Long Term Energy Savings Tips

http://www.boma.org/Advocacy/FederalLegislativeRegulatoryIssues/EnergyResources/LongTermEnergySavingTips

Long Term Energy Saving Tips
Review your building’s energy consumption (for at least the past year, preferably for three years).
Utilize a PC-based energy accounting software program to accurately measure kW and kWh in multiple years.
Closely monitor to detect in-house operation problems and billing errors.
Property managers with high energy use uninterruptible tenants should consider separate metering to accurately measure usage.
Make sure none of your separately billed tenants are actually double metered.
Develop a peak demand limiting program.
Demand charges comprise a significant portion (as much as 50% or more) of a building’s energy bill.
An effective program reduces demand fees all year long and/or eliminates or reduces peak electric demand occurring for short increments of time during each peak month.
Conduct an energy audit (see Chapter 6 of Power Shopping). Your local utility may offer this service (though beware of the possible conflict of interest), as well as competing energy providers and consultants.
For high energy users, consider purchasing electricity at high voltage and purchasing the equipment to convert it. You may find that this has a favorable pay back period.
Are you on the correct rate schedule? Do you qualify for economic development rate schedules? Find out!
If your building has several large motors that run continuously, you may be able to increase the power factor for the building by adding power factor correction capacitors. This could lower the overall electric bill for the building without affecting the performance of any electrical device.
Install duty cycle controls for electrical heating.
Include language in your leases to provide for recoupment of funds expended for energy efficiency upgrades. Your tenants will share the benefits, so ask them to share the costs as well.
Locate large equipment as close to the power source as possible when planning a building site or installing new equipment. This will limit the amount and size of power wiring, as well as reducing the amount of voltage drop.
When installing electric motors or new equipment, try to use the highest voltage that is available in your building. This normally means 480 volts for motors, and 277 volts for lighting. Initial cost of higher voltage equipment is also usually less.
Use copper wire whenever possible when installing new wire or rewiring a section of a building. The benefits of copper (it is a better conductor than aluminum, it makes better connections for safety, and there is less heat loss) outweigh any negatives (it costs slightly more).
Set up a preventive maintenance program for the motors in your building.
Use high efficiency motors and variable speed drives whenever possible. Normal efficiency is 75-80% for a standard motor rated under 20hp, while a high efficiency motor must have an efficiency of at least 90%.
Paint rooms and work spaces light colors (preferably white or cream) to better reflect light, and therefore require less light source.
Install load shedding controls for heating, lighting and hot water tanks.
Use task lighting, as opposed to overhead lighting, when possible.
Remind tenants of the importance of turning off lights, computers, and other personal appliances before leaving for the day.
Request that the janitorial staff turn off any unnecessary lights.
Utilize lighting controls, such as motion detectors, timers, dimmers and daylight sensors, and save 20-70% on your lighting electricity consumption.
Use electronic ballasts to increase fluorescent lamp efficiency by up to 25%, while increasing light output by 10-15%.
Consider undertaking a lighting retrofit to take advantage of new lighting technology.
Inquire if your local utility offers rebates for energy efficiency upgrades. Even after deregulation, some states may still mandate that electric companies offer demand side management programs and rebates.
Contact your local utility representative to inquire what energy efficient options they can recommend, and which services they may offer (conducting an audit, etc.) free of charge.
Look into total energy management contracts through an energy services company (ESCo). ESCos generally recommend energy efficient equipment upgrades to lower your consumption. Many ESCos will provide the capital upgrades in return for a portion of the savings. This type of contract may or may not work for you.
Look into the feasibility/pay back of cogeneration for peak demand or backup power.
When purchasing new office equipment, look for the Energy Star™ logo indicating energy efficient models.

Building Automation Talking Points

Goal: To Develop a Resource which encompasses buidling automation talking points and flows all the way through to installation, commissioning and has a plan of use throughout the lifespan of the building.

Step: List how a building controls interface can be utilized:
▪ To reduce energy usage in a building via building controls
▪ To gain points towards LEED certification
▪ In regards to the Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction

List: To reduce energy usage in a building via building controls

▪ Buildings are at the heart of our energy and climate issues.

▪ Electricity Generation is responsible for 39% of greenhouse gas emissions.(1)

▪ Buildings are responsible for about 48% of greenhouse gas emissions.(1)

▪ These emissions increase at times of peak electric demand. Utilities must fire their least efficient and highest polluting power plants to meet peak electric demand.

▪ These points should emphasize that HVAC, automation and energy efficiency are highly important parts of the equation.

▪ Talk about energy and demand response.

▪ Verification

▪ Have an alarm generated and emailed to you whenever part of the system is operating outside of company parameters.

▪ You are working late and override the lights, an alarm is generated and you can automatically be emailed of this. Now you can forward the detail to accounting with your approval.

