipment
• Also require continuous risk assessment & crisis
management (health restrictions may change)
Impact of COVID-19 on
Building Operation

• Buildings are operating at reduced hours &

occupancy during COVID-19
• How to maximise the efficiency when running
below usual capacity & respond to radically
different demand patterns
• Not just simply turn the systems off when the space
is unoccupied
• Need a holistic approach to optimize building
operation & achieve efficiency
Impact of COVID-19 on
Building Operation

• Minimize the number of people within the

same indoor environment (+ social distancing)
• Building/Office space redesigns
• Staggered work schedules with fewer people in the
facility on any given day
• People arriving early & staying late will likely mean the
lights will be on for longer periods of time
• Incorporating an advanced system of lighting
controls & sensors is one way that building owners
can manage potential additional energy loads
 How COVID-19 will reshape office space design

(Source: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/dept-of-design/how-the-coronavirus-will-reshape-architecture)
Health & Safety Concerns

• Health & safety is number one concern

• To prevent the spread of COVID-19
• Safe operation of buildings & strategies to maintain
healthy indoor air quality (IAQ)
• Impact of COVID-19 on HVAC Systems
• Energy-efficiency initiatives must ensure health &
safety
• Important to understand the transmission
dynamics of COVID-19
Indoor environment and transmission dynamics of COVID-19
 Possible transmission routes of respiratory infection
呼吸道感染的可能傳播途徑
密切接觸
易感染
已感染

空氣傳染

飛沫

(Source: Recognition of aerosol transmission of infectious agents: a commentary

https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-019-3707-y)
Health & Safety Concerns

• COVID-19 modes of transmission:

• 1. Droplets by affected individuals
• 2. Contact with patient respiratory secretions
• 3. Contaminated surfaces & equipment
• Infection control
• Symptoms & viral shedding to the environment
varied considerably
• Many commonly used items, toilet facilities, and
air samples had evidence of viral contamination
 Floor plan of a call center located in a building in Seoul, South Korea
which has a COVID-19 outbreak

Blue indicates
the seating
places of
persons with
confirmed
cases

Occupant density,
activities &
indoor
environment are
critical factors

(Source: Park S. Y., et al., 2020. Coronavirus disease outbreak in call center, South Korea, Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26 (8) 1666-1670.)
Health & Safety Concerns

• COVID-19 prevention strategies:

• Increase air changes
• Outdoor air intakes (increase quantity)
• Exhaust air outlets (avoid cross contamination)
• Air filters
• Disinfection & decontamination
• Using ultra-violet (UV) light, ionization & chemicals
• Transmission through aerosols 氣
• Movement & concentration of aerosols can be 溶
influenced by the ventilation system 膠
 Health advice on prevention of COVID-19 in workplace
Maintain environment hygiene of workplace
(a) Maintain good ventilation
(b) Keep environment clean
(c) Special attention to following areas:
i. Areas with frequent access by members of the public (e.g. lifts,
escalators, lobby entrance, waiting areas, corridors and
information counter and lounges)
ii. Frequently touched surfaces (e.g. buttons, handrails, handle,
chairs and mailboxes)
iii. Garbage room
iv. Clean the exhaust fan inside the lift regularly and keep it in
good condition
Maintain toilet hygiene
(a) Increase frequency of cleaning & disinfection
(b) Ensure water traps filled with water
(c) Do not alter the drain & pipes without prior authorization
(Source: https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/nid_guideline_workplace_eng.pdf)
Engineering level controls to reduce the environmental risks for airborne
transmission

(Source: Morawska L., et al., 2020. How can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised?, Environment International, 142:
105832.)
 The relationship between the infection risk with the exposure time and
number of present people in the building

The scientific basis for

supporting the risk assessment
(Source: Mokhtari R. & Jahangir M. H., 2021. The effect of occupant distribution on energy consumption and COVID-19 infection in buildings: A
case study of university building, Building and Environment, 190: 107561.)
 The relationship between the number of people and building air
exchange rate with the COVID-19 infection risk

