Criteria for selecting retrofitting options for HVAC systems in Sri Lankan commercial buildings

The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are among the largest consumers of energy within buildings, constituting about 51% of the overall energy consumption. Thus, implementing energy retrofit measures can yield a noteworthy reduction in energy consumption of buildings. However, the process of selecting suitable energy retrofit options is complex and requires consideration of numerous different criteria. This research aims to propose a comprehensive set of evaluation criteria relevant to the selection of HVAC retrofitting options for commercial buildings in Sri Lanka. Through a thorough literature review and expert interviews with respondents selected using purposive sampling in which the collected data were analysed using manual content analysis, 35 sub-criteria that should be considered when selecting HVAC retrofitting options for commercial buildings in Sri Lanka were identified. These were categorised under 07 main criteria as Economic factors, Technical properties, Physical properties, Flexibility, Reliability, Comfortability and Environmental aspects. Thus, the findings mark the first step in developing a structured approach for evaluating and selecting HVAC retrofit options, streamlining decision-making processes, and potentially leading to more efficient and cost-effective building upgrades.