Page 24 - ZEB Final Report 2009-2017

24 | ZEB Zero Emission Buildings | Final Report 2017

Jens Petter Burud Thomas Berker
Director for Technology and Development, Professor, NTNU,
Caverion Norway AS Work Package Leader, ZEB

Complex Competence

As zero emission buildings enter the market, there will be a greater

need for operation and maintenance expertise. Caverion Contractors

use knowledge from ZEB to gear up for the future.

Caverion employs approximately 2700 people at about 50
“Zero emission buildings produce more different locations in Norway. In addition to supplying and
installing technical systems which control light, heating, and
and more data, so the person whose ventilation, the company is in charge of operating about 200
job it is to handle the building must be buildings. After eight years as a ZEB-partner, Caverion has
technically competent.” gained considerable experience.
− For the energy targets of zero emission buildings to be
met, they must be run efficiently, especially when production of
local energy starts. A central surveillance system is absolutely
necessary. Current regulations do not take this into account,
says Jens Petter Burud, Caverion Norway AS.
Zero emission buildings have to meet many requirements
related to anything from energy use to indoor environment.
Caverion has actively used learning from the pilot projects
about factors involving emissions and has supplied the technical
system in ZEB’s Living Lab.
− How is the local energy produced? Which materials are
most advantageous? How do such things affect operations?
As ZEB partners, we have gained knowledge about all of this.
Zero emission buildings produce more and more data, so the
person whose job it is to handle the building must be technically
competent. In turn, this may lead to fields such as operations
engineering having higher status, says Burud.
ZEB has also been concerned with the boundaries and
interaction between buildings and people and has visited one of
Caverion’s operations centres in Stavanger.
− If we are going to fulfill the ambition of achieving a
low emissions society where a building has a lifespan of 60
years, then buildings must be well run. This has often been
overshadowed by other important considerations. The daily
running is important for all types of buildings, not least for zero
emissions ones – in fact, it is perhaps even more important. So,
it is gratifying to see that our partners find our work as useful
as we find theirs, says Thomas Berker, work package leader for
The technical room in ZEB Living Lab. Energy Efficient Use and Operation in ZEB.