(Source: Mokhtari R. & Jahangir M. H., 2021. The effect of occupant distribution on energy consumption and COVID-19 infection in buildings: A
case study of university building, Building and Environment, 190: 107561.)
 The relationship between air exchange rate with the HVAC energy
consumption and the number of infected people with COVID-19 in the
building

(Source: Mokhtari R. & Jahangir M. H., 2021. The effect of occupant distribution on energy consumption and COVID-19 infection in buildings: A
case study of university building, Building and Environment, 190: 107561.)
 Probability of infection with percent of outside air (with and without
masks)

(Source: https://www.kw-engineering.com/reduce-risk-covid-19-indoor-air-conditioning-hvac-ventilation-buildings-wells-riley-equation/)
 Probability of infection and MERV rating

(Source: https://www.kw-engineering.com/reduce-risk-covid-19-indoor-air-conditioning-hvac-ventilation-buildings-wells-riley-equation/)
Health & Safety Concerns

• Relevant guidance of professional institutions

• ASHRAE https://www.ashrae.org/technical-
resources/resources
• BOMA https://www.boma.org/coronavirus
• CIBSE https://www.cibse.org/coronavirus-covid-
19
• REHVA https://www.rehva.eu/activities/covid-19-
guidance
• US-CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/community/ventilation.html
 Guidance for building operations during the COVID-19 pandemic
Non-HVAC actions:
• Increase disinfection of frequently touched surfaces
• Install more hand sanitation dispensers
• Supervise or shut down food preparation & warming areas, including the office
pantry & coffee station
• Close or post warning signs at water fountains in favour of bottle filling stations &
sinks, or even better, encourage employees to bring their water from home
HVAC systems:
• Increase outdoor air ventilation to enhance effective dilution ventilation per person
• Disable demand-controlled ventilation (DCV)
• Further open minimum outdoor air dampers, as high as 100%, thus eliminating
recirculation
• Improve central air filtration to the MERV-13 or the highest compatible with the
filter rack, and seal edges of the filter to limit bypass
• Keep systems running longer hours to enhance the two actions above
• Consider portable room air cleaners with HEPA filters
• Consider UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) and protect occupants from
radiation

(Source: Schoen L. J., 2020. Guidance for building operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASHRAE Journal, 62 (5) 72-74.)
 An upper-room UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) installation

(Source: https://peerj.com/articles/10196.pdf)
 MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating

(Source: https://unitedfilter.com/blogs/news/what-does-merv-rating-mean)
 MERV filter rating chart

(Source: https://www.lakeair.com/merv-rating-explanation/)
 How to operate a building safely & efficiently through the COVID Era
Priority #1 – Minimize Droplet and Contact Transmission

Priority #2 – Adopt ASHRAE’s Recommended Systems Evaluations

1. Assess HVAC design to confirm proper ventilation rates
2. Verify the operational condition of your ventilation systems

Priority #3 – Selectively Implement ASHRAE’s Mitigation Strategies

• Lower cost recommendations
• Upgrade air filters to MERV13
• Reduce or disable demand controlled ventilation (DCV)
• Install portable air cleaners in high density areas
• Higher cost recommendations
• Increasing outside air (OA) rate up to 100%
• Extended operation of ventilation systems

(Source: https://www.kw-engineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Workplace-Guidelines-for-Safe-Efficient-Building-Operations-COVID-
kW-Engineering.pdf)
 Practical example to calculate the air change per hour (ACH)

(Source: Ir Eric C. L. Lee of EMSD)

Health & Safety Concerns

• Control of airborne transmission is challenging

• Air changes per hour (ACH) is only a general index
• Should consider also space air distribution & air
flow patterns
• May evaluate air movement & reposition supply
louvres, exhaust air grilles, and/or damper settings
• Having fewer people in the building decreases
energy usage & may offset the energy
increases following the ventilation guidelines
Health & Safety Concerns

