Energy in Transition
Solving the energy trilemma
Moving from Oil lamps to LEDs: Right-Sizing your Lighting Program to your Market
As a lighting consultant for DNV GL I am frequently asked "what is the next big thing after LED?" While this is a worthy question, it is disconnected from the reality of the current lighting market. A 2015 study by the Department of Energy found that ...
The Trajectory to Net Zero Energy Buildings through Utility-Enhanced Energy Efficiency
In January 2008 the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) published its ASHRAE Vision 2020: Providing tools by 2020 that enable the building community to produce market-viable NZEBs (Net Zero Energy Build ...
Decoding the future of LEED®
Yesterday I was working with a client on LEED certification for a new building planned for Redwood City, California. He made the comment that there is little need for LEED here in California, where the CalGreen building code requires new buildings t ...
Future-proofing buildings – Part 2: Why LEED is not enough
This author no longer works for DNV GL. In Part 1 of Future-proofing buildings, we described the three primary drivers that should motivate building owners to address resiliency at the facility level: cost to insure, cost to operate and business c ...
How can you increase property values with green features?
Are you a commercial building owner wondering how to increase your property value? Thanks to the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the Appraisal Institute, there is a new resource to help you understand how to maximize your property value ...
Can energy efficiency unlock the gridlock in Congress?
The traffic in Washington DC is reflective of the pace of legislative action on Capitol Hill--slow moving with little result. Yet, on March 5th, the House of Representatives passed the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014 (HR 2126) on a bipartis ...
LEED v4 Lexicon: Additions to your green building dictionary
LEED version 4 was approved back in June 2013 with an overwhelming approval from the member ballot. The updates represent the most significant change in LEED's 13 year history. With brand new credit categories, a complete overhaul of the Materials an ...
Top 5 Tips: What building owners should look for in a commissioning authority
Many building owners come to commissioning somewhat begrudgingly. Whether the requirement is local code or a decision by upper management to pursue the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, ...
First net-zero energy and LEED Platinum commercial office building in San Diego
This author no longer works for DNV GL. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu highlighted building energy efficiency in his address on U.S. innovation and competitiveness in clean energy, last week, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. DPR Con ...