The message resounded clear at Schneider Electric’s North American Editor’s Event last month, held in Chicago: make the most of your energy and manage it efficiently.
“Architects and engineers realize that if we are to get to net zero* some day, we can’t keep building structures the way we have been,” explained Melissa O’Mara, solution vice president, Green Buildings, Schneider Electric. “And the construction industry is realizing this.”
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one way that architects, engineers, consultants and contractors can design, construct and operate more efficient buildings.
“It’s not just the As-built drawings,” that people are reliant on, added O’Mara. “Live BIM drawings are getting more requests now, where plans become an electronic database, and you can model buildings upfront or test different scenarios to maximize solar generation before construction,” she said. “But it’s not just about designing it but managing the energy going forward—about creating an energy-efficient roadmap over the next seven years.”
For the full story, turn to page 10 of the November issue. And keep an eye out for the digital edition, which goes live tomorrow.
* Net Zero: generating as much energy over the course of a year as is being consumed
Natalia Kosk
Assistant Editor, Security Dealer & Integrator
