Each month we recap the most viewed solutions shared by Better Buildings partners. Check out October's Top-10 solutions below.
1. Energy Data Access: Blueprint for Action Toolkit
The Better Buildings Energy Data Accelerator was a two-year partnership with cities and utilities to improve energy efficiency by making energy data more accessible to building owners. As a result of best practices developed by the EDA, 18 utilities serving more than 2.6 million commercial customers nationwide will provide whole-building energy data access to building owners by 2017. The resulting toolkit describes the best practices that enabled cities, utilities, and other stakeholders to overcome whole-building data access barriers. Read more.
2. Toolkit: Implement Energy Management Information Systems in your Building Portfolio
Energy management Information Systems (EMIS) are a relatively new technology based on the old adage "you can't manage what you don’t measure." EMIS gives property owners and managers the ability to see their energy use and take action to reduce waste. This tool kit introduces where to begin. Read more.
3. Shout it from the Mountaintops!:Working with Your Communications Team to Tell Your Energy Efficiency Success Story Webinar
Capturing the story behind energy savings projects helps catapult a culture around planning future projects, funding them, and growing a team's value in your company or organization. Hear from leading partners, learn about the innovative SWAP, and learn from media experts giving tips on telling your tale.
4. Better Buildings Outdoor Lighting Accelerator: Decision Tree Tool
Municipalities, states, and public and federal agencies are continuously looking to decrease spending on utility bills, improve safety and services, and protect the environment. High–performance outdoor lighting technologies are proving to be a cost–effective energy savings measure, often offering 50 percent or more savings relative to previously installed systems while lasting longer and offering tremendous maintenance and operational benefits. The cost of these technologies can be further reduced for deployment in local communities through collaboration, including volume or bulk purchasing, and customized utility incentives and tariffs. Read more.
5. Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) Showcase Project: South Campus Energy Project
CCAC cut its water use by 38 percent and its energy use by 44 percent by making upgrades to its South Campus, one of four campuses located throughout Allegheny County. Opened in 1973 with later additions, the one-building campus houses traditional college classrooms and laboratories, as well as a theater for both student and community productions, radio station, gym and fully equipped fitness center, library, media and computer centers, and state-of-the-art nursing and allied health laboratories. The six-story structure is surrounded by open grounds which include parking areas, a nature trail, and a community garden. This facility was the largest single energy user in the entire CCAC system, and the HVAC system was maintenance-intensive. Read more.
6. LINC Housing Implementation Model: Replicable and Scalable Near-Zero Net Energy Retrofits for Low-Income Housing
To strengthen its commitment to sustainability, in 2012 LINC Housing formed SEED Partners, a mission-driven energy and water services company. SEED is focused on sustainable retrofits of LINC’s expanding portfolio, development of renewable energy projects, and enhancing the features of LINC’s properties under development. SEED also offers consulting services to help other owners with retrofitting their portfolio. Read more.
7. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Showcase Project: Aqueduct Filtration Plant Modernization – Oxygen Plant Replacement
The Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant (LAAFP) was completed in 1986 and has a treatment capacity of up to 600 million gallons of water per day. In the mid-2000’s, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) began a comprehensive modernization of the LAAFP with a long-range program to upgrade and replace aging equipment. Energy efficiency was a key component of the program. Replacement of the oxygen plant is one of several projects currently in progress that will help LADWP save energy and money, while improving operations. Read more.
8. UC Berkeley Implementation Model: Tying Energy Costs to Building Occupants
The UC Berkeley Energy Management Initiative (EMI) was recognized this month for its impact on the campus' building energy use. Designed to complement existing campus operations and goals, EMI broadly consists of four components: the Energy Incentive Program (EIP), Energy Office, Energy Dashboards and Energy Policy. To date, EMI has saved 58.7 million kWh, 893 thousand therms and $6.5 million in the three years since its implementation. This is equivalent to a 22% drop in energy use intensity over the same period. Read more.
9. Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA): Cedar Redevelopment - Cedar Apartments
Through the Cedar Redevelopment Plan in Cleveland, OH, CMHA will be replacing obsolete, dilapidated housing that was originally constructed in the Central neighborhood in the 1950s. The new mixed-income multifamily development is part of CMHA's larger multifaceted, catalytic Central Choice Transformation Plan that incorporates energy efficiency measures through design into housing. Read more.
10. Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) Showcase Project: Omnivore Co-Digestion and Recuperative Thickener
VVWRA re-commissioned a one-million gallon digester by installing a 330,000 gallon Omnivore Co-Digestion and Recuperative Thickener unit, with help from a $2 million California Energy Commission innovative technology grant. This unit can produce 150% more biogas from the digestion process that can be re-used in-lieu of natural gas in two combined heat and power (CHP) units.The Omnivore process uses approximately $78,000 per year of electricity, compared to approximately $115,000 per year for the one-million gallon digester that it replaced. That represents a saving to the VVWRA of $37,000 per year in electricity costs. Read more.