The U.S. Department of Energy says that facilities that install renewable energy systems are reaping considerable savings.
Examples include:
• Retailer Best Buy installed solar panels and upgraded energy conservation to realize a cost savings of 25% over the course of four years at a site in Richfield, Minnesota.
• A rooftop solar unit at a Super 8 motel in Ukiah, California provides 60% of the electric power and 100% of the hotel’s hot water production for guestrooms and the hot tub.
• Discovery Elementary School, in Arlington County, Virginia, reports that the 97,588 sf facility operates at a 66% lower energy use intensity (EUI) compared to the district’s average.
• Suncoast Credit Union in Bushnell, Florida, upgraded its service center with solar electric systems. After its first year, the facility delivered more than 31 megawatt-hours (MWh) to the grid and used 25 MWh to become a zero-energy building.
The payback on renewables for public and institutional clients is usually 15 years or shorter. In the private sector, typical paybacks are five to seven years.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2019
Cool pavement can make people hotter
Reflective coatings channel sunlight raising temperatures where pedestrians walk.
Codes and Standards | Oct 15, 2019
Utah adopts 2018 International Energy Conservation Code
Provisions include increased building envelope performance and reduced air infiltration.
Codes and Standards | Oct 14, 2019
States continue to beef up energy efficiency codes
ACEEE 50-state scorecard finds latest IECC code gaining adherents.
Codes and Standards | Oct 9, 2019
DOE releases Better Buildings Healthcare Financing Primer
Outlines financial strategies to implement energy-efficiency projects in healthcare.
Codes and Standards | Oct 8, 2019
Zero Carbon Buildings for All aims for ambitious emission reduction targets
Organization makes commitment to net zero carbon for all buildings by 2050.
Codes and Standards | Oct 7, 2019
Tailgating remains a critical building security threat, say security professionals
Few buildings provide beefed up provisions to counteract threat.
Codes and Standards | Oct 7, 2019
New seismic standard to evaluate, retrofit existing structural steel buildings open for review
AISC seeks input through Nov. 4.
Codes and Standards | Sep 27, 2019
Open source tool allows comparison of embodied carbon emissions from construction materials
Enables carbon-smart choices during material specification and procurement.
Codes and Standards | Sep 27, 2019
AIA declaration: Climate change requires ‘holistic approach’
Must address interdependencies among people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment.
Codes and Standards | Sep 26, 2019
San Jose’s new building energy code is the most stringent among large cities
New regulations aim to make zero-emission electric buildings the norm.
