Articles

VIDEO: An Inside Look at Insulation Your facility likely uses fiberglass, cellulose or foam materials for insulation. But how do they work? In the summer, heat tries to come into your facility; in winter, heat tries to leave. Insulation provides a barrier that slows conductive heat flow, which passes through materials. But it should also … Read more

https://player.vimeo.com/external/175572583.hd.mp4?s=d60059d85b16e3069e6d7f54901f61ce288222bf&profile_id=119 Expert’s Desk: Occupancy Sensors vs. Vacancy Sensors Occupancy and vacancy sensors both save energy by controlling lights, but they work in different ways. How? Let’s take a look. Imagine a room equipped with an occupancy sensor. When someone enters the room, the lights automatically turn on. When they leave again, the lights stay on … Read more

Capture Energy Savings with Heat Recovery Nothing should go to waste, and heat is no exception. Heat recovery devices capture thermal energy and use it for space conditioning and water heating. This helps improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. Don’t rush in, however. Heat recovery systems are not right for every application. A careful … Read more

Refrigeration Systems: Data is Cool You can’t control what you don’t measure and this is certainly true for refrigeration systems. One of the biggest problems with these systems is refrigerant leaks, which can result in major energy waste. A system low on refrigerant must work harder to control desired temperatures. With the right leak detection … Read more

Lighting Controls: Calculating the Savings Upgrading to high-efficiency lighting is a great way to reduce operating costs. However, any light — no matter how efficient — wastes energy and money lighting empty spaces. Adding controls can optimize savings and help preserve precious energy resources. That sounds great, but lighting controls are an investment. It would … Read more

Building Automation: Choosing the Right Wireless Protocol Building automation systems (BAS), as well as lighting and HVAC controls, are designed to save energy, maintain occupant comfort, increase productivity and reduce operating costs. These systems use multiple sensors to gather data about the indoor environment and information about equipment status. Hard-wiring sensors is time-consuming and expensive, … Read more

Multifamily: 5 Ways to Lower Water Heating Costs When it comes to energy costs, water heating is hardly a drop in the bucket. In fact, water heating is the second largest energy user in apartment buildings, accounting for nearly 30% total consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. If your properties are drowning in … Read more

Building Recommissioning: Tune-Up Opportunities Recommissioning helps ensure that buildings are operating optimally according to their current needs. As part of the recommissioning process, all elements of a building and its energy-using systems are examined. Specifically, the focus is on identifying tune-up opportunities in lighting, HVAC systems and the building envelope.   Lighting All lighting systems … Read more

Multifamily Energy Efficiency: The Low-Hanging Fruit Efficiency upgrades can save you money and enhance the value of your properties. However, big improvement projects often require a lot of time and significant upfront costs. Fortunately, there are a variety of “low-hanging fruit,” or energy-saving measures that can reduce your energy costs while fitting easily into your … Read more