| Because energy efficient construction is the | | | | lighting, causing further energy inefficiency by raising |
| construction of the future, it is often represented in | | | | a building's temperature and making the chiller in its |
| web and print media with photographs of newly | | | | HVAC system use more electricity. |
| constructed "green" buildings. However, companies | | | | HVAC systems contain three elements that are |
| that provide energy efficient construction do a | | | | commonly targeted for energy efficient retrofit: boiler |
| sizable amount of their business by retrofitting | | | | system, chiller system and air handler system. In |
| already existing buildings with energy efficient | | | | older HVAC systems, the chiller and air distribution |
| solutions. Because a commercial building's interior | | | | fans are often oversized for the size of the building |
| lighting and HVAC systems comprise 40 to 60 and 30 | | | | that they serve, meaning that they use the |
| percent of its annual electrical usage, respectively, an | | | | excessive electricity without producing enhanced |
| efficient retrofit plan commonly focuses on optimizing | | | | results. Thus, achieving a significant reduction in |
| lighting and HVAC elements to offer the greatest | | | | electrical costs by retrofitting HVAC can be as simple |
| bottom line results. | | | | as replacing larger elements with smaller ones, with |
| When a company retrofits its old lighting system, it | | | | research showing that reducing the size of distribution |
| can usually expect to achieve a 50 percent annual | | | | fans can cut an air distribution system's power usage |
| reduction in electrical cost that results from interior | | | | by 50 percent. In the case of boilers, replacing an |
| lighting; a sizable sum for companies that occupy | | | | inefficient boiler with a high efficiency boiler can |
| large office buildings, run manufacturing plants or | | | | reduce boiler power usage by 30 percent. |
| have multiple buildings at one location. Once an | | | | Perhaps the biggest reason why most companies |
| energy-efficiency consultant records a building's | | | | don't become serious about efficient construction is |
| lighting data, retrofitting recommendations are based | | | | that they only see the upfront cost and not the |
| on the company's goal and objectives as set forth in | | | | long-term cost savings. While a consummate |
| an initial meeting with the consultant. Two forms of | | | | retrofitting plan will cost some money, most efficient |
| inefficient lighting that are commonly replaced are | | | | solutions can be expected to paying for their |
| metal halide lighting and older T-12 fluorescent lighting. | | | | implementation price within two years. Ultimately, |
| Once in place, the new lighting system may be | | | | energy inefficiency doesn't just give you a large |
| connected to automatic dimmers that regulate | | | | energy bill; it eats away at your bottom line year |
| brightness according to natural lighting and work | | | | after year. And in a financial climate where product |
| shifts. | | | | and employee cutbacks are the norm, how nice |
| In addition to wasting electricity, old lighting systems | | | | would it be to cut your energy costs instead of your |
| commonly produce more heat than energy efficient | | | | products and the people who helped make them? |