Commercial Real Estate

This guide is intended for anyone investigating the addition of energy storage to a single or multiple commercial buildings. 

This document contains a variety of resources intended to help commercial partners gain better access to energy data through the use of submetering.

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab created an integrated systems package (ISP) for achieving deeper energy savings during tenant fit-out in existing commercial buildings. The ISP includes a checklist, specifications, and procedures for LED lighting and dimming controls, HVAC controls, plug load controls, and energy monitoring.

As energy efficiency in the built environment continues to grow as an industry standard, action plans to mitigate climate change that contain elements such as building performance standard (BPS) policies and benchmarking have become more popular with cities and energy management stakeholders. These resources will help navigate those standards.

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab created an integrated systems package (ISP) for achieving deeper energy savings during RTU equipment replacement in existing commercial buildings. To minimize required expertise and effort, the ISP includes a checklist, specifications, and procedures for a high-efficiency RTU, advanced controls, energy monitoring, and envelope improvements to reduce HVAC sizing.

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab created an integrated systems package (ISP) for achieving deeper energy savings during whole-building renovations in existing commercial buildings. To minimize required expertise and effort, the ISP includes a checklist, specifications, and procedures for LED lighting and dimming controls, high-efficiency RTUs, HVAC controls, energy monitoring, and more.

Affinius Capital developed a calculator to convert the results of energy efficiency upgrades into metrics that are meaningful for financial decision makers, resulting in more projects funded and increased portfolio-wide energy savings.

Lendlease found $10 million in savings and achieved its Better Buildings Challenge goal 5 years early by utilizing engagement, technology, sustainable design, and more to find savings at scale across their military housing portfolio. 

Iron Mountain collaborated with Redaptive in an efficiency-as-a-service product to finance energy efficiency projects, creating a flexible future cost savings program.

This report seeks to convey up-to-date information about electric heat pump technology, to equip real estate practitioners with the knowledge they need to inquire about heat pumps in new and existing projects.

The report explores the business case for grid-interactive, efficient buildings, including reduced carbon emissions and utility costs, sustained business operations, bolstered asset resilience, enhanced comfort for occupants, and maintained long-term asset value. 

This report provides insight to the land use industry on how to interpret climate-risk analytics, identify risks effectively, and incorporate them into decision-making throughout the investment life cycle. 

CommonWealth partners undertook comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades at this center, including lighting, a preventative maintenance program for HVAC, and a building automation system calibrated for peak efficiency. Altogether these measures save 17% energy annually.

JBG Smith upgraded aging building systems at the 836,500-square-foot L’Enfant Plaza East in Washington, D.C. to achieve 31% energy savings and annual cost savings of $920,000.

Nuveen Real Estate and the Cushman & Wakefield property team utilized no- and low-cost strategies for water savings at 1401 H Street (City Center). By upgrading toilets and urinals, replacing aerators and adjusting the frequency of sidewalk cleanings, Nuveen Real Estate reduced water consumption by 36%.

Supreme Sports Club is a 100,000-square-foot, 24-hour fitness facility in Columbia, Maryland, and is Columbia Association’s most energy intensive facility. Building renovations, lighting retrofits, and mechanical upgrades have been implemented that reduced overall energy consumption by 22%, savings over $96,000, all while improving member experience.

Lendlease’s Island Palm Communities underwent a large-scale energy security and modernization project that incorporates rooftop solar PV, energy-efficiency upgrades, and water conservation efforts to save a projected 22% in energy use and 28% in water use.

A revolving loan fund is an internal capital pool that is dedicated to funding energy reduction or onsite generation projects that generate cost savings. A portion of those savings are then used to replenish the fund (i.e. revolved) allowing for reinvestment in future projects of similar value. This establishes an ongoing funding vehicle that helps drive energy reduction and onsite generation projects over time, while generating cost savings and ensuring capital is available for important projects.

This webinar explored a variety of strategies commercial building owners can use to address extreme weather events and identify cost-effective strategies and improvements to protect occupants and assets from short and long-term risks.