A building doesn’t have to be new to be efficient. Today’s leading building owners are retrofitting buildings, converting existing buildings into models of sustainability. Building energy retrofits are investments in efficient technology during building renovation. While most building owners still pursue single technology improvements, market leaders bundle together energy saving technologies to get deeper savings in a more comprehensive approach. Energy performance contracting is one business model that enables building owners to implement whole building retrofits and significantly lower energy consumption and operating costs. Essentially, the upgrades are paid for through energy savings over time. Photo credit: Jack Amick/Flickr.
Demand management and distributed generation could transform how consumers interact with the electricity grid and manage energy. Energy consumers may be shifting to view themselves as both consumers and increasingly as suppliers - with renewable energy generation on-site and demand response capability. This new consumer model and the concept of a distributed energy system may be disruptive...
Existing power plant carbon performance standards being developed under the Clean Air Act could include supporting or crediting energy efficiency projects which reduce CO2 emissions by reducing electricity use in buildings. Payments for CO2 reductions or incentives and rebates, on top of energy cost savings, could shorten payback on efficiency projects, including energy service performance...
Green buildings provide many benefits to owners, developers and occupants that should translate into additional property value during a building’s appraisal. Green Building and Property Value: A Primer for Building Owners and Developers, explains why green buildings deserve higher value, then spells out how to document that value to lenders and appraisers. “The guide will help...
Momentum in pursuing net zero energy in new buildings is growing in the United States. An increasing number of buildings meet this standard, raising confidence that net zero goals are realistic given current building technologies and design approaches. In this environment, the New Buildings Institute (NBI) in February 2014 released an update on the latest market trends and government policies:
Deep building retrofits are attractive investments, yet they are often not completed because the full value of the retrofit isn’t taken into account. Such retrofits are typically evaluated based on energy savings alone, leaving the non-energy benefits out of the investment decision making process. A new Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) report, “How to Calculate and Present Deep Retrofit...
Demand response will likely play a growing role in reducing peak power demand, balancing intermittent renewable energy, managing power price spikes, supporting grid reliability, and managing transmission congestion. To meet these challenges, demand response programs must find a way to grow and sustain customer participation. “Increasing Opportunities for Demand Response,” a report from...
Utilities carefully manage the electricity supply to ensure that they can meet customer demand on the grid. Demand response programs can help balance supply and demand by encouraging customers to curtail usage during times of high demand. Demand response began as a way to help utilities and grid operators meet large peaks cost-effectively on a few of the hottest summer and coldest winter days.
Employees want to work for organizations that enable them to behave sustainably, but they don’t want it to burden them or change their work patterns. Women behave slightly more sustainably than men; support for sustainability increases with age. Organizations that want more sustainable workplaces succeed best by showing strong leadership and a tangible commitment to which employees can...
Organizations increasingly look to their employees to help increase energy efficiency and pursue sustainability goals. Many are building sustainability programs, setting goals and reaching out to employees. Corporate policies and sustainability priorities are often set by a group of highly motivated and committed leaders – but how do employees view the role of the company, and how do they...
How to Sell More Energy Efficient Products in HVAC...