New ASHRAE research examines 30 measures for energy efficiency building optimizations. The study called “Development of Maximum Technically Achievable Energy Targets for Commercial Buildings: Ultra-Low Energy Use Building Set” found a select group of energy saving measures can cut energy use in commercial buildings by nearly half. ASHRAE’s previous benchmarks were set in 2013 in their Standard 90.1 issue. The new standards are 47.8 percent more energy efficient than Standard 90.1.
To conduct the study, a list of 400 non-residential energy efficiency measures—both existing and cutting-edge technology—were taken into account. Out of those 400, thirty were selected for further examination by modeling them to buildings with varied climate conditions. The measures were applied in the following order:
- Reduce internal loads
- Reduce building envelope loads
- Reduce HVAC distribution system losses
- Decrease HVAC equipment energy consumption
- Major HVAC reconfigurations
According to Jason Glazer, principal engineer for GARD Analytics who oversaw the project, “It is useful to understand how far energy efficiency measures can go to reduce the use of energy in the built environment. It is also important to understand that many of the measures used in the project are widely available today.”
Indeed, many mechanical energy efficiency measures today are becoming low-hanging fruit for energy efficiency upgrades, much like the LED lighting retrofit boom in the past decade. The following details the list of 30 measures that were modeled, many of which Prism Energy Services identifies and installs routinely:
- LED Exterior Lighting
- Highest Efficiency Office Equipment
- High Performance Lighting (LED)
- Shift from General to Task Illumination
- Optimal Daylighting Control
- Optimal Roof Insulation Level
- Optimal Choice of Vertical Fenestration
- External Light Shelves
- Daylighting Control by Fixture
- High Performance Fans
- High Performance Ducts to Reduce Static Pressure
- Demand Controlled Ventilation/CO2 Controls
- Multiple-Zone VAV System Ventilation Optimization
- Optimal Water/Air Cooling Coils
- Occupant Sensors for Air Handling Equipment
- Energy Recovery Ventilators
- Indirect Evaporative Cooling
- High Efficiency/Variable Speed Packaged DX Cooling
- High Efficiency Heat Pumps
- Ground Source Heat Pump
- High Efficiency and Variable Speed Chillers
- Heat Recovery from Chillers
- High Efficiency Boilers
- High Efficiency Building Transformers
- Chilled/Cooled Beam
- Dedicated Outside Air System with Heat Recovery
- Underfloor Air Distribution
- Hybrid/Mixed Mode Ventilation
- Radiant Heating and Cooling and DOAS
- Variable Refrigerant Flow Air Conditioning
Bottom Line
Energy efficiency has advanced well beyond interior and exterior lighting retrofits. Most facility managers have already found the added value in these improvements and made those investments. The next big thing is looking at the whole picture of energy efficiency building optimizations. Truly understanding ways in which to maximize energy efficiency is paramount to lowering operating costs.