Energize Denver Guides and One-Pagers

Building owners are the primary decision makers of all major building-related projects, and as such, set the stage for all others to follow. As an owner, your approval, leadership, and ultimate allocation of resources (be it financial or human capital), is critical to creating and maintaining energy efficient, high-value buildings in the city and helping transform what is considered business-as-usual. The future of buildings is about energy efficiency, automation, electrification, and responsiveness to both customer and investor demand for sustainability. To remain competitive, building owners need to showcase leadership for and cultivate commitment to high-performance buildings. While upfront cost is a commonly cited barrier to better buildings, the long-term costs of inaction, for both the owner and society, are greater. 

Take action on your building’s performance

• Understand the latest regulations. Ensure that you are up to speed on the latest rules and regulations about the city’s Performance Requirements and updated building codes, and how they might impact your properties. 
• Check your building’s performance. Denver requires annual benchmarking data for commercial and multifamily buildings 25,000 sq. ft. and larger. That information is made publicly available and is published on the Energize Denver Map. It’s important to verify that your benchmarking data is accurate, because your building’s energy benchmarking data will determine whether or not you are compliant with the Performance Requirements.
• Understand how your building is performing against your peers. The Performance Requirements place your building in a local cohort of buildings of the same type and establishes a performance level based on the 15th percentile within the group. Where your building falls relative to the performance target should give you a clear sense of how your building is performing relative to your peers. You can also compare your building’s ENERGY STAR score to neighboring buildings by searching the Energize Denver Map. 
• Talk to your on-site staff. Having a dialogue with your building engineer, property manager, and/or facility manager will enable you to get a full picture about how your building is performing, how the systems are being maintained, and what potential options for improvement are.
• Get an energy audit. Hire an expert to conduct an energy audit to identify all possible areas for performance improvement (considering the city’s minimum requirements). Depending on how in-depth your audit is, this can also include information about cost and ROI to aid in decision making.
• Develop a goal or target for your building. Once you understand how your building is performing, it’s important to determine your goals for your building’s performance. This will set up the pathway for all future, related work. It’s important to ensure that all internal stakeholders and decision makers agree to the goals being set and that they are committed to executing a plan to achieve them.
• Communicate projects goals across your team. It takes a team to properly operate and manage a building. It’s important that all stakeholders—asset managers, property managers, building engineers, and brokers among them—understand the goals you have set and your expectations of them.
• Talk to your tenants. Talking to your tenants about their role and responsibility in meeting your building’s performance goals is imperative. This can be challenging with commercial tenants (as they can consume up to 80% of a building’s energy use), and it can be even more challenging for residential buildings with either owned or rented units. Regardless, communication among building users is crucial for helping to maintain or improve building performance.
• Develop a plan for tenant turnover. When new residential or commercial tenants come to your building, or as leases get renewed, review policies and best practices with them. 
  • For residential units, this could include a turnover checklist that includes upgrading lighting or appliances to more efficient models and technology.
  • For commercial tenants, this could include lease language that contains green lease provisions. It could also be a chance to update your owners project manual to include updated requirements for new tenants during build out.
• Select the right vendor. Use this resource guide to determine the vendor—both the type and the qualifications—that will enable you to meet your performance goals. If you have previously set environmental, social, and governance goals for your company, this is also the time to use your economic hiring power to not only achieve your environmental goals, but your social ones as well.
• See what incentives or rebates you qualify for. The City and County of Denver, as well as partner organizations like Xcel Energy, offers many different programs to help you pay for new systems and equipment. 
• Get the financing that you need. There are a multitude of options available for building owners to finance improvements to their building’s performance.
• Verify and maintain building performance. Verifying building performance is not a one-time endeavor and requires on-going dedication. Consult the Operations and Maintenance Guide for details. This also means ensuring that your on-site staff has the training and resources they need to keep the building running at its best. 

This resource is based upon content originally developed by the Institute for Market Transformation for the Building Innovation Hub with funding and support provided by the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy & Environment. 

The building management team, which can include the property manager, facility manager, and building engineer, serve as the front line in achieving consistent energy-efficient results through operations, maintenance, and capital planning. This team engages regularly with building occupants, ownership, and key stakeholders to ensure safe and cost-effective operations. It is critical for this team to understand and respond to potential concerns around health and wellness, resiliency, energy efficiency, and any goals set forth by the city, such as building Performance Requirements. 

Take the lead 

• Understand the latest regulations. Ensure that all building operations staff thoroughly understand the latest rules and regulations about Denver's Performance Requirements and building codes, and how they might affect your properties. 
• Check your building’s performance. Denver publishes benchmarking data for commercial and multifamily buildings 25,000 sq. ft. and larger, which are required to comply with Benchmarking Requirements. It’s important to verify that you are submitting accurate benchmarking data within ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, as your building’s performance data directly correlates to compliance with the Performance Requirements. 

Make a plan 

• Engage the building owner. Ensure that the building’s ownership team understands how their building is performing, whether or not it meets the performance requirements, and how they need to be involved in the development of short and long-term strategies for energy use reduction.
• Set a shared goal. Facilitate collaborative conversations with the building’s ownership and operations teams to determine the building’s performance goals. Ensure that all internal stakeholders and decision makers agree to the goals being set and that they are committed to executing a plan to achieve them.
• Get an energy audit. Hire an expert to conduct an energy audit, using the city’s minimum requirements to identify possible areas for performance improvement. This should include analysis of energy demand, consumption, and historical use patterns, covering base building systems as well as tenant usage when applicable. Ensure the audit team focuses on both operational strategies as well as potential capital improvements with ROI against a determined baseline.
• Develop a strategic energy management plan. A strategic energy management plan (SEMP) should focus optimizing existing equipment, identifying low- and no-cost energy conservation measures that can be immediately implemented, and energy-focused capital planning for larger retrofits and systems replacements.  

Improve your operations

• Implement the SEMP. ENERGY STAR provides guidance on implementing a SEMP. Opportunities may include, but are not limited to:
  • Tracking real-time energy use to understand off-hour loads, demand and consumption patterns, equipment and system runtimes, and opportunities to reduce base load usage.
  • Optimizing equipment runtime seasonally, weekly, and daily, with a focus on building recovery during start-up relevant to outside conditions (“operator-based optimal start and stop”).
  • Assessing ventilation systems and sequences (independent of mechanical cooling) and the use of outdoor air requiring conditioning. 
  • Narrowing the window of simultaneous heating and cooling through control sequences adjustments. 
  • Leveraging and maximizing use of economizers designed into the system (i.e. air-side or water-side free cooling during favorable weather conditions).
  • Conducting a nighttime walkthrough to see what equipment, lights, or systems are running while the building is vacant.
  • Partnering with a building automation system controls contractor to identify more advanced controls strategies, such as discharge and static air reset controls based on space conditions.
  • Integrating a continuous commissioning (in house, if possible) plan into the preventive maintenance program. 
  • Determining the feasibility of using variable frequency drives on electric motors, such as pumps and fans, to limit energy consumption.
  • Reviewing options for LED lighting retrofits, including public and back-of-house areas.
  • Inspecting the building envelope and entryways regularly for leaks, cracks, or degradation of materials.
• Track the improvements. After developing a SEMP and completing the low or no-cost operational improvements, track the operational improvements.  

