Commercial Buildings
Guide: Best Practices for Achieving Zero Over Time for Building Portfolios
Net-zero energy (NZE) buildings are gaining interest from building owners, tenants, and landlords alike. A zero-over-time (ZOT) approach focuses on cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy by prioritizing projects that pay back quickly in the short term, while aligning larger energy efficiency projects with major…
How to Calculate and Present Deep Retrofit Value (Executive Summary)
Energy efficiency building retrofits in the United States and around the world are attractive investments, but receive far less attention and capital than they deserve. This is in part due to a narrow definition of their value, typically focused on energy cost savings alone, and in part due to confusion…
Energy Efficiency and Net-Zero Buildings: GSA & RMI Answer the Call (Executive Summary)
THE GSA’S COMMITMENTThe nation’s largest landlord is answering President Obama’s call to pursue deep energy savings and net-zero energy in buildings. Earlier this spring, the President and Congress each issued directives that extended aggressive energy efficiency goals into the next decade, drawing attention to topics like net-zero energy and promoting…
Deep Energy Retrofits Using Energy Savings Performance Contracts: Success Stories
Energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) have become a key mechanism for energy efficiency upgrades in recent years, with the federal market now exceeding $1 billion in gross annual revenue. ESPCs allow federal agencies to partner with an energy service company (ESCO) in order to complete energy savings projects without upfront…