if ENERGY took the spotlight...

Photo courtesy of Arkansas Electric Energy Law

Did you know that at Farnsworth Group we have an entire team dedicated to energy?  We have Energy Engineers, Certified Energy Managers, Certified Energy Auditors and even a spare International Groundsource Heat Pump Association member or two.  [In fact we’re looking to hire a new team member. Our commissioning agents perform energy audits, and retro-commissioning is often about ensuring that energy usage is in-line with expectations.

Not to get all statistical, but there are some interesting statistics about energy:

• 40% of total U.S. energy consumption in 2012 was consumed in residential and commercial buildings, or about 40 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu).¹
• In 2010, the United States’ primary energy consumption was nearly 98 quadrillion Btu, nearly 19% of world total primary energy consumption.² 
• The amount of energy Americans use doubles every 20 years.³

Maybe these statistics indicate that energy usage requires some careful consideration.

Recently we combined with a team from Atkins to complete Sustainable Infrastructure Assessments on nine installations for the U.S. Air Force.  Our team is tasked with conducting assessments of the current buildings and energy usage and produce lists of project-ready recommendations for smarter energy consumption.  The project is taking the expertise of a large internal team to conduct the site visits, calculations, evaluations and report writing necessary to ensure that the Air Force can make some informed decisions about changes.

We have also recently worked with Los Alamos County to conduct energy audits of 16 buildings within the county’s portfolio.  Our team identified more than $99,148 in annual savings through identified Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs).

Farnsworth Group has also served on several General Services Administration projects to help identify energy savings.  Sometimes we even team with local energy providers to help “energy hogs” identify smarter ways to use energy.  This can mean infrastructure upgrades (systems or HVAC units), but often it’s the application of smart technology and heating and cooling a facility only when it’s needed.

What Can You Do
There isn’t anything easier than turning off the light when you’re not using it; but the projects above point to simple lessons in your personal energy usage.  One of the things you can do is set back your thermostat when you’re not at home.  Additionally, your energy provider may have some tips on conserving energy at home and at work.  Consider searching your provider’s website right now.  Rebate programs are abundant – maybe you want to put some money back in your pocket and make a difference – one Btu at a time.

Here are a few more random facts about energy!

Cited Sources
¹          U.S Energy Information Administration, What is Energy:  Energy Basics, http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=about_home-basics, September 2013.
²          U.S Energy Information Administration, What is Energy:  Energy Basics, http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=about_home-basics, September 2013.
³          Royston, Angela. 2009. Sustainable Energy. Mankato, MN: Arcturus Publishing Limited via http://facts.randomhistory.com/energy-facts.html.

Green Your Home for Summer

 
Although some parts of the country are unfortunately still seeing snow, for most spring has finally sprung!  As you begin your spring cleaning chores, this is a great opportunity to discover new ways to help save energy (and money) during the upcoming hot summer months.  Many of these strategies are simple, economical and will reduce your energy consumption all season.

Ensure that your electronic devices, like computers, are placed at least a couple feet away from your air conditioner’s thermostat. These devices often produce extra heat that your thermostat can detect, causing the air conditioner to run longer than needed.

Your oven and stove produce a large amount of heat when cooking.  Grilling outside, microwaving your meals or using a toaster oven reduces the amount heat produced in your kitchen at dinnertime. 

Rethink: What Are Buildings For Anyway?

We have private companies building spacecraft, sexy little electric cars, computers smaller than your favorite book…and yet building control has remained fairly stagnant.  However, current technology inherently has tremendous growth potential for building controls to conserve energy.

Imagine something as simple as an app that tells you when a building is generating more energy than it is using and turns on your EV charger, or other energy using systems.  Now take it to the next step and utilize trend data to predict the energy projection and use for a given day along with estimated energy costs.  That is where we’re heading – integrated project teams leveraging Building Information Modeling (BIM) throughout design and construction phases have helped move the industry towards net zero energy use.

Energy modeling tools and capabilities are bringing us towards efficient performance and proper system designs.  To maximize implementation, water management and ongoing financial incentives are hopefully around the corner.  Rethinking how the end user occupies a building and the role buildings play in each of our lives goes beyond design and gets to the heart of owner and end-user requirements.

Having a true understanding of the end-use allows a design team to maximize the efficiency of the space and energy using components.

The Farnsworth Group team is utilizing the learned skills and latest technologies to create and implement net zero energy goals at Fort Carson, Colorado.  Find out more about the team, goals, and technologies used by visiting our Energy Portfolio.