New resources available to reduce plug loads using advanced power strips

A pilot program of plug load energy reduction strategies at a large office property yielded findings pertaining to tenant education and advance power strip technologies that can help building owners reduce energy consumption.

The Tower Companies conducted the study at a downtown Washington D.C. office building in which they implemented a “Turn it Off!” campaign to encourage building occupants to reduce plug loads. The building was equipped with advanced power strips (APSs) used to plug multiple electronic devices into a wall outlet with built-in technology to reduce plug and process load (PPL) runtimes and save energy when the devices are not in use.

The Tower Companies worked with the Better Buildings Initiative to gain guidance and support on project design, implementation, and analysis. Decision guides and technical specification were created as a result of this program and are available here.

PPLs account for an increasingly large percentage of commercial building energy use. The primary energy use associated with PPLs is projected to grow from 30% to 35% of total commercial building energy use between 2010 and 2025 as the number and energy intensity of plug-in devices continue to increase.