December Top 10 Solutions
The 10 most-viewed resources from the past month include new solutions from Kaiser Permanente and DaVita, a recent webinar on solutions for small and rural K-12 schools, and more. Check them out!
1. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Small and Rural K-12 Schools (Webinar)
This webinar features energy efficiency and renewable energy resources and strategies available to small and rural schools to help them train a robust workforce and achieve energy and cost savings. It also showcases success stories from K-12 school districts. Read more.
2. Financial Performance of High-Performance Buildings - NEW
DOE partnered with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Real Estate Research Institute to catalyze research around the financial performance of high-performing, energy-efficient buildings to help commercial real estate practitioners understand the impacts of and drive investment in energy efficiency. This resource digests four of the resulting research papers and describes next steps for transforming green building investment practices. Read more.
3. Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) Toolkit
This collection of resources enables state and local communities to benefit from the experience of partners who have successfully established and implemented performance contracting. It includes best practices and innovative approaches that states, cities, and K-12 schools have used. Users can easily find the information they need at each stage of their ESPC decision-making process. Read more.
4. Clean Energy for Low-Income Communities (CELICA) Toolkit
Low-income households spend about 8% of their income on energy costs, three times more than average. Better Buildings Accelerator partners committed $335 million to help 155,000 low-income households access energy efficiency and renewable energy benefits, collecting resources and lessons learned into the CELICA Toolkit. The toolkit includes a guide to program development and replicable program models for single-family and multifamily housing, as well as community solar. Read more.
5. Hempstead Housing Authority's Gladys Gardens Showcase Project
Hempstead Housing Authority partnered with its local Weatherization Assistance Program provider to rehabilitate Gladys Gardens, a 30-unit public housing development. Energy-efficient upgrades to the lighting, insulation, windows, and heating and cooling systems resulted in 40% energy savings and over $19,000 in annual cost savings, as well as improved resident health and comfort. Read more.
6. High-Efficiency RTU Replacement Toolkit
This toolkit helps HVAC contractors and service companies work with their customers through a step-by-step process of evaluating and managing their inventory of rooftop units (RTUs) and how to evaluate the business case for high-efficiency replacements. From an incentives database to a comparison calculator, the toolkit provides everything needed to make an informed decision regarding RTU replacements. Read more.
7. Kaiser Permanente: Pioneering California's First Medical Center Microgrid - NEW
Kaiser Permanente implemented a microgrid that connects renewable energy and battery storage to a pre-existing, diesel-fueled backup power system at its Richmond Medical Center in California. By improving operational efficiency by as much as 20%, the hospital stands to save an additional 2.63 MWh of energy per year, resulting in annual savings of $394,000. Read more.
8. Commercial PACE Financing for Resiliency Toolkit
Commercial property assessed clean energy (CPACE) financing can be used to fund resiliency improvements that make buildings more resistant to natural disasters and other threats. CPACE policies and programs are becoming more widespread, making it easier for more customers to access CPACE financing. This toolkit provides the necessary information for building owners, operators, and occupants that may want to take advantage of CPACE financing to improve resiliency in their facilities. Read more.
9. DaVita's Top-User Water Efficiency/Management Program - NEW
DaVita developed the Top 150 Water Users program to identify and optimize high water users to reduce portfolio-wide dialysis center water consumption, helping the organization make progress on its 30% water reduction goal. Read more.
10. Jamestown, LP: Improving Portfolio Energy Performance Using an EMIS Checklist
Jamestown developed a checklist that maximizes the effectiveness of their advanced energy management information system (EMIS), which covers 13 properties and 2.5 million square feet. The checklist streamlined the set-up and review processes in the EMIS platform, successfully empowering building engineers and operators to more proactively manage energy use and monitor real-time results of operational improvements and equipment upgrades. Read more.