Catch up on all the latest events commercial energy efficiency, sustainability and solar design and engineering happening in the news from KMB Design Group. Our goal is to provide information, knowledge and resources in the exciting and constantly evolving sustainable design engineering industry.
Trending News in Commercial Energy Efficiency
New York Offers Commercial Buildings $36M To Cut Energy Costs
In New York, energy use in commercial buildings account for 31 percent of all energy use in the state. In effort to increase the energy efficiency of New York’s commercial buildings — including office towers, universities, hospitals, and retail stores, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has made $36 million available through two new initiatives. Facility Executive reports, “The new strategies will encourage building owners and tenants to leverage the power of new technologies, real-time performance data, and more intelligent design of tenant spaces to drive energy efficiency and smarter energy use at larger scale.”
Progress on Commercial Building Energy Efficiency has been Good, but More Attention is Needed to Decrease Waste in Several Areas
The Energy Information Administration conducts a Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) approximately every five years, and examines in depth a nationally representative sample of thousands of commercial buildings. Overall, energy use per square foot of floor area is down by 12% and great progress has been made in reducing energy use for lighting and space heating. These findings show that efficiency efforts can work, but also indicate that more attention is needed for areas of growing energy uses including cooking, refrigeration, ventilation, office equipment, etc.
Increasing Interest In Energy Efficiency Can Help Johnson Controls
Interest and investment in energy efficiency “are at an all-time high” according to the latest Energy Efficiency Indicator survey conducted by Johnson Controls. A key finding of their survey was that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning was the top improvement over the past year, with 63% of the organizations conducting HVAC improvements. As stated in Forbes recent article, “In the US, rising energy investments has become a key priority.” “… the need for energy efficiency to support economic growth, enhance social development, and advance environmental sustainability will likely continue into the future.”
5 Companies Leading The Charge On Net Zero Building
Last month, the World Green Building Council announced its a new project, Advancing Net Zero, which aims to make all buildings net zero by 2050 and five companies are taking the lead. “The following private companies and public corporations provide first-rate technology, building products and services that have been and will continue to be important tools for the evolution of net zero buildings,” they include: Johnson Controls, Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES), Solatube, SageGlass, and Kingspan.
New York Joins California In Leading On Clean Energy
New York’s plan to get 50 percent of its energy from renewables by 2030, announced by Gov. Cuomo, matches the renewable standard set by California in 2015. “It will make New York a major leader for clean energy (only tiny Vermont and Hawaii have higher standards than New York and California), setting an example for other states.” It’s a big step in the right direction that will create new jobs and drive new economic growth… ultimately moving in the right direction to a clean energy future.
Sustainability and Commercial Energy Efficiency Designs
Here at KMB Design Group, we have always been passionate about improving energy efficiency in businesses. As a full service engineering solutions provider licensed in the United States and Europe, we take a systematic approach to develop comprehensive engineering solutions for all of our clients. From conception through site acquisition, engineering and construction, we focus on collaboration and communication throughout the entire process. Contact us to get started today!