Your Building is Wasting Money

Energy Star, the energy audit experts, say that buildings account for 50% of the energy used in the US. The unfortunate fact is that $0.30 of every dollar spent on expenditure is lost through inefficiencies. About 30% of the energy used in big buildings is lost. Older buildings are especially prone to energy leakages.

How big buildings waste energy

• Poor energy controls

Most buildings with several sectors consuming different energy cannot tell which sector is consuming how much energy. This is due to the lack of sub-metering. This also means that people working in those buildings cannot see the direct correlation between their activities and energy use. Wasteful habits are common which include leaving the lights on at night, leaving computers and other machines on stand-by, and unnecessary use of hot water taps.

• Inefficient HVAC working

No matter how efficient a HVAC system is rated, there are things that invalidate this high efficiency. It is common to see people switching on the AC while the windows are open, or while direct sunlight is still coming into the room. Gaps in the buildings structure also leak in cold air making the heater work harder than it should. Clogged filters also require the HVAC to work harder to move the air.

• Old elevators

Old hydraulic type elevators that are over 20 years old had bigger motors that worked slower. The motors had a power rating of 50 HP unlike modern elevators that have smaller but more powerful motors. The higher horsepower rating of the hydraulic elevators is lost through inefficiencies.

How to save energy and money in buildings

• Shading systems

Intelligent blinds can be installed to give shade automatically according to the glare of sunlight. This reduces the working load of the HVAC.

• Intelligent lighting

Good lighting controls can utilize daylight and artificial lighting more efficiently. Lights come and vary in intensity depending on the brightness of daylight. Wall switch dimmers can also be installed in areas with a lot of natural lighting. Dimmers have been shown to reduce power consumption by bulbs as much as 50% while extending their lifetimes.

• Occupancy sensors

These sensors turn off the power when the area they cover is not occupied. These sensors work well for areas that are infrequently used like storage rooms, conference rooms and the restrooms.

• Load controls

Plug load controls help eliminate vampire power draws in working areas. They will cut off power to machines on stand-by mode when these areas are not occupied.

Doing an energy audit is the surest way of identifying how a big building is losing energy and the correct remedies for these leakages.