A study conducted by Siemens in partnership with McGraw-Hill Construction has revealed that buildings in the US need to take more and more efforts to achieve sustainability and become energy efficient.
The study focuses on growing trends in current operational movements, present innovations and services that are being employed in the companies involved in healthcare, higher education and office sectors. The study provides various tips and points which can be used by building owners to assess the improvements and retrofits that can be installed in the building and thus judge the performance of the building.
For the purpose of the study, improvements and enhancements carried out over the past three years and the renovations planned over the next three years were considered. Around 150 building owners were questioned and approximately 50 interviews were conducted. The research established that building owners particularly in the healthcare and higher education sectors were driven by the comfort and satisfaction experienced by their customers. This in turn translates to brighter prospects for product manufacturers and service providers who can help in increasing the performance of buildings by providing technologies and expertise.
The report states that home owners reported a 13% increase in ROI for office buildings, 18% for healthcare facilities and 15% for higher education buildings. The report also states that investment by owners into their own buildings continued despite the economic depression. To be more specific, home owners are increasing investment in operational activities that do not require up-front expenses.
Source: http://www.usa.siemens.com