Frequently Asked Questions
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What are energy modelling services?
An energy model is a simulation of how a building will use energy over a full year, built from the architectural drawings, the envelope assemblies, the mechanical systems and the way the building will be occupied. It tells you whether a design will hit its energy target before anything is built, and it shows which changes move the number and which do not.
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When does a project need an energy model?
Most commonly when a project has to demonstrate compliance with the BC Energy Step Code, the Zero Carbon Step Code, or a certification such as LEED. Owners also commission models outside any compliance requirement, to compare system options or to understand operating cost before committing to a design.
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At what stage should energy modelling start?
Schematic design. The model is most useful while the envelope, the glazing ratio and the mechanical system are still open questions, because those are the decisions that determine the result. A model built after the design is fixed can only report the outcome, not improve it.
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What is the difference between commissioning and retro-commissioning?
Commissioning verifies that the systems in a new building were installed and set up to do what the design intended, before the building is handed over. Retro-commissioning applies the same process to a building already in operation, where systems have drifted, been overridden, or were never set up correctly in the first place.
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What is blower door testing?
Blower door testing, also called airtightness testing, measures how much air leaks through a building envelope. A fan pressurises the building and the equipment records the airflow needed to hold that pressure. We offer mid-construction and final testing for both new and existing buildings. Mid-construction testing matters because leaks found while the assemblies are still open can be fixed.
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Does Avalon work on buildings it did not design?
Yes. Retro-commissioning, energy studies, benchmarking and building controls optimization are all services for buildings already in operation, whoever designed them.
