The Problems With Retrofitting Existing Structures

While it is evident that technology now permits a facility owner and operator to receive, manage, conserve, use and produce energy in a manner that would not have been possible in the past, only a relative few are taking advantage of the full range of possibilities. For retrofitting existing structures, the usual suspects that stand in the way of wider expansion are:

1. The time and cost demands of arranging for, and cooperating with, an energy audit;

2. The difficulty of changing entrenched methods of operation and retraining personnel;

3. The lack of compensation incentives (and possible risks) for the mid-level managers responsible for implementing change;

4. The perceived or real complexity of making changes; and

5. The difficulty of determining the cost/payback of implementing measures or seeking renewable energy as compared to continuing to use existing sources.

Sustainability Facility, Dec 2007