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You probably think that when a building is built, it’s done, right? The punch lists are punched off, the keys are handed over, the contracts are all paid … it’s done! Congratulations! Now your company can sit back, relax, and enjoy many years of worry-free occupancy in the new building.…

Gary Short Oct 28, 2013

Today we conclude our series on ASHRAE and its different levels of energy audits. ASHRAE — the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers — has a series of audits that build on each other to assess the energy efficiency and sustainability of a company’s buildings. Level 3 ASHRAE…

Gary Short Oct 25, 2013

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building environmental program that uses a verification process to determine whether a building is designed in a way that implements environmentally friendly practices, such as conservation of energy and water, improved indoor air conditions, and reduction of CO2 emissions. To…

Gary Short Oct 23, 2013

While existing building commissioning projects typically leads to cost savings for facilities, it is important to understand the up-front costs involved in the process. Budgeting appropriately and reducing costs associated with existing building commissioning (EBCx) can help building owners achieve the greatest return on their investment. Tasks associated with the…

Gary Short Oct 21, 2013

As we discussed in last week’s blog, ASHRAE — the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers — has a series of audits that provide a progressive approach to assessing, problem solving and making decisions about the sustainability of your company’s buildings. The Level 2 ASHRAE energy audits are…

Gary Short Oct 18, 2013

Earlier this year, funding was cut in half for research on renewable energy and energy efficiency, while at the same time, funding was cut by 80% on the Department of Energy’s advanced energy projects agency. (more…)

Gary Short Oct 16, 2013

The state of Delaware has recently been recognized as a leader in energy reduction for its impressive accomplishments in President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge. Whereas other partners in the challenge have managed to reduce total energy usage by an average of 2.5%, Delaware has been able to demonstrate reduced energy…

Gary Short Oct 14, 2013

During a Retro-Commissioning project, the commissioning provider will perform a series of diagnostic monitoring and functional testing to identify any existing problems and to determine where opportunities lie from an energy- and cost-savings standpoint. Diagnostic monitoring usually involves the analysis of readings taken from the building’s energy management control system…

Gary Short Oct 09, 2013