Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2007 - (Page 35) “In the traditional process, oftentimes an architect will design a building and then hand it over to the mechanical engineers to solve a problem in the environment,” Lesniewski said. “It’s a very inefficient process. So, if architects and engineers get together early (in the process), it can significantly impact our energy problem.” (For a related article, see “MEP engineers step up,” page 38). Building owners also need to take more leadership with their perspectives on lifecycle costs rather than first costs for construction and operations. Higher-efficiency equipment can cost more than lower-efficiency equipment, and to obtain the best efficiencies possible, more engineering time (and higher fees) may be needed for modeling and design. Also, owners need to hire qualified operators to run and maintain their facilities, or seek appropriate talent through outsourcing. Education and communication will continue to be important micro issues in the context of the larger macro issues. We know that technologies exist, and more are on the way, to cut energy use dramatically. We know that payback times are getting shorter, and we know that returns on investment are getting bigger. So why aren’t energy-efficient technologies flying off of the shelves? Part of the problem is education and communication. Experience shows that recent technological advances are simply not well known, understood, or trusted in the marketplace. Creating a culture of energy efficiency must start with effective steps to educate and inform key players in the marketplace. That was the theme of the sixth EnVisioneering Symposium held Oct. 23 in Washington, D.C., where Dennis Moran, eastern region director of energy for Marriott Inc., said one of the challenges facing Marriott is a “limited understanding of the energy issues and technologies among decision-makers and staff,” including building owners. “People tend to avoid the areas they don’t understand,” Moran said. “The situation is improving, but from a very low base.” Also at that symposium, Karen Penafiel, vice president for advocacy with Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, Washington, D.C., highlighted two BOMA programs that have had recent success. The BOMA Energy Efficiency Program provides building owners with tips on reducing energy costs, while the Green Lease Guide gives building tenants guidelines for saving energy and being environmentally responsible. Those guidelines are part of a standard lease agreement, Penafiel said. When it comes to national and global energy issues, there clearly is no silver bullet. Fortunately, we’re making progress. and putting the key issues on the table that can be discussed and measured. 9| 10 | ® Belden The Critical Link In Your Industrial Infrastructure. Manufacturing productivity increasingly depends upon “seamless” data communications and automation systems — even in the harshest environments. And seamless means Belden. Belden has developed the world’s most comprehensive line of industrial cabling solutions, always achieving maximum system performance. And maximum uptime. Take a look at this brief overview of Belden’s IndustrialTuff ® line: • DataTuff® twisted pair and TrayOptic® optical fiber Industrial Ethernet cables • A wide range of cables for applications addressing numerous industrial protocols — including Belden’s ControlBus® Blue Hose® DataBus® , , , DeviceBus® and RS-485 cables • Variable frequency drive (VFD) cables for AC motor drives • Belden Infinity® flexible automation cables for robotic and continuous motion applications • A broad selection of PLTC and TC instrumentation and control cables IndustrialTuff products are manufactured in ISO 9001:2000 quality-certified facilities. Shouldn’t you link up with the best? Call 1.800.BELDEN.1 Or go to Belden’s Web site for more information, at www.belden.com © 2007, Belden Inc. Input #217 at csemag m/quickResponse Consulting-Specifying Engineer • DECEMBER 2007 35 http://www.belden.com http://www.belden.com http://csemag.com/quickResponse
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