Communicate with building occupants 

• Engage your tenants. Communicating with your tenants about how their actions impact building performance and energy use is imperative, especially given their influence depending on building type. This can be challenging with commercial tenants and even more so for residential buildings with either owned or rented units. The Green Lease Library, a resource provided by IMT and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Alliance, offers resources including how to use high-performance leases. The team can also get recognized for integrating this approach into practice through the Green Lease Leaders recognition program.       
• Identify an “energy champion.” Identify a champion for each tenant who is willing to support achieving the owner’s building performance goals. This person should promote conservation goals among their peers and represent the tenant in energy savings conversations with building management.   
• Identify opportunities for tenants. Help your tenants understand what actions they can take and support additional measures in their space by explaining available options or connecting them with available funding opportunities

Identify opportunities for capital improvements

• Analyze current improvement plans. Determine if there is potential alignment of performance goals, existing or planned building upgrades, as well as opportunities presented in the energy audit report.
• Develop a capital improvement plan. Alongside the building’s ownership team, develop a capital improvement plan that addresses building operations from a financial and energy use perspective. Additionally, consider how aging equipment and existing infrastructure may help or hinder adaptation to market trends such as building automation, system electrification, resiliency to power emergencies, and rising tenant demand for health and wellness measures. Improvements should provide an advantageous ROI for easier ownership approval, as well as utilize available incentives and financial programs. It is key that the ownership team understands the Performance Requirements, and potential penalties for non-compliance.  

This resource is based upon content originally developed by the Institute for Market Transformation in collaboration with Cushman & Wakefield for the Building Innovation Hub, with funding and support provided by the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy & Environment

In a tenant-driven market for office space Denver, tenants have the ability to demand high-performing buildings and spaces. As a tenant, this gives you a powerful opportunity to normalize an expectation around energy-efficient, healthy buildings, even if tenants are not always directly responsible for building operations. Prioritizing building performance can have positive long-term returns to your finances and improve worker productivity. 

Take action when you pursue a new lease

• Tell your broker your concerns about utility costs and building health. Ensure that your broker, in addition to understanding your space and cost requirements, understands what your expectations are for the performance of the base building. Discuss how the owner's or landlord’s energy efficiency goals should align with yours.
• Ask questions about the landlord’s sustainability goals. Review available documentation about the landlord’s sustainability goals or targets related to their own business or for the building.
• Compare building scores for past levels of performance. Denver discloses performance data for all commercial and multifamily buildings 25,000 sq. ft. and larger, who are required to comply with its benchmarking requirements. The building’s ENERGY STAR score (on a scale from 1–100) indicates how it is performing. If a building has a high ENERGY STAR score, it means it has been historically well-managed with consistent operating expenses.
• Understand how new buildings regulations might affect your site selection. The Energize Denver Performance Requirements are a regulatory tool that the Denver is using to help meet its climate goals. The requirements set minimum building energy performance thresholds for existing buildings. These standards are based on and measured against a building’s demonstrated energy performance, as shown in their benchmarking data. A building owner with a property that doesn’t meet the standard for their property type will be required to improve the property’s performance. While a tenant is not directly responsible for compliance with this regulation, how a building is performing, and improvements that might be required, could impact a tenant’s operational expenses.
• Ask your broker how the regulations might affect your lease. There are a number of “green leasing” clauses that can ensure landlords and tenants both save on energy costs. The Green Lease Library, a resource provided by IMT and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Alliance, offers numerous resources on how to create high-performance leases.    
• Ask if the potential space can be sub-metered. Having a submeter for your space allows you to separately track and measure your energy consumption. This can be useful to ensure you are meeting any energy targets and protect yourself from liability should the building not meet the performance thresholds. 

Take action when renewing an existing lease 

• Find the building’s current performance score. Review publicly available information about the building’s performance. 
• Talk to your landlord about their plan for the Performance Requirements. Ask your landlord if the building is going to be compliant with the performance thresholds, and if not, what the plan is to bring the building into compliance. The answer might have implications for you as you renegotiate your lease.
• Ask if your landlord can help improve the efficiency and comfort of your space. Energy reduction strategies can be simple, straightforward, and often implemented at little to no cost. Even if an improvement involves a capital cost investment, a landlord might be able to wrap it up into a larger building project, thereby creating economies of scale, or helping you access outside sources of funding. The Performance Requirements are designed to incentivize landlords to help improve the performance of their tenant’s spaces.  

Take action in the middle of an existing lease

• Submeter your space. Ask your landlord if your space can be submetered, as you can’t improve what you don’t track. Submetering your space and tracking your energy consumption is an effective way to understand your energy impact on the overall building. For example, if you occupy 10% of the rentable space, but consume 30% of the energy, you may be able to learn from other building tenants how to conserve energy or be able to find easy solutions to reducing energy use. 
• Track your energy use. If you are able to measure the energy consumption within your space, you can make use of ENERGY STAR Tenant Space, which is designed specifically to help commercial building tenants. Tracking energy use in the platform also allows tenants that meet certain energy efficiency requirements the opportunity to become “certified” and showcase market leadership. 
• Reduce your energy use. There are many strategies to reduce energy use. Some are simple, requiring no coordination with your landlord; others will require conversations with the landlord to implement, depending on your lease.
  • Options you can likely implement without landlord coordination include:
    • Adjust office equipment sleep settings to power down equipment when not in use.
    • Turn off the lights when they are not in use or when natural daylight is sufficient.   
    • Ensure that areas in front of vents are clear to prevent disruption to air distribution.
    • Monitor and control plug loads by installing smart power strips.
    • Develop organizational policies that reduce energy from plug loads, such as limiting or eliminating the use of personal appliances in workspaces such as space heaters or refrigerators, which may offer marginal comfort but can use a growing proportion of electricity if left unchecked.
    • Look for high-efficiency equipment or appliances when it comes time to purchase or replace existing ones.
    • Engage employees by educating them on energy efficiency and share with them your energy use over time. 
    • Talk to your property manager and discuss specific options to improve the efficiency of your space. 
  • Options that may require coordination with the landlord or property manager include:
    • Ask the landlord if they have developed a strategic energy plan to understand how your space, and its potential upgrades, might factor in to the bigger picture.
    • Adjust the temperature and humidity set points of your thermostats and ensure they have consistent settings to avoid conflicting with each other.
    • Check mechanical equipment schedules and settings to ensure they are powering down when your space is not in use.
    • Conduct a nighttime audit by walking your space during off hours to see what equipment or systems are on and using energy when it’s unnecessary.
    • Change the air filters during appropriate intervals (e.g. monthly or seasonally) as required. Dirty filters not only increase energy consumption, but also result in lower indoor air quality.
    • Repair damaged duct insulation and/or look for duct leakages. This may also reduce noise or condensation within your space.
    • Hire an energy services professional to conduct an energy audit of your space to help identify specific options that are most appropriate. 
  • Capital cost investment options can include:
    • Switch inefficient lighting fixtures for new, high-efficiency ones. 
    • Install occupancy and daylighting sensors and controls that can automatically turn lights on or off and dim based on available sunlight. 
    • Understand which equipment consumes the most energy and control which outlets stay on during unoccupied periods.
    • Have the mechanical system balanced to ensure that air distribution is even across your space. 

This resource is based upon content originally developed by the Institute for Market Transformation in collaboration with Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) for the Building Innovation Hub, with funding and support provided by the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy & Environment. 

Leased spaces represent as much as 80% of all commercial building energy use. Because of this, it’s important that tenants understand their role in contributing to meaningful emissions reductions. While the city has passed legislation to promote energy efficiency, tenant demand will help push the market to decarbonize faster and farther than any regulation. There is currently a tenant-driven market for office space. This means landlords will be responsive to tenant requests for information about energy efficiency and concerns about how it will affect their tenancy.   

Why this matters 

Helping a landlord meet energy reduction targets might not seem relevant to a tenant, but better performing buildings:

• Have lower operating expenses
• Have more comfortable temperatures than their peers
• Can improve worker productivity

Lower operating expenses could potentially mean additional money for other investments in building air quality or security. It could also make it easier for a tenant to push for solar panels or even electric vehicle charging, if those are priorities.

