Case studyEnergy in business parks as part of district development
Optimising commercial bussiness parks energetically falls under the theme of neighborhood development. The exciting challenge is usually the combination of manufacturing trade and offices. Production facilities have a completely different energy requirement than pure administrative units. For instance, the requirements for a business park differ in terms of higher electricity voltage and larger grid or generator capacities. A local power supply network combined with a heat supply is often worthwhile. We can create exciting synergies here for new developments as well as existing buildings.
In commercial business parks with different buildings and tenants, we often recognise inefficiencies and energy losses. On the one hand, this can result from an oversized supply, mostly shaped by an industrial history. On the other hand, the management of activities is often not fully developed. For example, energy is cooled in one place and reheated in another.
We reconsider these conditions in a pragmatic way and combine heating and cooling so that they benefit from each other. For example, if a data centre needs cooling, we divert the waste heat generated into the adjacent office building.
As holistic energy strategists, we plan in terms of district development:
- How can cooling be produced economically?
- How can we provide access to the individual units?
- How do the production chains work and what synergies can we use?
- How can the existing communication structure in the local heating network be used?
- How can we improve the management of the individual energetic activities?
- Which form of lighting can support the energy goals?
Rethinking:
Are photovoltaics or geothermal energy plants sensible as a synergistically combined energy supply? In business parks, we are examining these opportunities. Geothermal energy can generate cooling in summer and be used for heating in winter.
Take advantage of your savings:
Through better management of the activities in the business park and improved management, we create savings with which you can finance new concepts such as e-mobility in the business park.
Specifics
There is a lot of potential in the blend of classic office space and manufacturing areas when considering the production chains and requirements of the individual building components of a business park.