Taken from EERE News
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced support for energy-saving commercial building projects as part of an ongoing effort by DOE to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in the United States. With money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, DOE’s national laboratories will select and fund technical experts to provide technical guidance to commercial building owners and operators. The goal of this Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) initiative is to increase the energy efficiency of selected new and existing buildings.
DOE’s CBP initiative will foster collaborative relationships among the owners and operators of commercial buildings, researchers from DOE national laboratories and private-sector technical experts. Building owners receive technical expertise on how to design, build and maintain low-energy buildings that can reduce energy use and lower energy bills across their building portfolios. These collaborations help to move energy-saving strategies into the marketplace quickly and cost-effectively. Each of the CBP building projects will be documented in publicly available case studies that will provide detailed energy use data and best practices to other building operators across the country.
Three DOE national laboratories are managing this new effort: the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California; the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado; and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington.
Applicants can apply through the laboratories for the following two initiatives:
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=318
MPSC Press Release
April 19, 2010
Thousands of Michigan utility customers have reduced their energy usage and lowered their bills by becoming more energy efficient, since Michigan utilities began to offer their energy optimization programs last year, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) notes.
“The cheapest energy is the energy you never use,” said MPSC Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu. “That’s the idea behind the energy efficiency programs that Michigan utilities began to offer customers last summer and fall.”
In only a few months, thousands of electric and natural gas customers jumped on the energy efficiency bandwagon. For example, in 2009: Detroit Edison reported that some 9,000 customers recycled appliances; and Consumers Energy reported that 10,000 customers took advantage of rebates for installing energy efficient furnaces or HVAC systems.
Thousands of other electric and natural gas customers across Michigan made other energy efficiency improvements — from upgrading water heaters and clothes washers to switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
“Customers who have recycled old, inefficient appliances have, in many cases, replaced them with more efficient models or have not replaced them at all,” noted Commissioner Monica Martinez. “What’s more, these customers see an immediate reduction in their energy use, and as a result, have lower bills. In fact, simply getting rid of that extra fridge may result in cutting an electric bill by 5 to 10 percent.”
Each utility’s energy efficiency program is different, so customers are encouraged to check periodically with their utility on what’s currently available.
Low-income customers should ask their utility about energy efficiency programs available to them — such as weatherization.
To encourage even more energy efficiency, the state of Michigan recently announced appliance rebate programs designed to complement the utility programs. These programs provide rebates for appliances not covered by utility programs; reach rural areas not served by utility natural gas programs; and push the marketplace by providing rebates for appliances that exceed the ENERGY STAR standards.
In addition, Michigan companies – such as Whirlpool – benefit from sales of the energy efficient appliances.
Dishwashers, clothes washers, propane furnaces, and water heaters are a few of the covered items. More information is available at MIRebates.com (http://mirebates.com/).
“As you consider ways to improve the environment around you this Earth Day and every day, think energy efficiency first,” added Commissioner Greg White. “As Michigan becomes more energy efficient, all utility customers benefit because the need for new electric generation is delayed. Conservatively speaking, every dollar spent on a utility’s energy efficiency program yields $3 in savings. So, energy efficiency is the smartest and quickest approach to save on energy bills and to plan for Michigan’s energy future.”
Michigan residents are encouraged to take the ENERGY STAR pledge on its “Change the World” Web site: energystar.gov/changetheworld (http://www.energystar.gov/changetheworld) .
There, people have the opportunity to pledge to switch to energy efficient lighting, make improvements to their heating and cooling systems, weatherize their homes, and purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. Pledgers should select “State of Michigan” as the organization that referred them.
(by Eric Barendsen of EERE) – Most of the time, I feel like I’m doing my part to save energy, and I’m getting better all the time. But sometimes I feel like what I do to try to offset the unfathomable amount of energy that’s consumed around me, and around the country, is so tiny that my actions won’t make a ripple of difference. I wonder how the few hundred kilowatt hours per month I shave off through my conscientious behavior and my use of energy-efficient products and appliances means something in the face of the American economic juggernaut.
