Public Power - May 2008 - (Page 14)

Alley 24 in Seattle (center) seeks to create a new model for sustainable, mixed-use urban development. The site incorporates energy saving techniques such as motorized sunscreens, automatic reflector blinds, low energy fixtures and a hybrid HVAC system – a renovation which allows occupants the option of eliminating air conditioning altogether. Photo Courtesy NBBJ © Benjamin Benschneider LEEDingTHE WAY Green buildings offer energy efficiency benefits to commercial customers and utilities alike, say two municipal electric utilities. After a building owner in Burlington, Vt. complained to the city’s electric department about his exorbitant power bills and discomfort on hot days, Burlington Electric Department recommended an energy assessment of the building. “We met with the owner to find out how the building was being used,” said Chris Burns, Burlington Electric Department’s director of energy services. “We asked what happened during unoccupied hours, we asked about set points for humidity and temperature. “We found that the building’s energy 14 MAY 2008 BY AL ICE CL AMP management system hadn’t been set up to talk to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment,” said Burns. There were other problems, too. “In some cases, the HVAC equipment had not been properly installed.” If the building’s owner had chosen to pursue a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, this probably would not have happened. LEED is a voluntary national standard for developing high-performance, environmentally sustainable buildings. LEED uses a performance-oriented rating system in which buildings earn points for satisfying environmentally sustainable—or green—criteria, including energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. The use of recycled materials and natural lighting is emphasized. In response to the building owner’s complaint, Burlington Electric Department suggested he hire a building commissioning expert, a person who takes a building through its paces and makes sure it works as it was designed to work. PUBLIC POWER

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Public Power - May 2008

Public Power - May 2008 Contents Perspective LEEDing the Way Ontario Moves to Mandatory Time-of-Use Pricing Journey to the Smart Grid Right-Sizing Transformers Energy Audits for Large Industries Economic Development Community Broadband Reliability Hometown Connections Parting Shot

Public Power - May 2008

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