Energy & Engineering
Energy Benchmarking
Through benchmarking, the key metrics for assessing the performance of a building or portfolio of buildings can be identified along with a facility’s key drivers of energy use. Benchmarking is an important tool that cannot be overlooked for improving energy performance. It provides objective, reliable information on energy use and the benefits of improvements and prioritizes poorly performing facilities for immediate improvement. It also establishes a baseline for measuring improvements in energy consumption for all buildings.
Retro-commissioning (RCx)
As efficiency standards increase over time and older buildings have their components wear out, building systems and utilities will eventually become inefficient. Retro-commissioning can restore efficiency to improve building infrastructure and indoor environmental conditions and provide cost savings in operations. Retro-commissioning improves efficiency and can lower operating costs by cutting back on demand for energy consumption and building use, improves indoor air quality and may extend the lifespan of your equipment.
Energy Audits
An energy audit will identify energy-saving opportunities. It will help businesses understand energy usage and ways to use energy better and can identify safety concerns with electrical systems, wiring, and ventilation, thus making your business safer. Energy audits can also help to develop measures to eliminate waste, maximize efficiency and optimize supply energy.
Energy Incentives
Dollars saved through energy efficiency programs can directly impact a business’s bottom line and enable it to be more competitive in today’s market. Many businesses reside in commercial buildings smaller than 50,000 sq. ft., which consumes 44% of U.S. commercial building energy use. Energy incentives can help businesses offset the cost of upgrades or projects by getting discounts on HVAC equipment, lighting, boilers and chiller plants.
Design / Build
Design/build facilitates a smooth transition from a project’s conception to its completion. This method eliminates the second stage and brings all responsibilities under one roof. A project is designed and built by the same company, which can be significantly beneficial to the budget and timeline of a project.
Energy Project Financing
Project finance helps finance new investment by structuring the financing around the project’s own operating cash flow and assets, without additional sponsor guarantees. This technique is able to alleviate investment risk and raise finance at a relatively low cost, to the benefit of sponsor and investor alike.
Energy Design Analysis
Through energy use estimates, energy analysis will be able to determine the best system integration possible. As a result, designers can come up with strategies that will help a building enhance its overall system performance. When energy analysis is done during the pre-design phase, a building project can achieve up to 45% energy savings on average as opposed to a baseline building and Designers can decide on which systems and components to install as a means of optimizing a building’s energy-efficiency.
Commissioning
This process assists in the delivery of a project and helps to provide an efficient, safe and healthy facility. Commissioning optimizes energy and water use, reduces operating costs, facilitates O&M staff orientation and training and improves installed building systems documentation and operations.
Integrated Project Delivery
In an Integrated Project Delivery project, the contract clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of each party and outlines how the parties will work together to get the project done. The risks of the project are shared and so are the
rewards. The benefits of this type of project include better communication, increased transparency, less wasted time and materials, greater innovation, lower project costs and more profit for better outcomes.
Test and Balance
Testing, adjusting, and balancing is a vital step for complex air and hydronic systems within buildings and throughout facilities to ensure HVAC systems are optimized for occupant comfort, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and manufacturing processes.