18 quadrillion (or, these stats will blow your mind)

We're gearing up over here for a major go-to-market initiative. Part of that effort has been researching the impact of the commericial sector when it comes to energy use. I came across a fantastic white paper put out by the Center for Sustainable Systems out of the University of Michigan. I love reports like this one, because they are easily accessible no matter what your level of knowledge about the built environment. I encourage you to download the paper, and give it a read. But in the mean time, here are some amazing stats for the report...

In 2005, the commercial sector consumed 18 quadrillion BTUs of primary energy – a 65% increase over 1980 levels.

Lighting and indoor climate control consumed 50% of commercial sector primary energy in 2006

In 1996, construction, renovation and demolition of non-residential buildings generated 77.4 million tons of waste.  This amounts to 1.6 lbs per capita per day – compared to 4.3 lbs per capita per day from municipal solid waste.

There's a ton more to find in the report. Go check it out.

Have a great weekend.

The Trouble in Going at it Alone

This past Monday, I attended an Education Facilities Forum to get to know some product vendors and build relationships.  Overall, it was a good experience.

But, I observed as the day went on how things get done in the education world.  Here were these representatives from schools (colleges, private schools, and public school districts) talking to various product reps about things they anticipated needing.  Someone is looking to retrofit their library and ask about lighting sources or a new control system.  They like what a product rep says, and they will likely order and install it without a second thought.  I understand that schools often have very sensitive budgets and this makes them feel as though they're spending less money.  But I have some concerns.

One is that they won't know what questions to ask.  Take the person who's looking to do a library retrofit.  What if they love the idea of LED fixtures that a rep introduced to them.  They're low energy, not as expensive as other LED products shown to them in the past, and will last for 15 years without the hassle or expense of swapping light bulbs.  Sounds perfect.  But they never thought to ask, what happens 15 years from now?  And years later, when the first fixture fades or fails, they may be surprised to find that the only way to "relamp" is by tearing all the fixtures out and replacing them with new ones. Schools stay in business a lot longer than 15 years.

Secondly, aside from helping them get the best products for their situations, having a professional advocate can help any facility make sure they're getting the most bang for their buck.  By taking a little extra time (and yes, money) with a professional to plan your retrofit/renovation, you can ensure that you are focusing on the systems in your building that will give you the most savings.

And that's where Build2Sustain comes in.  We're out to convince all of these property owners, tenants, and facilities managers that hiring a strong team who will take the time to think about your space as a whole and make smart choices for you will save you money both in savings and avoidance in costly mistakes in the short- and long-term.  It takes the courage to think and do things differently, but we want to help.  We want to find your team and make sure you attain your goals.  Join us.

The Power of the Retrofit

We tweeted this the other day, but I thought it was worth more attention. Build2Sustain seeks to become a leader in sustainable retrofit and renovation for commercial spaces. This story is a prime example of what's possible with intelligent retrofit.

Caterpillar Headquarters in Peoria Ill. underwent a retrofit focused on efficiency. Here are some of the highlights:

-Caterpillar’s headquarters will save about $800,000 a year in energy costs.

-Tom Gerike, Engineering Project Team Leader, provided the following: Previously, the building’s annual energy usage of electricity and natural gas was 111,591 MMBTU. Now, it uses 60,622 MMBTU.

Some Key Retrofit Features:

From Gerike:

There was no night setback in place for HVAC equipment or for lights,” he said, adding that consistent setpoints were established at 70 degrees in the heating season and 76 degrees in the cooling season.

From The Environmental Leader Article:

For lighting automation, the new system has smart breaker panels controlled by a lighting schedule with pushbutton overrides for common areas. Also, motion sensors were installed into private offices and conference rooms.

As a result of these improvements the site earned LEED Gold Certification. What's missing from this story is project ROI and payback periods of the renovation. We're working to get that info and hopefully will have it for you soon. In the meantime, for more on the retrofit, read the entire story at Environmental Leader or see Caterpillar's Press Release for more.