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.
Access to basic energy services is a fundamental requirement for sustainable economic and social development. The link between energy and human development is well known and emphasized by the UN Millennium Development Goals1. Energy services are critical for healthcare, sanitation, education, mobility, enterprise, and all of the elements that developing nations need to raise the standard of living...
For many property owners, owning clean energy equipment doesn’t matter. Obtaining clean energy from the equipment does. So long as the owner gets to soak up the energy from the solar system on the roof, or realize reduced operating costs from a highly efficient chilled water plant, it does not matter that the equipment belongs to someone else. A variety of third party ownership structures...
In the past, energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy programs have often advanced along separate pathways. However, a 2007 study conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) concludes that investments in both energy efficiency and renewable energy are essential to creating a secure energy future for the U.S.
