With so many options emerging, how do you quantify the best options? We have researched the engineering, construction, energy efficiency, renewable energy, building science, and building technologies fields to bring you the answers. Following is an overview of our findings and the technologies that appear most promising for the near future for our coastal New England region.
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Start with conservation, then energy efficiency, and lastly, renewable energy technologies. Properly selected, installed, and maintained equipment can achieve immediate energy cost savings and comfort improvements.
Energy audits and retro-commissioning of existing buildings offer a high return on investments with little upfront costs. Energy savings achieved are typically greater than 20% and paybacks can be very short, at times less than one year. New York City recently passed Local Law 87: Energy Audits & Retro-commissioning which mandates that buildings 50,000 gross square feet or larger undergo periodic energy audit and retro-commissioning measures as part of the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan. Massachusetts does not have a law requiring energy audits or retro-commissioning but does recognize the value of these energy saving measures and offers generous energy saving incentives for commercial buildings that have professional energy audits and retro-commissioning.
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Variable speed pumps, frequency motors, and refrigerant flow system technologies are becoming extremely efficient and should be considered as an option when replacing motors, pumps, fans, and heating and cooling systems. Typical energy savings can vary from 15% to over 80% depending on the application and the existing conditions.
Outdoor air reset control and free cooling options are another low cost energy saving option that should be considered for commercial and some residential heating and cooling systems. These savings are based on adjusting the systems heating and cooling rates dependent on outdoor temperatures. Oftentimes, heating and cooling systems are over-sized and designed for a typical winter or summer day, which is the coldest or hottest day of a typical season which typically occur less than 3% of the time.
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Programmable thermostats, occupancy sensors, lighting controls, wireless internet technology, and other low-cost control systems can significantly reduce energy consumption while increasing occupant comfort.
Use of Life Cycle Cost analysis when comparing prospective equipment and system upgrade options is highly desirable. A low upfront installed cost is an important consideration but larger capital improvement projects should be evaluated based on the projected life of the respective equipment.
Building Science technologies, often referred to as "tightening up the exterior of the building" or "building envelope improvements", consist of controlling unwanted migration of outdoor air and moisture while improving thermal insulation properties to reduce energy consumption, protect and preserve building assemblies, and increase occupant comfort. Properly designed and installed building envelope systems can have big impacts on energy savings and building values.
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Small scale electricity generation:
Photovoltaics (PV) is gaining market share. PV panels are now more efficient and less expensive than ever. PV systems, on a building with a good orientation (facing south) and minimal shading, can expect 15-25% Return on Investment. PV lease options or Power Purchase Agreements (PPA's) are gaining popularity among residential customers.
Small scale wind production is very challenging. Many factors make this technology very difficult in densely populated areas. These include the high heights required for effective wind production (typically 30 feet higher than everything else), the land required for acceptable fall zones, as well as permitting and environmental issues.
Geo-thermal systems for space heating and cooling have been providing some interesting long-term benefits although initial costs associated with well drilling remain high for small projects.
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Domestic hot water solar systems may be a good investment, especially for customers who currently use electric or propane or for customers with large hot water demands.
Self-contained air source heat pump hot water heaters are now being used for domestic hot water heating. Energy savings for a highly efficient residential air source heat pump domestic hot water heater can be greater than 50% as compared to a traditional electric domestic hot water heater. An electric air source heat pump may be a viable option for heating domestic hot water if the system is integrated with an adequately-sized on-site PV electrical generation system since the air source heat pumps only input energy source is electricity.
Instantaneous electric and gas domestic hot water heaters are also good options, especially if hot water demands are low or sporadic, or for auxiliary domestic hot water applications, long-line losses, or if storage of standby water may not be desirable such as for a vacation residence or a seasonal cottage.
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Energy-saving products installed in homes in the U.S. in 2010
prevented nearly 283 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
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Most facilities can benefit from some of the low cost and/or no cost energy savings technologies available today. The most important aspect is to match the right improvements and energy efficient incentives to each unique facility.
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As independent, professional engineers, our recommendations are based on proven engineering principles that provide desired results and are not affiliated with any particular equipment vendor or manufacturer.
Please give us a call to discuss how we can help you identify which, if any, sustainable or energy efficiency improvements might be best for your facility or future project, especially if you are considering a renovation, alteration, or HVAC replacement project.
