Commercial buildings use a significant amount of energy, accounting for almost 20 percent of all energy consumed in the United States. Companies are taking steps to reduce energy use in buildings, including upgrading lighting systems, switching to more energy efficient office equipment and appliances, and using technology to better manage energy consumption.
The resources below include presentations, reports and news on energy efficiency improvements in commercial buildings, as well as links to other organizations and web sites active on this issue.
The International Code Council (ICC) on Monday plans to release the nation's first model code for commercial "green" buildings.
Fourteen contestants of all shapes and sizes are vying to win U.S. EPA's version of the televised weight-loss competition "The Biggest Loser." Each will go on a diet with online tips from the show's fitness trainer, Bob Harper. A final weigh-in will decide the contest in October.
LED lighting retrofits can offer businesses two key benefits: some fixtures can deliver up to an 85 percent energy savings and the life span of LEDs average about 50,000 hours, reports Retrofit Magazine. But before making a decision on a retrofit, businesses first have to evaluate their current lighting layout and future requirements.
OAKLAND, CA — Despite rapidly developing technology to support and manage facilities, office buildings in the U.S. are falling behind the curve when it comes to adopting smart solutions that can ramp up energy efficiency and other aspects that affect costs, occupants' comfort and productivity, according to new research from IBM.
Con Edison’s green and white roofs atop of its training and conference center in Long Island City help prevent energy losses, provide other environmental benefits, and reduce heating and cooling costs, compared to traditional dark roofs, according to research from Columbia University.
From 2010 to 2015, the total US green building market value is projected to increase from $71.1 billion to $173.5 billion, according to the latest issue of EL Insights. This represents a CAGR of 19.5% during this time period.
In England there is a building made with insulation that can be inflated or deflated to adjust to outside temperatures. In Germany there is a house designed to be easily disassembled and recycled. The New York Times Co. building is draped in shades that automatically adjust to the movement of the sun. In Milwaukee a museum changes its very shape to shade itself.
Instituting a 10-year retrofit program for the country’s commercial spaces could save $41.1 billion in energy expenses every year, according to a new report by Pike Research.
In another bid to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption, the European Union is requiring all new buildings to produce nearly as much energy as they consume starting in 2020.
NEW YORK -- Most Manhattan office buildings are designed for paper pushers, but there is a new factory running at the end of a long dim corridor on the fifth floor of the Empire State Building. Here machines are whirring, a furnace is roaring, and dozens of blue-collar workers are bustling about.
The simple step of painting rooftops white may be the cheapest way to win a short-term reprieve from global warming, and an influential expert says the Energy Department could soon be offering technical support to countries interested in implementing white roof-friendly policies.
IBM has added new software and service offerings to help owners and managers of commercial buildings leverage the latest energy-efficiency technologies and compliance systems.
Panelists from Citi, Johnson Controls, NRDC and Sustainable Energy Partnerships explored financing mechanisms that can help accelerate energy efficiency in commercial buildings.
BERKELEY, Calif. -- The Bay Area's foremost energy research facility has increased its data load capacity by 50 percent over the past three years with virtually no additional investment in cooling infrastructure, according to officials at the Energy Department.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu defended his agency's budget raise on Capitol Hill yesterday, including one program that may test Republicans' appetite for bipartisan energy policy.
