Energy Star Retro Commissioning for Energy Star Building Certification
Oct 31, 2013
Our experts in Retro-Commissioning have years of experience in helping facility managers attain enhanced energy efficiency for their existing buildings. sys-tek‘s professional engineers assess current property performance, identify areas for improvement, and provide a comprehensive plan — including turnkey options — for energy conservation measures that will accomplish significant cost and energy savings for the facility. Once the work is complete, either by sys-tek or the facility manager, a sys-tek licensed professional will verify the improvements and submit your facility for Energy Star Certification. At sys-tek, we work with you from start through certification.
What is Energy Star?
Energy Star is a voluntary program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect the climate through superior energy efficiency.
The Energy Star program was established by the EPA in 1992, under the authority of the Clean Air Act, which directs the Administrator to “conduct a basic engineering research and technology program to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate non–regulatory strategies and technologies for reducing air pollution.”
Benefits of Energy Star Certification
Commercial buildings are major energy consumers, representing nearly one-fifth of the total energy used and one-third of end use electricity in the United States. Many commercial facilities waste about one-third of the energy they consume, burdening their owners with large and increasing energy bills.
sys-tek’s Energy Star Retro Commissioning projects yield an average annual energy savings of 20%, with most projects paying for themselves in under two years.
At a time of rising energy costs, Energy Star is increasingly recognized as a hallmark of financially sound building management and operation. Energy Star certification is a smart building strategy from both a fiscal and a risk-reduction perspective.
The financial benefits of improved building energy efficiency and lowered energy costs are widely recognized. A study on the financial benefits of energy efficiency in commercial buildings prepared for the EPA showed significant direct financial savings from reduced energy use and persistent savings from improvements in energy performance, as well as improved building occupancy and greater building asset value.
sys-tek’s Existing Building Commissioning services also provide numerous indirect benefits, including extending the life of building equipment, reducing maintenance costs, improving indoor air and thermal quality, and improving employee productivity.
Becoming Energy Star Certified
To maintain consumer trust and improve the oversight of the Energy Star certification process, the EPA has implemented third–party certification requirements and testing.
Commercial Buildings achieving a score of 75 or higher using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager must be verified by a Licensed Professional to be eligible to apply for Energy Star certification. As Licensed Energy Star Professionals, our commissioning agents will verify that all energy use is accounted for accurately, that the building characteristics have been properly reported, that the building is fully functional in accordance with industry standards, and that each of the indoor environment criteria has been met.
For the past 18 years, sys-tek has been helping clients achieve significant energy and cost savings through Existing Building Commissioning. Contact us today for a free assessment to learn how we can help you cut costs and put your company on the path towards Energy Star Certification.
You may be interested in these related posts:
- Building Energy Efficiency Incentives
- Growth in number of Energy Star facilities [infographic]
- Retro-Commissioning Basics
10 Signs Your Building May Need Retrocommissioning
If your building is exhibiting any of these key signs, you may be able to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs through RBCx.
