Energy 2011 KickoffEnergy 2011 Kickoff

It will be interesting to see whether or not we can squeeze any more savings. I'm just itching to build a power plant.

The forecast for energy is demand, demand, demand. Having completed another year of monitoring our energy consumption it would be nice to be able to say we’ve made more reductions. Our energy consumption grew to 1454 KWH monthly or 11% over the previous year. We attributed this to additions to our network that I previously wrote about here.

Our last energy improvement wasn’t anything extraordinary. The big huge box with a long hose-like contraption to shoot out insulation arrived back in September 2010 and the contractor blew in fiberglass insulation to achieve R-60 –the upper end of the recommended ceiling value for our area. We won't know the effects for at least a year to see if consumption numbers are averaging downward.

The folks at Philips Lighting Commercial division contacted me to see what we were interested in and doing since we registered on their website to assess our performance against other similar construction/size. They forwarded along some industry data: "Lighting accounts for nearly a quarter of the energy used in the United States. Public and commercial buildings represent 60% of the power used for lighting; and up to 80% of offices are lit by outdated and inefficient systems. Adopting new lighting technologies may save the US economy, each year, $18 billion and could eliminate over 158 million tons of CO2." Philips commercial lighting solutions are here.

The Department of Energy information on the Commercial Building Initiative is found here and the EnergyPlus Energy Simulation Software is found here. The ENERGY STAR Data Center Energy Efficiency Initiative is here.

The ACEEE sent a report of State efficiency ratings that shows each state by rank and I was glad to see my state, Maryland rank 16. What's interesting is the ACEEE's report on the states: "In the face of federal inaction, states are adopting aggressive and innovative policies to encourage investments in energy efficiency. As they have over the past few decades, states will continue to guide our nation’s direction toward a clean energy future to help save consumers money, boost local economies by creating jobs, and improve the environment."

In the past I warned that if the enterprise doesn't proactively reduce energy through conservation and efficiency, then the Government would find new ways to tax and penalize companies for energy consumption. This is still going to happen, it's just how and how much and then when. Another concern is complacency and this can seemingly cost companies more by ignoring energy efficiency and conservation efforts.

We've noted our per-KWH rate rise and know of the future increases too due to market based pricing the federal government has pushed. We had another discussion and subsequent walk-throughs to inventory and document our future energy related projects. Here’s what we discovered at my offices:

* 14% of lighting remains incandescent due to the bulb/fixture type

* Replacing just one PC will reduce that user electrical consumption by 83%

* Radiant barriers may be suitable but thermal imaging is a better intermediary step to determine building leakage areas with greatest loss.

* Our utility room has an average temperature 70 degrees F which is ideal for heat pump water heaters

* One fresh water pump can be eliminated and then water diverted to a non-pumping drain feeding to a direct buried rainwater collection system used for grounds maintenance.

Now I have new energy projects for 2011 and it will be interesting to see whether or not we can squeeze any more savings. I'm just itching to build a power plant.

In the past I warned that if the enterprise doesn't proactively reduce energy through conservation and efficiency, then the Government would find new ways to tax and penalize companies for energy consumption. This is still going to happen, it's just how and how much and then when. Another concern is complacency and this can seemingly cost companies more by ignoring energy efficiency and conservation efforts.

We've noted our per-KWH rate rise and know of the future increases too due to market based pricing the federal government has pushed. We had another discussion and subsequent walk-throughs to inventory and document our future energy related projects. Here’s what we discovered at my offices:

* 14% of lighting remains incandescent due to the bulb/fixture type

* Replacing just one PC will reduce that user electrical consumption by 83%

* Radiant barriers may be suitable but thermal imaging is a better intermediary step to determine building leakage areas with greatest loss.

* Our utility room has an average temperature 70 degrees F which is ideal for heat pump water heaters

* One fresh water pump can be eliminated and then water diverted to a non-pumping drain feeding to a direct buried rainwater collection system used for grounds maintenance.

Now I have new energy projects for 2011 and it will be interesting to see whether or not we can squeeze any more savings. I'm just itching to build a power plant.