▪ Occupancy sensors traditionally have no verification of how they are working, except when occupants complain about it. With Building controls you can set alarms to show when it is activated and when it is de-activated, these can be set up as a report and checked periodically or you can create an alarm to notify you that it is staying on for an extended period of time or not coming on at all during occupied times.


To gain points towards LEED certification

USGBC: LEED Rating Systems

LEED checklist for Commercial Interiors

LEED for Existing Buildings

LEED for Schools

LEED FAQ

What is LEED?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

LEED credit is given for:

▪ A carbon dioxide monitoring system that can provide data on the ventilation of spaces which then can be used to adjust the HVAC system.

▪ Temperature and Humidity monitoring systems integrated into the HVAC control system to maintain occupant comfort and automatically adjust conditions as needed.

▪ The building affords individual occupants or specific groups in multi-occupant spaces (conference rooms, classrooms, etc.) the capability to control the lighting, temperature and ventilation of their spaces. One credit is provided for perimeter and non-perimeter spaces. This level of individual control, while still maintaining overall system management, is part of programmable lighting and HVAC control systems. This type of control is often provided to occupants through touch screens or other smart building system(over the internet using the simple page interface).

▪ LEED will grant points for innovative ideas not covered by the Green Building Rating System or ideas that substantially exceed a LEED performance credit.

▪ One possible scenario could involve the cabling of the building. Extensive deployment of wireless within a building further reduces the need for cable and minimizes the use of materials.

▪ Displaying energy efficiency on an interactive display helps a building owner to earn credit towards the USGBC’s Innovation in Design LEED system, which recognizes companies for innovative strategies that demonstrate quantifiable environmental benefits. By setting up a simple page interface and displaying data from an energy meter or ct and allowing users to then adjust their lighting and/or hvac should allow a building owner to earn credit.


Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction

Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction

▪ Energy Policy Act of 2005/Commercial Building Tax Deduction establishes a tax deduction for expenses related to the design and installation of energy-efficient commercial buildings systems.

▪ Tax deduction is not a tax credit (an amount directly subtracted from the tax owed), but a deduction-an amount subtracted from gross taxable income.

▪ The deduction is only applicable to building systems installed before January 1, 2009.

▪ $1.80 per square foot of building area for the installation of systems that reduce the total energy and power costs by 50% or more when compared with a reference building. The building systems eligible to secure the tax deduction include:
▪ Interior lighting systems
▪ Heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water systems
▪ Building envelope

▪ The 50% reduction must be accomplished solely through energy and power consumption reductions for the heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and interior lighting sytems.

▪ Partial credit is available via several options:
▪ A tax deduction of $.60 per square foot may be claimed if a 16 2/3% energy reduction can be achieved through installing lighting, HVAC/heatin, or building envelope systems, or through a combination of the three systems.

(1)http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/mar08/articles/ksin/080220034808ksin.htm

The Number One Thing That Will Grow Your Business in 2008

http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/mar08/articles/mcgowan/080225025202mcgowan.htm

An emphasis on value-based systems the save energy does not apply to manufacturers, engineers and contractors only, because consumers have made it clear that they will buy from companies that embrace the notion of green. CEO’s, Mayors, University Presidents and many other leaders buy this idea, offering an unprecedented opportunity to elevate the importance of systems. For many building owners, systems have been out of sight and out of mind. Leighton Wolffe of Constellation NewEnergy said that the “markets are shifting the premise of building automation systems from temperature control to energy control.” Future buildings will embrace Energy Engineered Systems (EES) where occupants define how much comfort they want based upon cost and other factors. Growing emphasis on LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Energy Star Buildings and other standards that target the entire design process from site selection to systems reflects this too.

So the time for EES is now. Especially as the traditional construction process becomes more broken; it is harder to deliver value with automation and engineered systems. Design specifications are often not enforced and integrators find it difficult to do the right thing while making projects profitable. So what is the next value proposition? Energy, and key to this proposition is that the entry point for automation and technology into buildings is not through design professionals but through electric meters! The emphasis is that higher energy prices, including $100 per barrel oil, are the most significant thing to happen to system design in decades. Combine that with the impact that the 2030 challenge, etc. believe that building energy consumption has on climate change. Also consider that the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 signed by the President in December mandates that all U.S. buildings will be high performance / energy efficient by 2050.

For more on this article click on the link at the top of the post

Clinton Climate Initiative

http://www.clintonfoundation.org/pdf/overview-cci.pdf

CLINTON CLIMATE INITIATIVE
The ten warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990, with 2005 the warmest yet. Unless action is taken now, climate change will affect the basic elements of life for people around the world, including food production, access to water, public health and the face of our planet as we know it.

Building on his long-term commitment to protecting the environment, President Clinton launched the Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative (CCI) in August 2006 with the mission of applying the Foundation’s business-oriented approach to the fight against climate change in practical, measurable and significant ways.