Think about the incredible amount of fuel used by the cars and trucks in the American fleet or the electricity used in powering the factories, schools, hospitals and offices that make our world go round. It’s hard to wrap your head around it.
But one of the most exciting things I learned about the Department of Energy when I came to work here was that I wasn’t alone—that experts have been working for many years in the Industrial Technologies Program and the Building Technologies Program (to name two of my favorites) to tackle the very important project of making America’s economy more energy efficient.
For example, did you know that the U.S. chemical industry is the world’s largest, accounting for almost 30% of all U.S. industrial energy consumption. Well, the Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) is working hard to find ways to make that huge chunk of American energy use considerably smaller. The program’s goal is to help the chemical industry reduce energy use, water use, and toxic and pollutant dispersion per unit of output by 30% by 2020. By supporting cost-shared R&D projects—often those too risky for industry to fund alone—and by encouraging the development of collaborative partnerships, ITP helps achieve national goals for wiser energy use and environmental sustainability.
Similarly, ITP promotes partnerships and raises the energy-efficiency bar across many other American industries including aluminum manufacturing, glass-making, mining, steel production and petroleum refining. Not only does ITP help industry conserve energy for later uses, but it makes companies more profitable by saving them money. How cool is that?
ITP also partners with 26 universities across the U.S. in a unique program that trains students for careers making businesses more energy efficient. You can learn more about it here or read a feature story about a guy who started his own energy consulting firm after graduating from one of these university Industrial Assessment Centers on EERE’s new Energy Empowers Web site.
Then there’s the Building Technologies Program (BTP). These guys and gals are taking on another epic challenge. In 2006, American residences accounted for 21% of primary energy consumption in the U.S. and 20% of carbon dioxide emissions. Commercial buildings represented 18% of primary energy consumption in the U.S. and used 36% of the nation’s electricity in 2006. Combining residential and commercial buildings’ energy use, that’s almost 40% of the nationwide energy pie. The BTP works to make buildings across the spectrum more energy efficient through its sponsorship of technology development and promotion of whole-building design.
Additionally, BTP strives to bring the lofty concept of net-zero building to an affordable, everyday reality. A net-zero energy building is a residential or commercial building with greatly reduced needs for energy—roughly 60%–70% less than conventional practice. Onsite renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic panels or wind turbines, supply the rest and can actually make a net-zero building an energy producer.
BTP’s goal is to create technologies and design approaches that lead to marketable zero-energy homes by 2020 and zero-energy commercial buildings by 2025. Many green builders these days are building extremely energy-efficient homes, often with renewable energy installations as optional upgrades, such as this company based in New Mexico, also featured on Energy Empowers.
Knowing that so much effort and brain power gets exerted everyday—sometimes to find ingenious solutions, sometimes to spread simple, common-sense ideas—to help ensure a better future for our country and our kids, makes me feel better about the small part that I play. It keeps me coming back to work each day inspired.
Eric Barendsen is a communications specialist and Presidential Management Fellow with EERE’s Technology Advancement & Outreach office.
Pure Eco’s CEO, Paul Hulsey, recently spoke on WJR’s “Environmentally Sound with Larry Burns” about reducing your Carbon footprint at home and your business. The interview can be heard here http://journals.utoledo.edu/environmentallysound/
(From Earth911) – From your home to your car to school or work, we love to provide you with a variety of ways in which your daily actions can have a larger impact on the world around you.
Though we always seem to rustle up some out-of-the-ordinary suggestions, we do have those staples that we have come to rely on because, hey… they really do work! So in the spirit of retuning to one’s roots, we present you with a summary of the eight lifestyle choices that make up the foundation to being eco-friendly, environmentally aware and resource savvy.
http://tinyurl.com/ygar5ys
GLOBE-Net (August 3, 2009) – The nation’s clean water and public health and safety would be much better off with a water infrastructure system that incorporates green solutions, according to a new report by the Aspen Institute, “Sustainable Water Systems: Step One – Redefining the Nation’s Infrastructure Challenge.”
Specifically, the report recommends integrating natural and built water infrastructure, protecting watersheds, and prioritizing federal funding for activities including green infrastructure, climate change adaptation, and research and development.
