In the United States, commercial buildings provide approximately 78 billion square feet of floor space. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates these buildings can save 35 percent or more on annual energy costs through energy-efficient upgrades, creating more than $25 billion in annual savings.
The Energy Star Challenge provides tools and resources for building owners and operators who want to make cost-effective system upgrades. By 2016, the actions taken through the Energy Star buildings program as of 2006 will have resulted in reductions of 197 million metric tons of carbon equivalent, which translates to 722 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Energy Star recommends a five-stage approach and systematic method for planning upgrades. The stages are:
- Re-commissioning, ensuring on a regular basis that the building’s systems are operating at maximum efficiency.
- Lighting upgrades with energy-efficient lighting systems and controls;.
- Load reduction strategies.
- Fan systems upgrades.
- Heating and cooling system upgrades.
LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED–EB) requires buildings to achieve a specific Energy Star rating and are encouraged to improve energy efficiency beyond the established minimum performance requirement. In addition, LEED–EB addresses a host of criteria related to building location and site, water efficiency, materials and resources, and occupant health and comfort.
As part of a Greenprint action agenda for Denver, Mayor John Hickenlooper launched a pilot project to test LEED–EB in facility operation and maintenance. The City and County of Denver owns and operates more than 250 buildings, and his commitment to LEED–EB will help Denver conserve resources and reduce waste in them.
The pilot will give the local government a way to:
- Demonstrate the environmental benefits.
- Find efficiencies in the use of taxpayer money.
- Improve employee comfort and productivity.
After the pilot project is evaluated, the plan is to extend LEED–EB to other municipal facilities and encourage private-sector building owners and operators to use this tool, too.
Local government can support building efficiency upgrades through energy and water conservation incentive programs, tax credits, and performance contracts. Utilities incentives may include financial incentives and rebates, fuel switching incentives, low-interest loans, and energy audits.
The European Union Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings is an innovative program that requires building energy performance certification. Buildings of more than 540 square feet must certify energy performance when they are constructed, sold or leased. Buildings greater than 10,000 square feet must certify energy performance when they are renovated.
Certificates are accompanied by recommendations for cost-effective improvement. Federal jurisdictions facilitate the financing necessary for implementing efficiency upgrade recommendations.
- Portland, Oregon, is demonstrating leadership in building upgrades by applying best practices to municipal facilities. Portland’s Green Building Policy requires all city operations and maintenance, including work done by contractors, to apply the City’s Green Building Operations and Maintenance Guidelines, which are under development. The guidelines will sync up requirements in the LEED–EB rating system.