CCI and THE C40

The C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group is comprised of the following cities:
Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Caracas, Chicago, Delhi, Dhaka, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Houston, Istanbul, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Karachi, Lagos, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Manila, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Mumbai, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto, Tokyo, and Warsaw.

CCI team members have visited nearly all of these cities and are already working with them to define projects and take action.

CCI’s UNIQUE APPROACH

Urban areas are responsible for approximately 75 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Therefore, reducing energy use and emissions in cities is fundamental to any effort to slow the pace of global warming.

In its first phase, CCI is working with the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, an association of large cities that have pledged to accelerate their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and serve as models for other cities.

To enable its partner cities to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, CCI will:

Create a purchasing consortium to pool the buying power of cities in order to lower the prices of energy-efficient products and to accelerate the development of new energy-saving technologies. The consortium will partner with vendors, resulting in lower production and delivery costs, and, therefore, lower sustainable prices. Key initial products will include building materials and systems, lighting products, clean buses and garbage trucks, and waste-to-energy systems.

Mobilize the best technical experts in the world and create local capacity to develop and implement programs that result in reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Through partnerships with more than a dozen international expert groups, CCI will provide technical assistance in areas including building efficiency, clean transportation systems, renewable energy production, waste management, and water and sanitation systems. CCI will recruit, train and manage the deployment of experts to help implement energy-saving technology techniques and strategies.

Develop common measurement and information flow tools that allow cities to track the effectiveness of their programs and share what works and does not work with each other. These tools will enable cities to take an inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions, which will inform them of where and how they direct their activities, and measure their progress. CCI’s online information network will provide forums for technical experts and policy-makers in different cities to access data and share best practices.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON FOUNDATION

55 West 125th St. New York, NY 10027 Tel: 212 348 8882 Fax: 212 348 5147
www.clintonfoundation.org • • •

Tax Incentives Assitance Project(TIAP)

http://www.energytaxincentives.org/business/">>>


Business Incentives
Commercial Buildings
Businesses can get deductions for new or renovated buildings that save 50% or more of projected annual energy costs for heating, cooling, and lighting compared to model national standards, and partial deductions for efficiency improvements to individual lighting, HVAC and water heating, or envelope systems.
Commercial Vehicles
Credits are available to businesses as for consumers, including heavy-duty hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles. Information on passenger vehicles.
Solar Energy Systems
Credits similar to the consumer credits are available to businesses that install qualifying solar equipment.
Fuel Cells & Microturbines
In addition to a fuel cell credit like that for consumers, credits are available to businesses who install qualifying microturbines. These systems, which typically run on natural gas, are small power-producing systems sized to run small to medium size commercial buildings.

Daylight Savings Time

http://www.buildings.com/articles/detail.aspx?contentID=3580

Remember that Daylight Savings Time is this weekend. March 9th, 2008 to be specific!

For those of you with regular setback thermostats you may want to pay special attention to this as you will either need to move the internal clocks ahead by an hour in all locations that observe DST or just leave it go for another 3 weeks.

This is assuming they are even set right in the first place. The whole idea behind adding 4 additional weeks to DST is to conserve Daylight. With longer periods of daylight available each evening, less artificial light will be used. In theory.

I'm going to talk for a bit about the non-critical things that could be addressed but aren't. Things like parking lot lights, signage, hvac schedules, etc.... The DST change just emphasizes how these non-critical, but simple to address issues are either ignored or forgotten about.

One of my hobbies is when out with my wife to check out a buildings thermostats.

I can not tell you the last time we were out that I did not see at least one thermostat that didn't have its time set incorrectly. And I'm not even just talking about being off by an hour, I'm talking about being off by an hour and a half or an hour and 45 min. An hour I can see, that is just easy to miss DST, but an hour and a half now that is just lazy on someone's part or ignorance on how the thermostat works.

Now we are not talking about rocket science here, we are talking about a simple timeclock for a thermostat. What's the big deal if a thermostat is off with its time? Well, it will either start earlier and end earlier than it should or it will start later and end later than it should. Either way it is conditioning the space when no-one is there.......ie. it is wasting energy. But hey, c'mon, who cares about paying a little extra for an hour of energy when it isn't needed? Every day? Multiply that times the number of stats per enterprise that aren't set right or even working? But who cares about the simple easy to fix stuff that could save a company thousands or millions of dollars per year?

Since Green means saving energy I want to emphasize the fact that there are many building controls on the market today that connect to the internet and don't rely on a pre-programmed chip to control the internal clock. Many controls will adjust the time of a building's controls at least once a day if not more.

This is just one very simple & cost effective benefit of today's building controls, with out even getting into any curtailment routines or other control strategies, simply by ensuring that a stat is working and it's clock is set correctly you can improve the energy efficiency of your enterprise.

Purpose of Blog

I work for a commercial building controls company and I want to create a resource that I can go to that allows me easy access to all of the different resources regarding energy management, sustainability, green buildings, and much more related to this industry.