Commercial Recommendations
RETAIL STORES
Energy Use
Sales floors are the most energy-intensive areas in retail buildings, so they
are the focus here. Of course, most retail stores also include warehouse space
and some office space, so users should go to those topics for further
recommendations. Lighting is the highest energy user in retail spaces (40%),
which also contributes to the cooling load. HVAC systems typically account for
35% of energy use and plug loads about 22%. Domestic hot water only consumes
about 3%.
Customers are good for business, and “people load” contributes to space
heating in winter. However, since people contribute both heat and moisture, the
cooling system must work to maintain a comfortable environment during the
shoulder months and summer. The challenge is to maintain an attractive,
comfortable environment while limiting energy use and peak demand.
Many retails spaces are leased from building owners who are not enthusiastic
about improving the energy efficiency of their property when tenants are paying
the energy bills. However, it is frequently possible to persuade landlords to
make energy-saving improvements a part of long-term lease agreements since these
not only improve the property but also save money and make the space more
attractive to present and future tenants. Indeed, such measures as lighting
retrofits are often good investments by tenants even in the absence of landlord
contributions.
Measures that are frequently found to be cost-effective include the
following:
Lighting
- Replace T-12 fluorescent fixtures with T- 8 or T-5 fixtures with
electronic ballasts. Bulbs with good color rendering properties for displaying
merchandise are widely available.
- Use higher-efficiency spots and floods for illuminating merchandise.
Incandescent and halogen lighting is quite inefficient and both produce
objectionable heat. In many cases they can be replaced by compact fluorescent
fixtures that provide better illumination, are much more efficient, and last
from 4 to 10 times longer than incandescent and halogen fixtures.
- Incorporate skylights and photocell controls. In many retail designs,
standard 4-foot by 8-foot bubble skylights are used. Usually, a
skylight-to-floor area ratio of 1:25 balances daylight with space conditioning
requirements. Energy savings and enhanced sales can both result.
- Install and adjust automatic dimming controls to take advantage of
daylighting.
- Install LED exit signs.
- Upgrade parking lot lighting to save energy and reduce environmental
impacts.
Find a list of ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL bulbs at
www.energystar.gov/ia/products/prod_lists/cfl_prod_list.pdf.
A list of ENERGY STAR-qualified LED exit signs can be
found at
www.energystar.gov/ia/products/prod_lists/exit_signs_prod_list.pdf.
| Utah Power has organized a Lighting Energy
Efficiency Alliance, whose members are vendors,
contractors, or distributors involved in promoting
energy-efficient lighting. The link below will
connect you to Utah Power’s lighting vendor list on
the Utah Power website. This vendor list is updated
on a regular basis.
|
HVAC
- Install a demand-controlled ventilation system. When only a few people are
in a store, energy can be saved by decreasing the amount of ventilation
supplied by the HVAC system. A demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) system
senses the level of carbon dioxide in the return air stream and uses it as an
indicator of occupancy. DCV can save energy during peak cooling periods when
many shoppers are at work and occupancy is low.
- Choose high-efficiency packaged A/C units listed by the Consortium for
Energy Efficiency in their Tier 2 guidelines (http://www.cee1.org/com/hecac/ac_tiers/impcttbl.htm).
- Install variable air volume air handling systems with variable speed
drives.
- Downsize to a new high-efficiency chiller in conjunction with lighting and
other retrofits.
- Use condensing boilers with large turn-down ratios whose efficiencies
improve with turn-down.
- Switch over to direct digital controls.
- Install premium-efficiency motors.
- Upgrade the energy management system; optimize settings to reflect usage,
respond to changing weather patterns, and control peak electric loads.
- Continuously commission the building.
The Consortium for Energy Efficiency designates
specifications for high-efficiency commercial packaged
air conditioning equipment and maintains a database of
qualifying products at
www.cee1.org.
| Utah Power has organized an HVAC Energy
Efficiency Alliance, whose members are vendors,
contractors, or distributors involved in promoting
energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning equipment. The link below will connect
you to Utah Power’s HVAC vendor list on the Utah
Power website. This vendor list is updated on a
regular basis.
|
Building Envelope
- Install high-efficiency glazing carefully chosen for each building
facade’s relation to the sun and other variables. When installing new glazing,
choose a product that has high transmission in the visible spectrum (to
enhance daylighting within and view from inside and out) but low transmission
in the infrared (low solar heat gain coefficient, SHGC) to enhance energy
performance during the cooling season.
- Install overhangs to limit direct beam sunlight coming in store windows.
- Install insulation in strategic locations.
- Undertake strategic air sealing, including duct work.
- Install an ENERGY STAR cool roof.
Learn more on the
Building Envelope Energy Efficiency Measures page.
Plug Loads
- Use low-energy sleep functions on computers, printers, and copiers.
- Choose ENERGY STAR appliances.
Details on office equipment that meet ENERGY STAR
criteria for energy efficiency are available at
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=ofc_equip.pr_office_equipment.
Employee
- Ensure building maintenance and cleaning staff are enthusiastic about
savings and adopt work habits that support energy efficiency.
- Involve all employees in energy savings efforts, provide efficiency
education for work and home, and encourage employee suggestions on energy
savings opportunities.
Benchmarking
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
Department of Energy through the ENERGY STAR® Program
have developed an energy performance benchmarking
tool. The tool enables building owners to evaluate
the energy performance of their buildings on a scale of
1-100 relative to similar buildings nationwide. The
rating system accounts for the impacts of year-to-year
weather variations, as well as building size, location,
and several operating characteristics. Buildings rating
75 or greater qualify for the ENERGY STAR label.
Eligible space types, representing over 50% of U.S.
commercial floor space, include:
- Offices (general offices, financial centers, bank
branches, and courthouses)
- K-12 Schools
- Hospitals (acute care and children's)
- Hotels and Motels
- Medical Offices
- Supermarkets
- Residence Halls
- Warehouses (refrigerated and non-refrigerated)
For further information or to download the
performance benchmarking tool, see
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=evaluate_performance.bus_announcing. Assistance
Utah Power has a host of programs targeted to
meeting its customer’s energy efficiency needs. Visit
the
Utah Power profile page by
clicking here. |