What can be done 

The energy consumption of most large, multi-tenant buildings can be categorized into three groupings.

1. Common areas (such as atriums, lobbies, and garages)
2. Shared mechanical systems (such as central heating, fans, and cooling towers)
3. Tenant-occupied spaces 

In a typical arrangement, certain groupings are clearly controlled by the owner, such as the garage lighting. Other groupings are clearly controlled by the tenant, such as energy use (plug loads) from computers and appliances in tenant spaces. However, ultimate responsibility for managing the energy consumed in a multi-tenant space is often balanced between tenants and owners. While building owners generally have control over building systems and operations, tenants play a critical role in achieving lasting reductions in energy use and in associated emissions reductions.   

Understanding this, tenants should engage landlords and brokers in conversation about how to create positive outcomes that benefit all parties. This is particularly relevant for tenants in the middle of a lease renewal, or embarking on finding a new space, but is also relevant as mid-lease as the legislation comes into effect. The Green Lease Library, a resource provided by the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Alliance, offers numerous resources on how to institute high-performance leases.      

Below are specific tips for each stage of the leasing process: 

Existing Tenants

Mid-lease. Current tenants should confirm their building’s performance. Additionally, they should speak with their landlord and/or property manager about their energy plans for either maintaining or achieving compliance with the requirements. This will help tenants understand how their building is performing and what action is required next. 

If a tenant is in a building that is not complaint with the requirements, they should talk with the landlord about implementing energy efficiency measures within the tenant space or how they can assist in reducing their energy consumption.  The landlord may be open to shared savings on an energy bill if reductions can be made. Additionally, the landlord may be willing to provide financial incentives for implementing energy efficiency measures, such as installing more efficient lighting fixtures and plug load control devices. Often these types of mutual benefits can be formalized through the lease.  

Lease Renewal. Tenants renewing or starting a new lease should work with the landlord to develop a shared energy plan. The plan should include items like space sub-metering to track individual tenant energy usage, maximum energy use allowances, and solar energy packages. The plan should also include information on how the owner will maintain or become compliant with the Performance Requirements.  

New Tenants 

New Lease. Commercial office space is currently a tenant-driven market, meaning that prospective tenants will be more successful in getting the type of space in the type of building they want. Tenants should work with their broker and vet potential options for new space based on how the building is performing. Higher-performing buildings have lower operating expenses and are typically more comfortable to occupy than lower-performing buildings, which leads to more productive and happier employees. Tenants should feel empowered to demand information about building performance and ask questions about how it will affect their tenancy. 

Signing a new lease is an opportunity to talk with the landlord about shared expectations and how communication can be facilitated throughout the lease terms. Green leases are one tool to use to facilitate these conversations.  

Take Action. To understand how to better have a conversation with your landlord and what to ask your broker, see our Commercial Tenant Playbook for specific actions and steps to take.  

Are there penalties if my landlord doesn’t comply with the Performance Requirements?  

Buildings that do not meet the building Performance Requirements by the end of the compliance cycle will face a financial penalty from Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency. The financial penalty is designed to be greater than the cost of not making the energy reductions. The specific penalty will be based on the property square footage, and how close the property came to meeting the program requirements.  

Depending on the lease, financial penalties may be passed through to tenants. Tenants should review their lease to determine their responsibilities. It benefits both landlords and tenants to work towards compliance as a better performing building lowers operating costs and buffers against unexpected energy expenditures, thereby stabilizing rent.   

Condo owners and HOAs can follow these steps to make upgrades and get into compliance:

1. Identify Potential Energy Upgrades

Analyze the building's energy consumption and look for opportunities to reduce energy use in common areas, parking areas, and within owners' units (some common opportunities listed below). Xcel Energy can help with this. Xcel Energy’s Multifamily Program offers free energy assessments for condo buildings with five or more units that will provide a list of energy efficiency measures that you can use to improve the building's performance in common spaces.

Common Areas

• Improve HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems, such as: central boilers, pumps, chillers, cooling towers, motors, and ventilation.
• Retune and optimize HVAC systems and controls, including checking filters on a regular basis.
• Replace incandescent lights with LED bulbs. Xcel Energy’s Multifamily Buildings program offers free installations.
• Install occupancy controls and ultrasonic sensors for lighting fixtures.

Owner’s Units 

• Improve individual HVAC systems, such as: split air conditioning, heat pumps, and install a programmable thermostat.
• Weatherize the unit, such as: weather-strip the windows and draft proof the outlets.
• Replace incandescent lights with LED bulbs.
• Use energy efficient household appliances.
• Install programable thermostats.
• Encourage residents to reduce energy consumption, such as, wash laundry on cold, keep the blinds down in summer, and put rugs down on wooden floors.

2. Determine the Impacts of Energy Upgrades

• Determine the impact on the building’s energy use that will be needed to help meet performance targets.
• Consider the impact on the comfort and quality of life for residents, such as : indoor air quality, temperature control, and overall occupant satisfaction.
• Assess the impact on property value, marketability, and return on investments.

3. Make a Financial Plan to Pay for the Upgrades

Check out the incentives and rebates available for energy efficiency upgrades at local, state, and federal levels.

4. Explore the Possibility of Renewable Energy

Buildings that generate power through solar or wind installations, whether on-site or off-site, are eligible for renewable energy credits that can be applied towards meeting performance targets. Please refer to the technical guidance for renewable energy credit for details.

5. How to Acquire Contractors for Energy Upgrades

1. Define the Scope of Work: First, you should clearly define the energy efficiency upgrades, including specific systems or areas to be addressed including lighting, insulation, and HVAC. Your Energy Analysis Report provided by Xcel Energy will contain energy efficiency measures that you can take to improve your building’s energy performance. See a sample report.

2. Establish a Bidding Process: Next, solicit bids from contractors and suppliers. Make sure to specify the qualifications, certifications, and experience required for the bidders. You can utilize Xcel Energy’s Trade Partner Directory and Energize Denver’s Directory of Trained Benchmarking and Service Providers to help you identify skilled professionals in this industry.

3. Select a Contractor: Lastly, review each bid for specific energy efficiency measures to be implemented, estimated costs, anticipated energy savings, and proposed timelines for successful completion. Begin contract negotiations with the selected contractor.

Ensure Benchmarking Data and Targets are Correct 

• Verify that your benchmarking data is correct.
• Be sure to account for energy used by EV chargers, swimming pools, and parking lots.
• Apply for a Target Adjustment, if needed. 

Communicate with Condo Owners 

• Set up a message board and/or send email updates to communicate the building's effort to meet its performance targets.
• Encourage owners and residents to adopt energy-saving behaviors. 

Evaluate Energy Reduction Opportunities 

• Xcel Energy offers free energy assessments to multifamily buildings.
• If you need an ASHRAE Level 2 audit to apply for an alternate compliance option, see the Energize Denver vendor directory for a list of vendors trained on the performance requirements. 

Consider Electrification 

• If your upgrade plan includes replacing space or water heating and cooling equipment, check out Denver’s Commercial Building Equipment Rebates.
• You can also get a 10% electrification bonus on your 2030 target if your building is more than 80% electrified! 

Set a Strategy To Meet Your Targets 

• Identify a mix of energy reduction measures and renewable energy purchases to implement. Use our performance forecasting calculator to assist with calculations.
• If your upgrades won’t be completed in time to meet a deadline, apply for a timeline adjustment. See pages 21-24 of our technical guidance for details. 

Arrange Financing 

• Determine what combination of rebates, tax credits, and special assessments will be used to finance your energy reduction projects. See Resources from Partner Organizations. 

Contract and Implement 

• Find contractors to complete your energy reduction projects.
• See Xcel Energy's directory of trade partners for the multifamily efficiency program. 

