PT focused on Energy Certification of its buildings
Monday, October 26, 2009
PT’s Andrade Corvo (Lisbon) and Tenente Valadim (Porto) buildings have already received Energy Performance Certificates.
Portugal Telecom owns the first big telecommunications to be certified in Portugal. Andrade Covo (Lisbon) and Tenente Valadim (Porto) buildings have been the first to be certified in terms of energy efficiency.
In the scope of the National System of Energy Certification and Indoor Air Quality of Buildings, Portugal Telecom started to apply the directives of the Energy Certification System in its four most energy-consuming buildings: Picoas, Andrade Corvo, Tenente Valadim and Carnide, already regulated as highly consuming buildings.
This legislation complies with Directive 2002/91/CE of the European Parliament and Council, of 16 December 2002 enacted in Portugal by DL 78/2006 of 4 April, requiring Member States to implement an Energy Certification System so as to inform citizens of the thermal quality and energy efficiency in every big public or services building as well as in every building undergoing a real estate transaction.
Portugal’s System of Energy Certification and Indoor Air Quality of Buildings aims to provide users with effective energy savings and significant improvements in indoor air quality. Therefore, PT initiated a process of certification of its buildings, which were audited during 2008 and partly in 2009.
The audit process was conducted by certified companies (ADENE – Energy Agency; General Directorate for Energy and Geology; Portuguese Environment Agency) that have devised qualitative improvement actions, namely measures and maintenance routines for existing air conditioning and energy systems and implementation of new equipment through Energy Rationalisation Plans. The adopted measures have resulted into energy savings and indoor air quality improvement with returns on investment in very significant periods.
The Andrade Corvo (Lisbon) and Tenente Valadim (Porto) buildings were the first to receive energy performance certificates both in band C. With these two certificates, PT becomes the owner of the first large telecommunications buildings to be certified in the country.
Tenente Valadim building, in Porto
The Tenente Valadim building is the first telecommunications building in the country and the first with a floor area over 15,000 sq metres to receive an energy performance certificate. The space, with a total floor area of 19,000 sq metre, divided into two buildings and 970 permanent users, has undergone several interventions so as to make the building more energy efficient through the improvement of indoor air quality and thermal comfort of users. After a demanding process, the building received an energy certificate in band C.
Andrade Corvo building, in Lisboa
The Andrade Corvo building of PT Comunicações has a floor area of 16,920 sq metres. Considered the second largest telephone exchange in the country and the second highest in terms of energy consumption, with a technical occupation rate of circa 25% of the total area, it has undergone major renovation works in a phased way since 2006 in both administrative and technical areas. The ultimate goal is to improve environmental conditions in the work areas and raise technical effectiveness in data and voice communications.
Energy audits began in 2008, and as the result of the revamping works and of the energy efficiency actions carried out so far, the building had a 70% rate of use of T5 light-saving technology as well as the first free-cooling system, a pilot implemented in exchanges.
The new air conditioning systems of the building have also contributed to a significant improvement of indoor air quality, with no need for any corrective actions, and energy efficiency in band C.
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