Key Lessons: Energy Efficiency Retrofits

Leanne Tobias, author of Retrofitting Office Buildings to be Green and Energy-Efficient (recently published by the Urban Land Institute), shares a high-level summary of readily-available energy efficiency opportunities. Here's a snapshot:

• Energy efficient and sustainable retrofits can be remarkably cost-effective. A number of the case studies profiled in the book achieved payback in a year or less, and an early sample of U.S. LEED-certified retrofits showed average paybacks of approximately 17 months, with an average cost per square foot of just $.21.
• Many of the retrofit approaches with the best paybacks are the simplest. A few of the readily implemented, low-cost ways to reduce building energy use include such approaches as operational changes, lighting retrofits, and replacing constant speed drives with variable speed drives on major mechanical equipment. These types of changes are not technologically advanced, but they are extremely cost-effective.
• There are also some fascinating technological advances being introduced to the building energy-efficiency market. Among them: smart meters and smart grid systems, which use wireless technology to monitor and optimize energy use in real time.
• One of the most intriguing trends is the extensive use of passive heating and cooling to minimize reliance on mechanical systems. Passive heating and cooling approaches include the use of natural ventilation, the uncovering of thermal mass (exposing walls and underfloor slabs), and the use of vents or chimneys to regulate interior temperatures.

Click here to read the entire post published in GreenerBuildings.