energy efficiency Archives - GreeningDetroit.com

December 7 2016

Wayne State’s Administration Building Saves $20K/yr with Simple Energy Facelift

Cathleen Francois Green News You Can Use energy efficiency, newman consulting, Newman Consulting Group, Wayne State

In 2015, Wayne State University’s Academic Administration Building, Detroit, MI, was facing many of the same concerns as other office buildings of similar age. Tenants (in this case University employees) repeatedly complained to building maintenance staff that they were “too hot” or “too cold.” And the costs of running the building kept creeping up.

As part of a DTE Energy and Nexant Retro-commissioning (RCx) project for no-cost and low-cost energy conservation measures (ECMs) with short-term payback, Newman Consulting Group (NCG) conducted an ASHRAE Level 2 Energy Analysis and RCx Study on the building. We uncovered several opportunities that would not only make tenants more comfortable, but also save money. The DTE RCx program, however, dictated that any measures eligible for rebates from DTE under their Energy Optimization program could not be included in the ECMs implemented for this project, e.g., LED lighting, high-efficiency motors, or VFDs, to name a few. Still, we were able to make significant improvements.More

December 5 2016

Overview of New Classes of Refrigerants Offered at ASHRAE 2017 Winter Conference

Guest User Uncategorized ALI, ASHRAE Learning Institute, ASHRAE-classified Refrigerants, Cooling Industry, energy efficiency, Environment, Global Society, Global-warming Potential, GWP, Indoor Air Quality, Refrigerant Industry, Refrigerants, Refrigeration, sustainability, Technology

More than 160 refrigerants are maintained under ASHRAEs refrigerant classification standard, and that list continues to grow as the industrys need for new refrigerants increases.

A review of the new classes of lower global-warming potential (GWP) refrigerants within the context of legacy refrigerants and the forces that drive the development of new refrigerants is the focus of a new educational course from ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI).

November 16 2016

Revised Residential Energy Standard Open for Industry Input

Guest User Uncategorized Building Envelope, energy efficiency, HVAC, Lighting and Equipment Technologies, Lighting Systems, Mechanical Systems, Onsite Power Systems, Water Heating

Recognizing the amount of energy used by the residential building sector, ASHRAE and IES are revising their residential energy standard with a goal of making it 50 percent more efficient than the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, which serves as the industry benchmark.

October 26 2016

Commercial Real Estate’s Untapped Asset

Cathleen Francois Green News You Can Use building finance, Energy Alliance of michigan, energy efficiency, facility funding, PACE, state funding for facilities, tax aid

Most commercial real estate owners have an untapped asset that could be utilized to make a property more energy efficient, sustainable and ultimately more profitable!

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “The average commercial building wastes 30 percent of the energy it consumes. That means that if you haven’t done anything to save energy, chances are you’ll find many opportunities to do so.”

This waste represents money already in the budget that could be put to a more productive use, representing a significant profit opportunity in most commercial buildings. The problem is it’s often given secondary consideration, and only viewed as essential when all the associated costs are added up.

“Most building owners don’t realize how inefficient their building has become over time or how much wasted energy is hindering their profitability.” Scott Ringlein, EAG, CEO

Energy waste tends to creep into buildings and businesses as technology ages and newer ones become more efficient. A significant problem is the fact that outdated technologies tend to develop associated and hidden long term costs that multiply as they age: