Renovation of M.E.C. Engineering Company Limited Office Building in the Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category according to TREES-NC criteria. Renovation of M.E.C. Engineering Company Limited Office Building in the Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category according to TREES-NC criteria.

Abstract

M.E.C. Engineering Co., Ltd. is a company engaged in design and construction contracting. The company intends to renovate a three-story office building with the aim of achieving the Platinum level in the TREES (Thai's Rating of Energy and Environmental Sustainability) assessment to demonstrate the company commitment to energy and environmental sustainability. To accomplish this objective, Energy Conservation Technology Co., Ltd., in collaboration with King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok has been tasked with designing the renovation of the building’s systems under the Energy and Atmosphere (EA) category according to TREES-NC V.1.1 criteria. This involves analyzing the layout, building design and systems to identify the aspects impacting energy savings by considering construction methods, materials, workload, manpower and budget along with calculating points for each category to achieve the Platinum level. The EA category involves with other categories of building improvement. The renovation conclusions were adding vertical garden panels on the south and west sides (SL 5.1), installing 3-inch thick fiberglass insulation under the roof slab to reduce heat transfer, installing high-efficiency solar panels on the building's roof (EA 2), replacing and redesigning the entire lighting system from standard fluorescent bulbs to LED bulbs with separated circuits every 250 square meters (IE P3) to meet the standard lighting criteria (IE P2), and upgrading the entire air conditioning system from split-type units to a VRV system which increases energy efficiency and uses environmentally friendly refrigerants, thus earning additional points in EA 4.

The aforementioned renovations have resulted in a significant reduction in the Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV) from 112.88 W/m² to 68.69 W/m² and the Roof Thermal Transfer Value (RTTV) from 34.13 W/m² to 7.85 W/m². The building's total energy consumption is now 149,562.11 kWh/year with the solar panel system capable of generating up to 88,348.95 kWh/year or 59% of the total energy consumption. This achievement has earned the project the maximum score of 16 points in the EA 1 category.