Carolyn: August 2008 Archives
Since the ENERGY STAR for commercial buildings was first introduced in 1999, thousands of buildings across the country have earned the ENERGY STAR and are saving billions in energy costs. The first class of manufacturing plants to earn the ENERGY STAR was announced in 2006 and added another valuable tool for sustaining momentum in a corporate energy program.
Scoring Energy Star Performance
The energy performance of commercial and
industrial facilities is scored on a 1-100 scale and those facilities
that achieve a score of 75 or higher are eligible for the ENERGY STAR,
indicating that they are among the top 25% of facilities in the country
for energy performance.
Commercial buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR use on average 35% less energy than typical similar buildings and generate one-third less carbon dioxide. Increasing concern about the financial and environmental risks associated with climate change is driving more organizations to strive for the ENERGY STAR for their buildings, as it is seen as a symbol of an organization that is working to reduce global warming and its impacts.
For investors interested in energy efficiency in either conventional or green construction, meaningful answers to a few questions will go a long way towards ensuring a sustainable investment.
To determine how a building's energy use compares to other similar buildings in the country, the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR program developed an energy performance rating system that rates a building's energy efficiency on a scale of 1–100. A building that scores in a 75 or above on this scale (placing its energy performance among the top 25 percent among similar buildings) can earn an ENERGY STAR label. Receiving a rating for a building is easy and can be done at the energystar.gov Web site using Portfolio Manager, a free, online tracking and benchmarking tool.
More than 62,000 have been rated, and more than 4,000 of them have earned the ENERGY STAR label to date.
New Construction Project Energy Efficiency
Has an energy target been established?
New construction project teams often promote building designs that are energy efficient, but do not always provide an estimate of the completed and commissioned building's expected energy to owners and investors. Many green building rating systems and programs targeting energy efficiency in building design rely on computer modeling primarily concerned with estimating if a design exceeds the building code, which is not an indicator of how much energy the building will use.
Establishing energy targets can help drive energy-efficient design choices; energy efficiency goals should be set based on comparisons to actual building energy use. EPA's Target Finder tool provides an easy way to develop an energy use target tailored to a specific design project.
Investors should ask about a new building design's estimated energy use and if it is Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR.
Green Certified Buildings
What method or system was used to certify the building? Did it earn points for energy efficiency?
If a building has been operating for at least one year, it should be benchmarked for energy efficiency using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool and against its energy target.
The building envelope, mechanical systems, lighting, and controls systems
Energy-efficient buildings have efficient components and systems that are properly designed and sized and are actively managed once occupied. It is important to make sure that these investments are not subverted in the name of green design or value engineering.
The Commissioning Strategy
Specifying and installing the latest energy saving technologies may
make little impact unless these technologies are properly commissioned
along with other building systems. New technologies often require more
attention during commissioning. Be sure that the project budget
includes proper funding for commissioning.
“Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency: Diligence Pays”
(162KB), from Off the Charts, the EPA ENERGY STAR newsletter covering energy management for the financial markets, Summer 2006.
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EERE also works with stakeholders to develop programs and policies to facilitate the deployment of advanced clean energy technologies and practices.
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Energy for America's future The National Energy Policy promotes the development and deployment of energy systems and practices that will provide current and future generations with clean, efficient, affordable, and reliable energy. |
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Protecting the environment through energy efficiency By working closely with private industry, governments and consumers the ENERGY STAR® program was established in 1992 to identify energy efficient products and reduce carbon emissions. |
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Making homes more energy efficient |
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Maintaining energy for the future Department initiatives help industry maintain the infrastructure to deliver energy to the consumer now, and for the future. |
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Energy Savers
Federal Energy Management Program
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Emission Reductions Registry
National Energy Policy
Weatherization Assistance Program