Monitor and Verify 

• Monitor your benchmarking to ensure you are on track to hit your targets. Execute operations and management plans.
• Complete third-party data verification for benchmarking reports for interim and final target evaluation years. 

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Platforms  

The use of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) is a best practice for general building operations and maintenance and goes a long way toward creating an efficient, high-performing building. High-quality CMMS constantly and consistently analyze equipment and systems for signs of trouble, including the use of additional energy.  

Further, newer buildings and newly completed renovations will be handed over to building owners and operators through the Construction-Operations Building information exchange (COBie) and many properties are beginning to use COBie-coded data for their existing buildings. The Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) describes COBie as follows: 

COBie is a performance-based specification for facility asset information delivery. Two types of assets are included in COBie: equipment and spaces. While manufacturer data for installed products and equipment may one day be directly available (via the SPie project), COBie helps the project team organize electronic submittals approved during design and construction and deliver a consolidated electronic O&M manual with little or no additional effort. COBie data may then be imported directly into CMMS and asset management software, again at no cost. The PDF, drawing, and building information model files that accompany COBie are organized so that they can be easily accessed through the secure server directories already in place at the facility management office. The federal government's requirement for delivery of Real Property Inventory (RPI) information may be met by COBie. 

While the technical details of COBie can appear complex. COBie files are not intended for end-users. COBie provides system-to-system exchange of the space and equipment information without user intervention. Consider COBie and similar "information exchange" projects to be a kind of "ASCII for buildings." Today, people don't need to know ASCII to use a web browser, email system, word processor, or other software; the words just come along because of ASCII. In the same way, once we have achieved COBie everywhere, only a very few programmers will need to give COBie a second thought.

Notably, the use of COBie has increased in recent years. It is now an open standard available in more than 30 “off-the-shelf” CMMS and building software systems. The relatively new electronic standard has exceptional promise for increasing building efficiency from both a manpower and energy perspective.  

As WDBG notes:   

“Even if a CMMS is used, mechanics need to search for information in these paper boxes to complete many of their jobs. Over time such documents are moved or lost which increases the cost to complete O&M activities and potentially increasing downtime of mission-critical facilities. A 2011 study predicted that 8% of the annual maintenance budget could be saved if open-standard electronic information were available to the technicians before starting complex work orders. Such savings could allow man-years of additional work towards backlogs or needed renovations. During the life of a project the owner collects and recollects information again and again, transcribing and then losing the same information over and over.”

A Culture of Efficiency 

Building an Internal Culture/10 Steps to Operational Efficiency  

Perhaps more important than COBie, CMMS, or any software or electronic standard is building a company culture focused on energy efficiency. This will ultimately save property owners and operators money and significantly lessen the burden of compliance.  

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) provides “10 Steps to Operational Efficiency.” These 10 steps can be useful for everyone from the most sophisticated building operation backed by a highly sophisticated CMMS and all systems coded in COBie to an incredibly small operation with little to no budget for O&M technology. They are listed below: 

Reactive, Proactive, and Predictive Maintenance 

A critical component of building a culture of O&M efficiency is identifying the best maintenance approach to suit the property’s needs. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s BetterBricks program describes maintenance strategic planning as follows: 

There are three general approaches to maintenance management: reactive, preventive, and predictive. Evaluate the current approach and adopt a maintenance strategy that best supports the long-term O&M plan. 

• Reactive. This is the "run it until it breaks" approach. In the short run, this saves staff time and expense but over time it is costly in terms of unplanned equipment downtime, repairs, and shorter equipment life.
• Preventive. Preventive maintenance (PM) occurs at time intervals or at run-hour milestones. Because HVAC equipment is capital intensive, this is more cost-effective than reactive maintenance.
• Predictive. This approach uses periodic measurements to detect evidence that machinery is deteriorating, with the aim of extending service life by avoiding impending problems. Special diagnostic equipment, which requires additional staff training, is needed, but it will maximize equipment life and efficiency. 

Most organizations use a combination of reactive and preventive maintenance with or without maintenance-service contractors. Generally, the most cost-effective solution is a combination of preventive and predictive maintenance that appropriately balances prevention and repair. 

Machines and systems will still stop working at times, so reactive maintenance will always be a necessity. However, the proactive approaches of preventative and predictive maintenance improve building efficiency and reduce costs, both in terms of energy consumption and the cost of downed equipment. 

Preventative Maintenance 

The backbone of a preventative maintenance strategy is essentially a checklist. It may come in virtual form through the CMMS or be a simple hard copy, but a checklist of preventative maintenance procedures remains essential.  

A checklist offers preventative maintenance guidance on key building and building systems components. A list of potential checkpoints is included below: 

• Fans (Supply, Exhaust, Return)(Belt or Shaft Driven)
• Variable Air Volume Terminal Units
• Heating and Ventilation Units
• Unit Heaters
• Pumps
• Heat Exchanger
• Cabinet Unit Heaters
• Unit Ventilators
• Packaged Units
• Steam-Powered Domestic Hot Water Heater
• Pressure Reducing Valves
• Split System Air Conditioners
• Window Air Conditioning Units
• Air Compressors
• Air Dryers
• Expansion Tanks
• Absorption Chillers
• Centrifugal Water-Cooled Chillers
• Reciprocating Air-Cooled Chillers
• Cooling Towers
• Gas-Fired Domestic Hot Water Heater
• Vacuum Pump Units
• Steam Boilers
• Water Boilers
• Submersible Pumps (Sump/Ejector)
• Steam Radiators
• Steam Traps
• Emergency Diesel Generator 

Predictive and Condition-Based Maintenance  

The CMMS systems of today often incorporate predictive maintenance into their general platform or additional predictive maintenance software can be integrated within the CMMS. Organizations will want to analyze the systems and machines on their properties to assess their need for predictive maintenance and then employ conditions-based monitoring practices where needed throughout the building.  

A CMMS provider describes “condition-based monitoring” as follows:  

Condition-based monitoring is a key step in the process and it works on the assumption that all machines will deteriorate and fail partially or fully at some point. Therefore, the goal is to preempt these failures by placing various monitoring sensors on the assets. From there, the data is collected, analyzed, and used to create predictive failure algorithms, which inform your maintenance actions. 
 
There are a wide variety of sensors available including (but not limited to):

• Thermometers
• Tachometers
• Endoscopes
• Thermal cameras
• Leak detectors
• Accelerometers 

Notably, an organization could simply employ a condition-based maintenance plan, compared to a full predictive maintenance plan. Condition-based maintenance remains superior to only preventative and reactive maintenance, but it only provides data on the condition of various assets whereas predictive maintenance analyzes the data to create predictive algorithms.  

Examining the Whole Building and Identifying Key Components for Energy Efficiency  

As organizations seek to improve energy efficiency through O&M practices, they must examine all aspects of the building. While there are many ways to define the systems and subsystems of a building or property, the common divisions are: 

• Structure
• Envelope
• Mechanical
• Interior 

The Role of the Envelope in Energy Efficiency 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative states, “The building envelope, which includes the walls, windows, roof, and foundation, forms the primary thermal barrier between the interior and exterior environments. With envelope technologies accounting for approximately 30% of the primary energy consumed in residential and commercial buildings, it plays a key role in determining levels of comfort, natural lighting, ventilation, and how much energy is required to heat and cool a building.” 

While it is easy to think of the envelope as more of a design issue, there are many operational and maintenance components of the envelope to ensure a building is operating at maximum efficiency. The key components of the envelope related to operations and maintenance are as follows: 

• Doors
• Façade
• Insulation
• Roof
• Seals/Leaks
• Windows 

Numerous experts and consultants indicate it is critical to examine the building envelope before making any significant investments in internal system upgrades. As one engineering consulting firm states, “If you are planning an HVAC upgrade, consider a building envelope inspection first. When there are insulation issues and air leaks, even the most efficient HVAC units in the market waste energy. By optimizing the building envelope first, you can then upgrade to more efficient equipment of a smaller capacity.” 