• Precautions & challenges

• Many HVAC systems are not designed to bring in
more or 100% outside air in the summer when it is
hot & humid. To follow the guidelines, the system
will be using more energy (on ventilation load)
• MERV13 filters can significantly add resistance to
the air flow, leading to increased energy usage in
the system & pressure drop in the duct system
• It could also lead to some workplace discomfort
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• How to reduce energy & equipment

maintenance cost during COVID-19?
• Reduces outdoor air intake when the building is
unoccupied
• Understand what the daily occupancy of the facility
• Energy consumption may increase due to:
• Running air handling units on full fresh air supply
• Running toilet extracts continuously
• Disable heat recovery devices
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Modes of operation: (defined by ASHRAE)

• (a) Occupied – pre-COVID capacity
• (b) Occupied – reduced capacity
• (c) Temporarily unoccupied (setback)
• (d) Indefinitely unoccupied
• (e) Re-opening after closure
• (f) Occupied – post-COVID
 Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Some buildings will have plants running at a reduced

setting rather than fully off to reduce potential
maintenance issues
• Undertaking an energy audit & checking against the
realistic building operations is key to meeting energy
efficiency and health & safety requirements
• People often assume that an unoccupied building is fully
switched off & bank on a significant energy saving. This is
often not the case so regular review & clear reporting of
building consumption can help keep everybody better
informed
(Source: Energy management during COVID-19 https://www.energylivenews.com/2020/05/28/energy-management-during-covid-19/)
 A systematic approach to energy management

Get Commitment
(of top
management)

Understand Implement,
(by energy audit, Control and
survey or Monitor
studies) (prioritise)

Plan and Organise

(policy, targets,
Energy audit roles)
is a critical
step for energy
management
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• What is Energy Audit (能源審核)?

• Examination of an energy system or equipment to
ensure that energy is being used efficiently
• Process to check for areas of inefficiency
• It is a top-down initiative. Its result depends on the
resources being allocated by top management
• Aims to identify energy management opportunities
(EMO) & means for improvement
• In many ways, an energy audit is similar to
financial accounting and auditing
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Auditing steps: (* see also HK Energy Audit Code)

• Step 1 – Collection of Building Information
• Step 2 – Review of Energy Consuming Equipment
• Step 3 – Identification of EMO
• Step 4 – Cost Benefit Analysis of EMO
• Step 5 – Recommendations
• Step 6 – Compiling Energy Audit Report
• Energy audit and related forms
• www.beeo.emsd.gov.hk/en/mibec_forms.html
 Influencing factors for optimization in building energy management

(Source: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Context-aware-optimization-strategies-for-universal-Schachinger-Kastner/)
 Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Schedule systems for energy efficiency

• While building activities are shifted, some systems
can be fully shut down to cut energy costs
• Evaluate & schedule the related components/areas
of the building to be shut off
• Provide service for essential staff as needed
• Through testing, cleaning & inspecting the systems
and equipment to gain a greater understanding of
the building systems, capabilities & limitations
(Source: Building Operations Best Practices during COVID-19 https://fhai.com/insights/building-operations-best-practices-during-covid-19/)
 Energy management during COVID-19

(Source: https://stok.com/insights/live-look-energy-management-covid-19/)
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Typical energy saving measures:

• HVAC: operate the building automation system on
a weekend or holiday schedule with reduced hours,
delayed startup, lower setpoints, & wider
temperature dead-bands
• Lighting: turn off the lights in tenant spaces &
common areas
• Plug load: turn off & unplug appliances like
televisions, monitors, printers, & kitchen
equipment
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• For buildings with some tenants still occupying

space, it is important to engage & communicate
with them to optimize building operations:
• Learn their revised occupancy strategy & schedules
to right-size building services (by zone or by floor)
to match this new level of activity
• Discuss reduction in use of dedicated tenant HVAC
units as appropriate
• Encourage tenants to turn off lights & unplug
equipment when not using the space
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Essential workers: Assuming that cleaning and

security staff are still entering the building,
ensure that the space is safe for them to work
(even if it hinders energy performance)
• Do not shut everything off: Be sure to run
minimal HVAC & ventilation to keep mould
out, and to ensure that all mechanical systems
are in working order in preparation for tenants’
return
 Four areas for building energy management system (BEMS)