The rest of this article can be read here http://www.globe-net.com/business_reports/listing.cfm?ID_Report=1770
Landmarks & Companies Retrofit for Greener Efficiency
A report by Pike Research, a market research firm in Colorado, predicts that the retrofit market will experience strong growth through 2013 and beyond.
With the economy putting new construction in a headlock the retrofitting market has taken off. Building owners are not only retrofitting to update their spaces for looks they are retrofitting for sustainability and cost savings. Though retrofitting to be sustainable is more expensive up front, owners are counting on cost savings on energy to be more than the retrofit in the long run. The rest of this article can be read here http://www.globe-net.com/other_news/listing.cfm?type=2&newsID=4475
LANSING (AP) — Democrats who control the Michigan House want more electricity to come from renewable sources.
The proposal discussed Monday calls for 30 percent of the state’s power to come from sources such as wind and solar by 2025. It would build upon a state law adopted last year that requires 10 percent of the state’s power to come from renewable sources by 2015.
Democrats say expanding the standard would improve the market for alternative energy companies that Michigan is wooing to diversify its economy.
Utilities also would be required to help customers decrease electricity usage.
Republicans who run the Senate likely won’t even consider the proposal until Michigan resolves its budget problems for the fiscal year that starts in October.
***article by the Associated Press
By Andrew Sauder
(June 7, 2009) – Does greening your business require large capital investments and expenditures? According to Andrew Winston’s new book, Green Cost Cutting, the answer is an unequivocal no. In fact, companies utilizing everyday sustainable practices will see immediate improvements and will gain an advantage over competitors. To read more, please see http://www.globe-net.com/business_reports/listing.cfm?ID_Report=1745
When temperatures rise, people instinctively resort to air conditioning. But that comfort comes at a price: in 2005, for example, 91.4 million U.S. households consumed 258 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity running air conditioners, according to the Energy Information Administration. That translates to about $24 billion in energy costs and 171 million tons of global warming emissions.
To keep both you and the planet cooler, consider these energy-efficient alternatives:
Evaporative coolers, also known as “swamp” coolers, use a fan to draw outside air through water-saturated pads, making the incoming air 15ºF to 40ºF cooler. They work best in dry or desert climates with little humidity. Two-stage coolers, which first pass the air through a heat exchanger, are effective in areas where temperatures reach or exceed 100ºF. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), evaporative coolers use about 75 percent less energy than a central air conditioner and cost half as much to install, but because they can consume up to 15 gallons of water per day, their use might be restricted during water shortages.
Whole-house fans installed in the ceiling pull cool evening and morning air into the house, while forcing hot air out through the attic. They use just one-tenth the electricity of a comparably sized air conditioner. Because of the heavy volume of air flow, you may need to install additional attic vents.
Ceiling fans help circulate the air, making it feel cooler. You can even run a ceiling fan in conjunction with an air conditioner set 4ºF higher than you otherwise would, with no change in comfort and less energy use overall (especially when using an Energy Star-rated fan, which is up to 20 percent more efficient than a standard model). To move air effectively, fan blades should be 10 to 12 inches from the ceiling.
Passive cooling strategies are electricity-free ways to reduce the amount of heat entering your home. For example:
- Trees—Planting deciduous trees on the south side of your home can help block sunlight in the summer but allow it through in the winter. According to the DOE, trees can reduce the surrounding air temperature as much as 9ºF, and the air within their shade as much as 25ºF. Keeping an air conditioner in full shade can increase its efficiency up to 10 percent.
- Solar screens—This window-covering fabric blocks up to 90 percent of incoming solar heat without obscuring your view.
- Awnings—These can reduce solar heat gain by 77 percent on west-facing windows, according to the DOE.
If you do decide an air conditioner is necessary, buy an Energy Star-rated model sized for your needs. Switching every room air conditioner sold in the United States to Energy Star models would avoid 650,000 tons of global warming emissions—the equivalent of taking 115,000 cars off the road.
***article from Greentips, published by the Union of Concerned Scientists