In its Journal marketing periodical, Hoffman Architects offers more information on “Heat Loss in Winter” due to operational issues with the envelope.

The Better Buildings Initiative has numerous events, webinars, and papers regarding maintaining and upgrading the building envelope. The Initiative’s web section devoted to the building envelope is available online.  

Building Systems and System Components 

It is impossible to cover all the mechanical and interior systems, machines, and issues that may arise for all buildings in Denver. However, the following section offers guideline, tips, and suggestions for improving the efficiency of several common components of buildings and building systems in the City. 

Boilers 

Boilers are a critical component of most HVAC systems in the city. There are three main boiler types—fire-tube boilers, water-tube boilers, and electric boilers—and there is a fair amount of variation across products. However, there are several best practices regardless of boiler type or its specifications.  The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors lists the following as General Requirements for a Safe and Efficient Boiler Room:   

1. Keep the boiler room clean and clear of all unnecessary items. The boiler room should not be considered an all-purpose storage area. The burner requires proper air circulation in order to prevent incomplete fuel combustion. Use boiler operating log sheets, maintenance records, and the production of carbon monoxide. The boiler room is for the boiler!
2. Ensure that all personnel who operate or maintain the boiler room are properly trained on all equipment, controls, safety devices, and up-to-date operating procedures.
3. Before start-up, ensure that the boiler room is free of all potentially dangerous situations, like flammable materials, mechanical, or physical damage to the boiler or related equipment. Clear intakes and exhaust vents; check for deterioration and possible leaks.
4. Ensure a thorough inspection by a properly qualified inspector.
5. After any extensive repair or new installation of equipment, make sure a qualified boiler inspector re-inspects the entire system.
6. Monitor all new equipment closely until safety and efficiency are demonstrated.
7. Use boiler operating log sheets, maintenance records, and manufacturer’s recommendations to establish a preventive maintenance schedule based on operating conditions, past maintenance, repair, and replacement that were performed on the equipment.
8. Establish a checklist for proper startup and shutdown of boilers and all related equipment according to manufacturer’s recommendations.
9. Observe equipment extensively before allowing an automating operation system to be used with minimal supervision.
10. Establish a periodic preventive maintenance and safety program that follows manufacturer’s recommendations 

Additional measures to optimize the safety, operations, and efficiency of a property’s boilers may be specific to the equipment and/or the building’s CMMS programming. However, as the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) notes, fire-side and water-side maintenance procedures are extremely low-cost ways to promote efficiency and optimization and “should be part of the Operations and Maintenance Program of the building.” FEMP describes fire-side and water-side maintenance for boilers as follows: 

Fire-side Cleaning and Maintenance Program. Fire-side cleaning consists of manually cleaning the particulates that accumulate on the fire side of the boiler. Reducing the residue on the fire side of the boiler increases the amount of heat that gets absorbed into the water, and helps maintain proper emissions from the boiler. Some particulate accumulation is normal for continuously operating boilers, but excessive fire side residue can be an indication of failed internal components that are expelling unburned fuel into the combustion chamber, causing excess sooting. Excess sooting can also be the result of incomplete combustion due to inadequate excess air.  

Water-side Cleaning and Maintenance Program. Hot water boilers are usually closed loop systems, therefore the boiler water is treated before it enters the boiler and piping, and does not require any additional chemicals or daily water treatment tests. Steam boilers on the other hand, lose steam due to a variety of circumstances and therefore require additional water to maintain consistent water levels. Boiler water-side maintenance for steam boilers consists of maintaining “soft water” for the feed-water and eliminating as much dissolved oxygen as possible. The first requires daily chemical monitoring and treatment of the feed-water. The presence of “hard-water” can create a “scale” buildup on the pipes. Once built up, the scale acts as an insulator and inhibits heat transfer into the boiler water. This creates excess heat in the combustion chamber that gets vented with the exhaust gases rather than absorbing into the process water. 

The EPA has also published several “rules of thumb” for boiler efficiency improvements: 

• Boiler Rule 1. Effective boiler load management techniques, such as operating on high fire settings or installing smaller boilers, can save over 7% of a typical facility’s total energy use with an average simple payback of less than 2 years.
• Boiler Rule 2. Load management measures, including optimal matching of boiler size and boiler load, can save as much as 50% of a boiler’s fuel use.
• Boiler Rule 3. An upgraded boiler maintenance program including optimizing air-to-fuel ratio, burner maintenance, and tube cleaning, can save about 2% of a facility’s total energy use with an average simply payback of 5 months.
• Boiler Rule 4. A comprehensive tune-up with precision testing equipment to detect and correct excess air losses, smoking, unburned fuel losses, sooting, and high stack temperatures can result in boiler fuel savings of 2% to 20%.
• Boiler Rule 5. A 3% decrease in flue gas O2 typically produces boiler fuel savings of 2%.
• Boiler Rule 6. Every 40°F reduction in net stack temperature (outlet temperature minus inlet combustion air temperature is estimated to save 1% to 2% of a boiler’s fuel use.
• Boiler Rule 7. Removing a 1/32 inch deposit on boiler heat transfer surfaces can decrease a boiler’s fuel use by 2%; removal of a 1/8 inch deposit can decrease boiler fuel use by over 8%.
• Boiler Rule 8. For every 11°F that the entering feedwater temperature is increased, the boiler’s fuel use is reduced by 1% 

Steam Traps 

The three major categories of steam traps are 1) mechanical, 2) thermostatic, and 3) thermodynamic. In addition, some steam traps combine characteristics of more than one of these basic categories. 

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) published a list of General Requirements for Safe and Efficient Operation of Steam Traps.

1. Every operating area should have a program to routinely check steam traps for proper operation. Testing frequency depends on local experiences but should at least occur yearly.
2. All traps should be numbered and locations mapped for easier testing and record-keeping. Trap supply and return lines should be noted to simplify isolation and repair.
3. Maintenance and operational personnel should be adequately trained in trap testing techniques. Where ultrasonic testing is needed, specially trained personnel should be used.
4. High maintenance priority should be given to the repair or maintenance of failed traps. Attention to such a timely maintenance procedure can reduce failures to 3% to 5% or less. A failed open trap can mean steam losses of 50 to 100 lb/hr.
5. All traps in closed systems should have atmospheric vents so that trap operation can be visually checked. If trap headers are not equipped with these, they should be modified.
6. Proper trap design should be selected for each specific application. Inverted bucket traps may be preferred over thermostatic and thermodynamic-type traps for certain applications.
7. It is important to be able to observe the discharge from traps through the header. Although several different techniques can be used, the most foolproof method for testing traps is observation.
8. Without proper training, ultrasonic, acoustical, and pyrometric test methods can lead to erroneous conclusions. Traps should be properly sized for the expected condensate load. Improper sizing can cause steam losses, freezing, and mechanical failures.
9. Condensate collection systems should be properly designed to minimize frozen and/or premature trap failures. Condensate piping should be sized to accommodate 10% of the traps failing to open. 

