• Energy-Efficient Lighting and Lighting Design
• High-Performing HVAC Systems
• Energy-Efficient Motor Selection
• Best Options for Other Energy-Using Equipment

Saving Energy, Money, and the Environment

Energy-efficient options are readily available for all of the end-uses addressed in this Online Guide. And optimizing system energy performance, without compromising other performance features, can often be achieved by applying a number of relatively simple rules. However, to fully achieve the energy savings potential that more efficient equipment can provide, it is important to consider a "systems" approach to improving your building's efficiency. For example, about half the cooling load in an inefficient building comes from solar heat gain and inefficient lighting, so addressing windows and lighting loads before tackling HVAC equipment efficiency can considerably reduce cooling energy use [E Source, Inc. 1995. Commercial Space Cooling and Air Handling Technology Atlas. Boulder, Colo.: E Source, Inc.].  

To facilitate a more integrated approach to reducing building energy use, the ENERGY STAR® Buildings benchmarking tool, Portfolio Manager, enables building owners and operators to assess the energy performance of their building relative to other similar buildings throughout the country. A five-stage approach to reducing building energy use is then promoted through the ENERGY STAR® Buildings Program. When interactive effects among building and system components (such as lighting and heating and cooling) are considered, building energy savings can reach 30 percent or more, without compromising occupant comfort or energy service.  To date, more than 1,000 buildings in the country have earned the ENERGY STAR® Buildings designation. These buildings realized energy savings of approximately 40 percent and, in 2002 alone, spent $130 million less in energy bills than their counterparts [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2003. "Press Advisory.". Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]. 

Multiple Benefits

Beyond energy cost savings, purchasing and using energy-efficient commercial equipment has many direct environmental benefits. Commercial sector energy use annually contributes nearly 800 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to the atmosphere. This activity increases the threat of global warming. If the energy used to drive commercial equipment were cut by one-third, more than 250 million metric tons of CO₂ would be avoided, equivalent to removing more than 40 million automobiles from the roads [Energy Information Administration. 1994. Energy End-Use Intensities in Commerical Buildings. DOE/EIA-0555(94). Washington, D.C.: Energy Information Administration].  Additionally, better performance, increased occupant comfort, and improved productivity can result from the purchase and application of more efficient commercial equipment and better system design. Worker productivity increases from more efficient lighting, for example, have been well documented [Ogden, Douglas H. 1996. Boosting Prosperity: Reducing the Threat of Global Climate Change through Sustainable Energy Investments. San Francisco, Calif.: The Energy Foundation;  Romm, Joseph. 1994. Lean and Clean Management: How to Increase Profits and Productivity by Reducing Pollution. New York, N.Y.: Kodansha America, Inc.].

Optimizing the energy efficiency of a commercial building depends not only on changes in the structure and equipment of the building but also on the decisions and actions of purchasers, facility and energy managers, and building tenants. Although energy efficiency measures can improve the efficiency of lighting, HVAC, and motor systems, proper maintenance and operation of all of the systems are as important as the physical improvements. Promoting an understanding of equipment and energy costs, encouraging training on operation and maintenance, establishing accountability, and providing the right balance of human versus automatic control are ways to affect the changes in behavior that are needed for the physical changes to result in reliable energy savings.

Make This Online Guide Your Resource

For the most up-to-date information on products, contact information for key industry associations and major equipment manufacturers is provided throughout this Online Guide. In addition, the federal government and several private organizations offer information and recommendations on what products qualify as "energy efficient" or on which system design criteria promote energy efficiency. Throughout this Online Guide, we refer to those programs, specifications, or tools that we believe will be most useful to the reader, such as the ENERGY STAR^® labeling program specifications, the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) buying recommendations, and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency programs.