(Source: Mariano-Hernández D., Hernández-Callejo L., Zorita-Lamadrid A., Duque-Pérez O. & García F. S., 2021. A review of strategies for
building energy management system: Model predictive control, demand side management, optimization, and fault detect & diagnosis, Journal of
Building Engineering, 33: 101692.)
 Strategies for building energy management system (BEMS)

(Source: Mariano-Hernández D., Hernández-Callejo L., Zorita-Lamadrid A., Duque-Pérez O. & García F. S., 2021. A review of strategies for
building energy management system: Model predictive control, demand side management, optimization, and fault detect & diagnosis, Journal of
Building Engineering, 33: 101692.)
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• With few occupants, and thus fewer

maintenance requests to address, staff may
have the capacity to implement operational
improvements & deferred maintenance projects
on building systems, and can do so during the
day without interrupting office workers
• Assess consumption patterns across portfolios with
a pre-COVID-19 baseline to proactively identify
specific assets & opportunities for energy savings
• Smart meters & enhanced energy analytics
 Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Potential upgrades & energy efficiency projects

during COVID-19 and beyond:
• Recommissioning & continuous operation of
mechanical systems
• Improving the efficiency of fresh air conditioning
• Improving management of fresh air flow
• Improving system capacity modulation
• Improving lighting control

(Source: https://buildingenergychallenge.ca/energy-and-operational-challenges-in-buildings-during-covid-19-pandemic-sequel/)
 Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Building analytics strategies

• 1. Consider investing in sensors (e.g. motion
detectors, people counting cameras, CO2 sensors)
• An occupant-centric control strategy to provide valuable
feedback to improve how we control those spaces
• 2. Fine-tune existing building analytics platform
• 3. Introduce compliance reporting
• New safety & operational requirements
• 4. Communicate results
• Track & monitor their air quality
(Source: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/buildingautomation/article/4-Building-Analytics-Strategies-for-COVID-19-Building-Operations--19087)
Building Energy Management
Strategies

• Use of smart building technology can enable

more efficient facilities management and help
support a safe & healthy environment
• Track potential exposure within the office
• Reduce & better manage density
• Improve air quality in facilities
• Smart maintenance for HVAC systems
• Facility management & cleaning
• Building management systems (BMS)
 The tech-enabled office in a post-COVID world

(Source: https://www.cbinsights.com/research/report/reopening-office-tech-work-post-covid/)
 Emerging developments accelerated by COVID-19
1. Spread out of distance meeting & learning
2. Massive home office
3. The growing popularity of e-shopping
4. Raise in e-socialising
5. Intensify the data transmissions e.g. 5G
6. Urban & sanitary reforms
7. Remote & robotic health monitoring and even treatment
8. Related preference to shortening the commuting
9. Intelligent traffic control & self-driving autonomous vehicles
10. Advanced digital manufacturing challenging remote & distance production
operating, and also remote construction & building e.g. remote drilling
11. Advanced & possible person-less waste management collection & treatment
12. Novel ways for deliveries, for example, drones & advancing delivery apps
13. Promotion of renewable energy
14. Setting up a post-COVID-19 supply chain
15. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

(Source: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-
the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever)
 Energy challenges and opportunities of COVID-19

Energy challenges:
• Demand fluctuation & uncertainties
• Structure & pattern changes
• Recover energy demand
• Associated environment impacts
Energy opportunities:
• Enhancement of digitalisation & IoT
• New lifestyles with lower energy usage
• Resilience & circular economy
• Renewables & energy storage
• Fight infectious diseases & save energy

(Source: Jiang P., Fan Y. V. & Klemeš J. J., 2021. Impacts of COVID-19 on energy demand and consumption: Challenges, lessons and emerging
opportunities, Applied Energy, 285: 116441.)
Conclusions

• Given the uncertainty of building occupancy,

effective strategies are needed to maximize
building energy efficiency & meet the demands
of health & safety
• COVID-19 might force buildings to consider
holistic energy efficiency efforts
• Now is an excellent time to identify operational
efficiencies to lower energy use in the building,
address deferred maintenance, and reduce operating
expenses
Thank You