Chillers

There are three types of chillers: mechanical chillers, absorption chillers, and electric centrifugal chillers. The U.S. Department of Energy offers the following best practices for maximizing chiller efficiency: 

• Raise chilled water temperature: The energy input required for any liquid chiller (mechanical compression or absorption) increases as the temperature lift between the evaporator and the condenser increases. Raising the chilled water temperature will cause a corresponding increase in the evaporator temperature and thus, decrease the required temperature lift. 
• Reduce condenser water temperature: The effect of reducing condenser water temperature is very similar to that of raising the chilled water temperature, namely reducing the temperature lift that must be supplied by the chiller. 
• Reducing scale or fouling: The heat transfer surfaces in chillers tends to collect various mineral and sludge deposits from the water that is circulated through them. Any buildup insulates the tubes in the heat exchanger causing a decrease in heat exchanger efficiency and thus, requiring a large temperature difference between the water and the refrigerant. 
• Purge air from condenser: Air trapped in the condenser causes an increased pressure at the compressor discharge. This results in increased compressor horsepower. The result has the same effect as scale buildup in the condenser. 
• Maintain adequate condenser water flow: Most chillers include a filter in the condenser water line to remove material picked up in the cooling tower. Blockage in this filter at higher loads will cause an increase in condenser refrigerant temperature due to poor heat transfer. 
• Reducing auxiliary power requirements: The total energy cost of producing chilled water is not limited to the cost of operating the chiller itself. Cooling tower fans, condenser water circulating pumps, and chilled water circulating pumps must also be included. Reduce these requirements as much as possible.
• Use variable speed drive on centrifugal chillers: Centrifugal chillers are typically driven by fixed speed electric motors. Practical capacity reduction may be achieved with speed reductions, which in turn requires a combination of speed control and pre-rotation vanes. 
• Compressor changeouts: In many installations, energy saving measures have reduced demand to the point that existing chillers are tremendously oversized, forcing the chiller to operate at greatly reduced loads even during peak demand times. This causes a number of problems including surging and poor efficiency. Replacing the compressor and motor drive to more closely match the observed load can alleviate these problems. 
• Use free cooling: Cooling is often required even when outside temperatures drop below the minimum condenser water temperature. If outside air temperature is low enough, the chiller should be shut off and outside air used. If cooling cannot be done with outside air, a chiller bypass can be used to produce chilled water without the use of a chiller. 
• Operate chillers at peak efficiency: Plants having two or more chillers can save energy by load management such that each chiller is operated to obtain combined peak efficiency. An example of this is the use of a combination of reciprocating and centrifugal compressor chillers. 
• Heat recovery systems: Heat recovery systems extract heat from the chilled liquid and reject some of that heat, plus the energy of compression, to warm water circuit for reheat and cooling. 
• Use absorption chilling for peak shaving: In installations where the electricity demand curve is dominated by the demand for chilled water, absorption chillers can be used to reduce the overall electricity demand. 
• Replace absorption chillers with electric drive centrifugals: Typical absorption chillers require approximately 1.6 Btu of thermal energy delivered to the chiller to remove 1 Btu of energy from the chilled water. Modern electric drive centrifugal chillers require only 0.2 Btu of electrical energy to remove 1 Btu of energy from the chilled water (0.7 kw/ton). 
• Thermal storage: The storage of ice for later use is an increasing attractive option since cooling is required virtually year-round in many large buildings across the country. Because of utility demand charges, it is more economical to provide the cooling source during non-air conditioning periods and tap it when air conditioning is needed, especially peak periods. 

Cooling Towers 

There are two types cooling towers: open or direct cooling towers and closed or indirect cooling towers. DOE lists the following general requirements for safe and efficient cooling towers: 

1. Safe access around the cooling tower, including all points where inspection and maintenance activities occur. 
2. Fall protection around inspection and maintenance surfaces, such as the top of the cooling tower.
3. Lockout of fan motor and circulating pumps during inspection and maintenance. 
4. Protection of workers from exposure to biological and chemical hazards within the cooling water system. 
5. Cooling tower location must prevent cooling tower discharge air from entering the fresh air intake ducts of any building. 
6. When starting the tower, inspect and remove any accumulated debris. 
7. Balance waterflow following the tower manufacturer’s procedure to ensure even distribution of hot water to all areas of the fill. Poorly distributed water can lead to air bypass through the fill and loss of tower performance. 
8. Follow your water treating company’s recommendations regarding chemical addition during startup and continued operation of the cooling system. Galvanized steel cooling towers require special passivation procedures during the first weeks of operation to prevent “white rust.” 
9. Before starting the fan motor, check the tightness and alignment of drive belts, tightness of mechanical holddown bolts, oil level in gear reducer drive systems, and alignment of couplings. Rotate the fan by hand and ensure that blades clear all points of the fan shroud. 
10. The motor control system is designed to start and stop the fan to maintain return cold water temperature. The fan motor must start and stop no more frequently than four to five times per hour to prevent motor overheating. 
11. Blowdown water rate from the cooling tower should be adjusted to maintain between two to four concentrations of dissolved solids. 

Additionally, DOE outlines the following operations and maintenance opportunities with chillers: 

• From an operational perspective, the blowdown losses represent the most significant water conservation opportunity. To maximize efficiency potential, calculate and understand your “cycles of concentration.” Check the ratio of conductivity of blowdown and make-up water. Work with your cooling tower water treatment specialist to maximize the cycles of concentration. Many systems operate at 2 to 4 cycles of concentration, while 6 cycles or more may be possible. Increasing your cycles from 3 to 6 will reduce cooling tower make-up water by 20 percent, and cooling tower blowdown by 50 percent. The actual number of cycles you can carry will depend on your make-up water quality and cooling tower water treatment regimen. Depending on your make-up water, treatment programs may include corrosion and scaling inhibitors, along with biological fouling inhibitors. 
• Install a conductivity controller to automatically control your blowdown. Working with your water treatment specialist, determine the maximum cycles of concentration you can safely achieve, and the resulting conductivity (typically measured as microSiemens per centimeter, uS/cm). A conductivity controller can continuously measure the conductivity of the cooling tower water and discharge water only when the conductivity set point is exceeded. 
• Install flow meters on make-up and blowdown lines. Check the ratio of make-up flow to blowdown flow. Then check the ratio of conductivity of blowdown water and the make-up water (you can use a handheld conductivity meter if your tower is not equipped with permanent meters). These ratios should match your target cycles of concentration. If both ratios are not about the same, check the tower for leaks or other unauthorized draw-off. If you are not maintaining target cycles of concentration, check system components, including conductivity controller, make-up water fill valve, and blowdown valve.
• Read conductivity and flow meters regularly to quickly identify problems. Keep a log of makeup and blowdown quantities, conductivity, and cycles of concentration. Monitor trends to spot deterioration in performance. 
• Consider using acid treatment such as sulfuric, hydrochloric, or ascorbic acid, where appropriate. When added to recirculating water, acid can improve the efficiency of a cooling system by controlling the scale buildup potential from mineral deposits. Acid treatment lowers the pH of the water, and is effective in converting a portion of the alkalinity (bicarbonate and carbonate), a primary constituent of scale formation, into more readily soluble forms. Make sure that workers are fully trained in the proper handling of acids. Also note that acid overdoses can severely damage a cooling system. The use a timer or continuous pH monitoring via instrumentation should be employed. Additionally, it is important to add acid at a point where the flow of water promotes rapid mixing and distribution. Be aware that lowering pH may mean you may have to add a corrosion inhibitor. 
• Select your water treatment vendor with care. Tell vendors that water efficiency is a high priority and ask them to estimate the quantities and costs of treatment chemicals, volumes of blowdown water and the expected cycles of concentration ratio. Keep in mind that some vendors may be reluctant to improve water efficiency because it means the facility will purchase fewer chemicals. In some cases, saving on chemicals can outweigh the savings on water costs. Vendors should be selected based on “cost to treat 1,000 gallons make-up water” and highest “recommended system water cycle of concentration.” 

Air Handling Systems 

The components of most air handling systems include fans, ductwork, damper assemblies, heating and cooling coils (or elements), and associated sensors. Most air handling systems fall into one of two categories: constant air volume and variable air volume.  

