All posts published in 2016
Jeff Perkins, ERS, for Zondits Energy efficiency has been an evolutionary and incremental effort: evolutionary in how and why we do it, and incremental in terms of the technology and the economics to achieve it, as the state-of-the-art has continuously advanced over the years. In this article I am going to take a step back … Read more
Technique Matters When Presenting Energy-efficient Options ACHR News, September 26, 2016 In today’s marketplace, customers are opting to educate themselves on HVAC products via the internet prior to a contractor’s arrival. A recent American Home Comfort study from Decision Analyst reinforces this revelation, reporting that, for the first time in years, homeowners are more trusting of the … Read more
2016 Intelligent Buildings Survey Navigant Technology is changing the way building owners and facility executives manage commercial buildings. The proliferation of sensing, automation, and control devices, as well as software and services, underscores the transition in building management toward more strategic decision-making around cost containment, energy efficiency, sustainability, and occupant satisfaction. Several high-profile case studies … Read more
Harvard strengthens ‘living laboratory’ to help mitigate climate impact Harvard Gazette, October 6, 2016 Healthy buildings and clean air keep people healthy. That simple premise is driving a series of studies being conducted by Harvard researchers, some of which have gathered insights from University dorms and office buildings. It is part of a multiyear partnership … Read more
Lisa Markowski, ERS, for Zondits New Hampshire’s Keene State College (KSC) this week became the country’s first college or university to use recycled vegetable oil to heat buildings on its campus. The carbon-neutral purified waste oil comes from a local supplier and is used to heat 36% of the campus. The college is also looking … Read more
Katie Robinson, ERS, for Zondits The facilities management division of California State University, Fresno, understands that sustainable practices can start right on their own campus. In order to inspire their students and set an example for the community, Fresno State practices what they preach with their major efficiency renovations throughout the campus. Most notably, their … Read more
Tom Riggi, ERS, for Zondits Partly in response to an increase in student interest and awareness, Binghamton University is aiming to provide custom education and training to aid students seeking a career in sustainability. Starting this fall, BU has extended their Environmental Studies Program to include a master’s program in Sustainable Communities, where students can … Read more
Kelly O’Connell, ERS, for Zondits Zondits recently had the opportunity to speak with Matt Kromer, the Director of the Grid Integration Group and Co-Principal Investigator of the SHINES and SunDial project at Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems CSE. Fraunhofer CSE is an applied research and development laboratory dedicated to building tomorrow’s energy future today. … Read more
Betsy Ricker, ERS, for Zondits Utilities across the country are providing their customers with reports that compare an individual home’s usage to their nearest neighbors, and it evidently makes an impact. By leveraging the power of social norms and appealing to the competitive aspect of human nature, these comparison reports have reduced energy consumption by … Read more
Key Considerations for Installing Solar Mark D’Antonio, ERS, for Zondits Last month we embarked on a multi-part series about solar photovoltaics (PV) and started with a discussion of five residential systems installed by ERS engineers in their homes. Several different selections were made related to system specifics as well as with economic approaches. The systems … Read more