The 10 most-viewed resources from the past month include new solutions from Schneider Electric, Centrica Business Solutions, and Connecticut Green Bank as well as toolkits on financing, lighting, reducing energy use in laboratories, and more. Check them out!
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Green Revolving Funds Toolkit
This collection of solutions provides guidance on establishing a green revolving fund to overcome a lack of dedicated capital. A green revolving fund is an internal capital pool dedicated to funding energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability projects that generate cost savings. A portion of those savings is then used to replenish the fund, establishing an ongoing funding vehicle to help drive energy efficiency and sustainability investment over time. Read more.
4. Schneider Electric: Integrated Building Management Tool - NEW!
The EcoStruxure Building Advisor tool uses inputs from building management systems and connected devices and applies analytics to make recommendations to technical support staff and management for opportunities to reduce maintenance costs, increase comfort, and save energy. Read more.
5. InterContinental Hotels Group: Green Engage™ Sustainability Platform
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) created the IHG Green Engage™ system to manage its energy, water, and waste reduction efforts in a global, franchised business environment. The platform allows hotels to track, measure, and report on their carbon footprint and utility consumption and offers more than 200 ‘Green Solutions’ with detailed technical guidance that hotels can employ on-site to achieve greater sustainability. Green Engage can help hotels save up to 25% – about $90,000 – annually on energy. Read more.
6. Centrica Business Solutions and Connecticut Green Bank: Public and Private Funding for City Microgrid – NEW!
Centrica Business Solutions, Connecticut Green Bank, and other organizations partnered to deliver a cogeneration system to Bridgeport, Connecticut at no upfront cost to the city. The system features chilled and thermal water loops, controls systems, and underground piping for a microgrid to power key municipal buildings, and is expected to yield approximately 85,554 MMBtu in annual energy savings. Read more.
7. High-Efficiency Interior Lighting Toolkit
This toolkit helps facility owners and managers of commercial buildings take advantage of savings opportunities from high-efficiency interior lighting solutions. It features tools and resources from DOE's Interior Lighting Campaign, including guidance, fact sheets, reports, case studies, product search tools, and more. Read more.
8. 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.
9. Efficiency-as-a-Service Toolkit
Efficiency-as-a-service (EaaS) is a pay-for-performance, off-balance sheet financing solution that allows customers to implement energy and water efficiency projects with no upfront capital expenditure. It is a relatively new financing mechanism, in which customers pay a provider for the service of energy savings. This toolkit provides resources and case studies for building owners, operators, and occupants who may want to take advantage of EaaS for energy and water projects. Read more.
10. Laboratory Energy Use Reduction Toolkit
This toolkit provides guidance and strategies for reducing energy consumption in laboratories. Resources include technical guidance and reports, a laboratory freezer specification, and detailed case studies of successful efforts to implement “Smart Labs” and other energy management programs. Read more.