Additionally, the control of air handling systems is generally handled by the CMMS. However, there are additional measures to consider beyond system controls to achieve maximum efficiency. Several options are listed below: 

• Filters. Air filters play a critical role in maintaining indoor air quality and protecting the downstream components of the system from dirt that reduces equipment efficiency. In the worst case, dirty filters can result in supply air bypassing the filter and depositing dirt on the heating/cooling coils rather than on the filter. This results in dirty coils, poor heat transfer, and general inefficiency. In addition to the efficiency penalty, cleaning a dirty coil is far more difficult and labor intensive than replacing filters 
  • As a rule, sites should routinely change filters based on either the pressure drop across the filter, calendar scheduling, or visual inspection. Scheduled intervals should be between one and six months, depending on the dirt loading from indoor and outdoor air. Measuring the pressure drop across the filter is the most reliable way to assess filter condition. In facilities with regular and predictable dirt loading, measuring the pressure drop across the filter can be used to establish the proper filter-changing interval; thereafter, filter changes can be routinely scheduled. Refer to manufacturer’s data for the recommendations of pressure drop across specific filters.
• Coil Cleaning. Hot water and chilled water coils in HVAC systems tend to accumulate dirt and debris, similarly to HVAC filters. As dirt and debris accumulates, it inhibits the heat transferred from the working fluid to the air stream, thus reducing the efficiency of the HVAC system. Much like HVAC filters, the scheduled intervals between cleanings is a function of the dirt loading across the coil and is primarily a function of how much dirt is in the ambient air and what has bypassed the filter. Based on the site’s periodic inspections, the given facility should develop appropriate cleaning schedules for all of the hot water and chilled water coils. 
• Damper Operation. There are a number of potential faults HVAC dampers may be subject to. These include dampers stuck open or closed, dampers manually positioned (i.e., mechanically fixed in a position using wire, boards, etc.), dampers with missing vanes, or dampers operating with poor seals.  

Fans 

ASHRAE defines a fan as follows: “[An] air pump that creates a pressure difference and causes airflow. The impeller does the work on the air, imparting to it both static and kinetic energy, varying proportion depending on the fan type.” 

Fans are often an afterthought in terms of efficiency, but they can play a key role. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) provides Fan System Operational-Efficiency Considerations: 

• Use smooth, well-rounded air inlet cones for fan air intake 
• Avoid poor flow distribution at the fan inlet 
• Minimize fan inlet and outlet obstructions 
• Clean screens, filters and fan blades regularly 
• Minimize fan speed 
• Use low slip or flat belts for power transmission 
• Check belt tension regularly 
• Use variable speed drives for large variable fan loads 
• Use energy-efficient motors for continuous or near continuous operation 
• Eliminate leaks in ductwork 
• Minimize bends in ductwork 
• Turn fans and blowers off when not needed 
• Reduce the fan speed by pulley diameter modifications in case of oversized motors 
• Adopt inlet guide vanes in place of discharge damper control 
• Reduce transmission losses by using energy-efficient flat belts or cogged raw-edged V-belts instead of conventional V-belt systems 
• Ensure proper alignment between drive and driven system 
• Ensure proper power supply quality to the motor drive 
• Regularly check for vibration trend to predict any incipient failures like bearing damage 

Pumps

There are numerous pumps throughout a building system with a variety of names dependent upon their function. However, there are two major groups of pumps: dynamic pumps and positive displacement pumps.  

Pumps are another overlooked, but critical part, of maximizing efficiency. DOE states:

“Pumps frequently are asked to operate far off their best efficiency point, or are perched atop unstable base-plates, or are run under moderate to severe misalignment conditions, or, having been lubricated at the factory, are not given another drop of lubricant until the bearings seize and vibrate to the point where bolts come loose. When the unit finally stops pumping, new parts are thrown on the machine and the deterioration process starts all over again, with no conjecture as to why the failure occurred. 

Proper maintenance is vital to achieving top pump efficiency expected life. Additionally, because pumps are a vital part of many HVAC and process applications, their efficiency directly affects the efficiency of other system components. For example, an improperly sized pump can impact critical flow rates to equipment whose efficiency is based on these flow rates–a chiller is a good example of this.” 

The Federal Energy Management Program offers the following Large Horsepower (25 horsepower and above) Pump Efficiency Survey: 

Actions are given in decreasing potential for efficiency improvement:  

1. Excessive pump maintenance – this is often associated with one of the following: 
   1. Oversized pumps that are heavily throttled.
   2. Pumps in cavitation. 
   3. Badly worn pumps. 
   4. Pumps that are misapplied for the present operation. 
2. Any pump system with large flow or pressure variations. When normal flows or pressures are less than 75% of their maximum, energy is probably being wasted from excessive throttling, large bypass flows, or operation of unneeded pumps. 
3. Bypassed flow, either from a control system or deadhead protection orifices, is wasted energy. 
4. Throttled control valves. The pressure drop across a control valve represents wasted energy, that is proportional to the pressure drop and flow. 
5. Fixed throttle operation. Pumps throttled at a constant head and flow indicate excess capacity. 
6. Noisy pumps or valves. A noisy pump generally indicates cavitation from heavy throttling or excess flow. Noisy control valves or bypass valves usually mean a higher pressure drop with a corresponding high energy loss. 
7. A multiple pump system. Energy is commonly lost from bypassing excess capacity, running unneeded pumps, maintaining excess pressure, or having as large flow increment between pumps. 
8. Changes from design conditions. Changes in plant operating conditions (expansions, shutdowns, etc.) can cause pumps that were previously well applied to operate at reduced efficiency. 
9. A low-flow, high-pressure user. Such users may require operation of the entire system at high pressure. 
10. Pumps with known overcapacity. Overcapacity wastes energy because more flow is pumped at a higher pressure than required. 

Lighting Systems 

Lighting systems continue to improve with a focus on energy efficiency, but also continue to be a source of wasted energy. Lighting advancements, both in terms of equipment and controls, seem to be on a continual path toward increased efficiency, so this is an area where retrofitting and recommissioning happens (and should happen) on a regular basis. The savings from relatively low-cost changes in lighting are almost always worth it.  

An obvious area for change is in lightbulbs and other lighting equipment. This is an area for constant review and upgrades as the savings of such a change often quickly pays for itself.  

A property’s CMMS may play a significant role in lighting controls and will likely have a series of toggles to meet the building’s needs. However, regardless of whether the CMMS is involved, property owners and managers should look toward lighting controls that keep tenants satisfied while minimizing energy usage.  

DOE indicates a “proactive, planned maintenance program” for lighting systems can maximize operational efficiency and minimize the need for constant changes in lightbulbs, etc. The agency lists the following components of a proactive approach for lighting system maintenance:  

• Cleaning of lamps, luminaries, and room surfaces at regular intervals 
• Group relamping on a scheduled basis of all luminaires in an area, with spot relamping in between. One cleaning can be performed in conjunction with relamping 
• Inspection and repair of lighting equipment at regular intervals 
• Inspection and re-calibration of lighting controls at regular intervals 
• Re-evaluation of lighting system and potential upgrades. An upgrade may replace a group relamping cycle. 

Controls and Sensors 

Since the invention of the thermostat in the 19th century, building owners and users have been trying to use sensors and controls to improve air flow, increase efficiency, and improve building operations. In spite of a variety of barriers, the Internet of Things has increased development of systems and controls for building operations in recent years. As DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy reports in its Innovations in Sensors and Controls for Building Energy Management:  

Subsequent development of wireless and network communication, open communication protocols, digital equipment operation, and cloud-based systems have been enabled through advancements in computing and allowed for embedding additional intelligence into control systems, including integration across loads and remote operation. A wide array of sensors (e.g., temperature, airflow, daylight levels) can now be used to monitor operating conditions. These measurements are then processed by device controllers to initiate the appropriate action (e.g., adjust temperature, airflow, light) through the corresponding actuators (e.g., dampers). 

