Photo: Morguefile
Key findings The Commercial Facility Pulse Survey Commercial managers, which was released yesterday by risk management firm DNV GL, include:
- LEDs deployment are the most common energy efficiency projects.
- Cost reduction is the most important motivational factor in getting projects off the ground.
- Setting energy reduction goals doubles the chances that investments are made.
- States with strong energy efficiency programs are more likely to install energy efficiency lighting and HVAC systems.
The survey is based on almost 500 responses, according to the press release. It focused on three areas: policies and resources, practices and investment and the perceptions of energy efficiency’s benefits. The survey found that the strategies that are most motivational to commercial customers are an “activated trade ally network” that works with utility efficiency programs; targeted outreach to commercial facilities and advocacy for improved operations, maintenance and investments in lighting and HVAC at individual facilities.
The survey gauged both the rationales respondents called the most important and those that they mentioned as one of multiple important rationales. Mentioned in both categories were reducing energy costs; replacing failed equipment; improving production; reducing other operational costs; increasing comfort; creating a healthy and safe environment; reconfiguring space and expanding space. The three most common projects after LEDs were high efficiency HVAC, central energy management controls and solar voltaics, the press release said.
The Urban Land Institute focuses, without saying so, on the third area looked at by the DNV GL survey: Perceptions of energy efficiency. The organization’s website this week offered a piece that said a great avenue through which to meet carbon emission goals is real estate holdings:
Cutting carbon emissions is about cutting electricity use, and with that comes front-end cost savings and risk management of future energy costs. But on top of that, green buildings are also attractive assets. Compared with their conventional-building peers, green buildings have as much as 17 percent greater average value globally. Some top markets have seen a 33 percent premium for high-performance green buildings, according to a 2015 report from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The bulk of the piece is an overview of what organizations can do to improve the energy efficiency of their real estate holding.
Many high profile companies have made very public pledges to increase efficiency and sustainability. Some were doing the hard work of driving efficiency before it was cool. Siemens, according to The Corporate Knights, has a long history of such initiatives. That dedication, the site said, continues:
…Siemens’ performance in energy productivity is outstanding, with a score of 94 per cent. This was driven in part by client demand for energy efficiency and clean energy, but also by an ambitious internal target. Siemens aims to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2020 and to become carbon neutral by 2030.
The German company celebrated its 200th anniversary last month.