Northwestern Cuts Energy Use in the Battle of the Buildings Northwestern, January 23, 2017 From September 1 through November 30, 2016, Northwestern competed in the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR’s Battle of the Buildings, a national competition to reduce energy use in buildings. The top performer among the University’s competing buildings was the Tarry Research and Education … Read more
DOE Publishes New CALiPER Snapshot on Troffers Department of Energy The U.S. Department of Energy’s CALiPER program has released a new Snapshot Report on LED troffer luminaires. Among the key findings of the Snapshot, which is based on DOE’s LED Lighting Facts® database: The efficacy of LED troffers is notably higher than what’s typical of troffers that are fitted … Read more
Urban innovation: Will the digitalization create sustainable cities? Huffington Post, October 31, 2016 Imagine a city. In the center, a brand-new supermarket has been equipped with digital solutions that constantly monitor the cooling systems’ performance to make more out of the energy used. Maybe a new skyscraper is popping up next door to the supermarket. … Read more
Where Marijuana Plants Flourish Under Energy-Saving LED Lights New York Times, November 25, 2016 As cannabis has increasingly gone legitimate — about two dozen states had already legalized it in some form before several others eased restrictions on Election Day — electric utilities have struggled to cope with the intensive energy demands of the proliferating … Read more
MD’s first net-zero energy school opens its doors Construction Dive, January 5, 2017 Maryland school officials opened the first net-zero energy school in the state on Monday, according to The Baltimore Sun. In addition to energy-efficient elements like insulation, a geothermal heat pump and programmable lights, Wilde Lake Middle School in Columbia, MD, also includes 2,000 … Read more
Simplify With Networked Lighting Controls Facility Executive, December 23, 2016 Facility managers have a duty to deliver high-quality, reliable solutions to their customers/occupants in the most cost-effective manner possible. To do so, they must have a broad understanding of the tools and solutions available to maximize the operational efficiency of the buildings they manage. This … Read more
These smart cities are building infrastructures for the 23rd century Digital Trends, January 1, 2017 Currently more than 54 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas. The United Nations projects this number will increase to 66 percent by 2050. As our cities become more populated, an increasingly uneven strain is placed on the overall infrastructure. To combat … Read more
Building from the ground up: Aquatherm North America’s new home Contractor, December 8, 2016 Lindon, UT As polypropylene-random (PP-R) pipe systems continue to revolutionize the piping industry, Aquatherm North America, the U.S. subsidiary of leading PP-R pipe manufacturer Aquatherm Worldwide, is keeping pace by preparing to move into a new headquarters and fabrication facility in … Read more
Ask the Expert: What’s the difference between “net-zero” and “carbon-neutral” in relation to buildings and efficiency? Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits There are many different but nearly synonymous terms for buildings, campuses, and communities going in the general direction of net zero. Per the Department of Energy, the best term is a zero energy building (ZEB). This is … Read more
Energy Efficiency Through Plug Load Control: Not Exciting…But Effective Energy Manager Today, July 6, 2016 A July feature at Automated Buildings put the topic in context. The piece, written by Alerton’s Kevin Callahan and Kevin Clinger, pointed to two reasons that plug loads should be paid attention to. Ensuring continuity of operations is one. The other, … Read more