The report explains commercial buildings have lagged behind other sectors in adopting automation in facility systems and controls for a variety of legitimate reasons. However, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy indicates the use of building automation systems is increasing and will continue to increase for the foreseeable future: 

Within the buildings sector, sensors and meters monitor and detect changes in variables affecting occupant comfort, as well as building performance and equipment operations such as energy and power consumption; temperature; light; occupancy and vacancy; indoor air quality and gas concentration levels (e.g., humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds); air, water, and other liquid flow and leakages (e.g., refrigerants). According to Navigant Research (2016), the market for advanced sensors in intelligent buildings was $1.2 billion in 2016 and is expected to double to $3.2 billion in 2025. Building controls, consisting of algorithms and computer logic, respond to input(s) from monitoring technologies to change environmental or operating conditions of building equipment loads or systems (e.g., lighting, windows and shading, ventilation) through a combination of controller devices and actuators. Overall, a control system consists of sensor packages with transducers to measure changes to the variable of interest, controllers to receive communication about these changes from the transducers and calculate the appropriate response, and actuators to transmit the output signal from the controllers to initiate changes in the controlled devices. Control systems with multiple devices and loads that need to be coordinated can consist of different configurations or architectures. Specifically, they can either operate with a single centralized controller or with smaller distributed nodes that coordinate across neighboring devices and that react autonomously to detected changes in their local environment.  

The variation of systems and building types and uses of these automated systems renders a detailed discussion of each of their component parts not terribly helpful in the context of this document. However, it is important to be aware of each of the components of modernized building automation systems. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy identifies them as follows: 

• Sensor networks
• Network communications
• Occupancy sensing
• Metering
• Fault detection and diagnostics
• Building energy modeling
• Control architectures
• Interoperability 

Building automation systems (BAS) are clearly becoming a critical part of building operations and will help drive efficiency efforts going forward. DOE expects significant energy savings as a result of the increased adoption and improvement of BAS.

This resource is based upon content originally developed by the Institute for Market Transformation in collaboration with AOBA Education for the Building Innovation Hub, with funding and support provided by the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy & Environment. 

Leasing energy-efficient space can benefit employee productivity, retention, and sales. This is often due to

• Improved thermal comfort
• More natural daylight
• Simply residing in a healthy building

Choosing the right building is the critical first step for any tenant looking to unlock these benefits. Before signing a lease, consider these best practices. They will help you find the right building and foster a sustainable relationship with potential landlords.

See Good/Better/Best Practices(PDF, 161KB)

Site Selection: 

• Build a Team with Expertise. Select a leasing broker who understands the value of leasing energy efficient space. They should also be knowledgeable about the market for high-performance buildings.

Read Pre-Lease: The Project Initiation Guide  

• Request energy performance information. Ask for the building’s ENERGY STAR® score or previous utility bills. This will help you understand potential energy costs and determine if the site is suitable for your sustainability goals.

See Green Leasing Questionnaire for Tenants 

• Submeter tenant spaces. This allows both the tenant and landlord access to energy performance data, which can
  • Lead to a transparent and collaborative relationship
  • Help drive energy efficiency projects
  • Ensure tenants are only billed for their actual energy use
  • Help overcome the split incentive
  • Ensure that the lease includes a clause about sharing energy use information between tenant and landlord. This can help both parties with Energize Denver benchmarking requirements.  
• Communicate efficiency requirements early. After narrowing down the initial options, the site selection team will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP). A broker will submit the RFP to the property manager or landlord. The RFP should clearly state your sustainability priorities and energy efficiency goals. This will communicate your organization’s goals and needs to potential landlords.  

Sustainable Build-out Ideas 

The build-out or tenant improvement period will often define the efficiency of a space. Decisions you make during this period will have an effect on energy consumption, such as:

• Lighting
• Plug loads
• Other equipment

We recommend that you establishing build-out guidelines that take into consideration energy efficiency. This can lead to reduced occupancy costs and improved employee health and productivity.

See Build-Out Fact Sheets for Offices 

Once in place, you should communicate these guidelines with

• Landlords
• Designers
• Architects
• Space planners.

This will enable greater energy efficiency. 

• Energy Modeling. Work with architects, designers, and space planners to plan the energy efficiency measures you plan to install. Then estimate the energy you will save once those measures are in place.

See an Energy Model Report Template

• Lighting and Controls. High-efficiency lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy consumption by 30- 60%. Combine this with controls such as occupancy sensors, timers, or daylight sensors to increase energy savings even more. 
• Daylighting. Effective daylighting can improve employee productivity and health. It can also reduce lighting energy consumption by 20-80%. You can use a variety of design strategies to maximize daylighting including:
  • Thoughtful office design layout
  • Low wall partitions
  • Films that increase solar distribution but decrease solar heat gain
  • Window shades on the lower portions of the windows
• ENERGY STAR® Appliances and Equipment. ENERGY STAR® certified appliances and equipment are highly energy efficient. They often use 10-40% less energy than standard efficiency models.

Example Lease Clauses

Other Resources

Landlords and Property Managers benefit when they add smart leasing to their business practices. Smart leasing can lead to

• Reduced utility and operating costs
• Increased tenant satisfaction and retention
• Benefits to your bottom line 

Smart leasing practices:

• The IMT Green Lease Leaders program can help you change your leasing practices. 
• Promote the energy-efficient features of your property to the market, including
  • Your building's ENERGY STAR® score
  • Energy Efficiency upgrades you have made
  • Progress towards Energize Denver performance requirements
• Set efficiency standards for leased spaces with requirements for annual energy data sharing. Communicate your criteria and the benefits to prospective tenants.
• During build-out, submeter your tenant spaces. This can increase transparency and provide data that can help with energy-efficiency improvements.

Read the Guide to Office Building Build-Out

• Engage with your tenants to provide ideas for efficient operations and behavior change.  
• Install, check, and improve energy management practices throughout building operations. This will help establish consistency in achieving efficiency goals. 

Example Energy Management Rules for Leases:  

Landlords must communicate energy management best practices with tenants and property teams. This will help you:

• Achieve energy efficiency goals
• Promote high-performance building standards
• Establish ongoing evaluation and improvement of these practices

This list of best practices will help you develop your own rules and regulations:

• Align HVAC Hours with Business Hours. This will reduce heating and cooling unoccupied space. Tenants can request HVAC operation after hours if need be. Additionally, consider first- or last-hour setbacks to reduce HVAC operating hours. For example, reduce operations at 4 p.m. if the building is empty by 5 p.m. 
• Daytime Cleaning. Schedule janitorial work to occur during regular business hours. This will help cut heating, cooling, and lighting the building after hours.  
• Lighting and Controls. Upgrade to LED lighting throughout common areas and tenant spaces. You can often time this to happen during tenant turnover. LEDs use at least 75% less energy and last 35 to 50 times longer than incandescent lighting. Occupancy sensors, timers, and daylighting sensors can enhance energy savings.  
• Ongoing Maintenance and Retro-Commissioning. Establish a cycle of inspecting and optimizing building systems and equipment. Conduct retro-commissioning to maintain efficient building energy performance through the seasons. Preventative maintenance can:
  • Reduce energy bills and costly breakdowns
  • Ensure a quality environment for building occupants.
• Plug load management. Take measures to reduce the plug load throughout the space. Plug-in equipment accounts for about 30% of total energy use, such as:
  • Appliances
  • Fans
  • Coffee makers
  • Printers
  • Computers
    • Putting computers to sleep when inactive can save up to $50 per computer every year! 

Example Lease Clauses

Other Resources