Blog | October 5, 2018 by Elizabeth Schroeder
It's #EEDay2018!
Today marks America’s third annual Energy Efficiency Day! Energy Efficiency Day is a collaborative effort between businesses, utilities, government agencies, and individuals working to promote the benefits of energy efficiency! Already, more than 300 organizations have signed on as official supporters. Want to help us extend our reach even further? Read on for five easy ways to celebrate and get involved. More
Blog | September 15, 2018 by Jeannette LeZaks
How do we engage small businesses in deeper energy savings? Slipstream research team finds out
Are lighting savings the best we can do for small business customers? Slipstream research says no. Our research team dug into the Minnesota small business market and found diverse savings opportunities. These savings will help Minnesota programs pilot holistic savings in small buildings. Slipstream can build these measures into the design of our own small business offerings. More
News | September 11, 2018 by Kimberly Johnston
Slipstream Launches Supply Chain Sustainability Tracking System
Wisconsin Manufacturer, Inpro, First to Onboard
Following its mission, to champion and deliver innovative energy initiatives that produce enduring economic and environmental benefits for all, Slipstream developed a tool to support the tracking of sustainability efforts for businesses and their supply chain. Slipstream’s Sustainability Tracking System (STS) provides a customizable solution to assist businesses with sustainability planning and reporting. More
Blog | September 11, 2018 by Scott Hackel
Building systems integration: trends, complications and where we’re headed
A couple of years ago, my team conducted a research project investigating how to reduce the energy use of office plug loads. Among the solutions we tested, one option was a power strip with an occupancy sensor. It shut off your monitors and other gadgets when you were away from your desk. Many buildings we investigated also had occupancy sensors controlling the lighting in the same office space. One of the offices we tested had yet a third occupancy sensor network – and CO2 sensors to control the HVAC system in some spaces. More
Blog | August 23, 2018 by Steve Kihm
Increasing risk can reduce regret-- Implications for energy policy
On the path to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, we will have to make decisions that have uncertain outcomes. In other words, they involve risk. Newer technologies might not work well—or they might work better than expected. Customers might not embrace home automation—or they might use it in ways we haven’t even imagined. More
Blog | August 9, 2018 by Steve Kihm
Investor value creation, utility stock prices and clean energy policy
If regulators want to steer utility investment toward renewable, sustainable resources, and away from carbon-emitting types, they can apply basic investor value creation concepts when implementing policy. The key consideration is the size of the gap between two rates of return: (1) the profit rate utilities earn, and (2) the minimum threshold return that investors require. More
Blog | August 1, 2018 by Alyssa Spiel and Elizabeth Schroeder
Understanding Your Home's Systems
Humans have been building homes for thousands of years. However, until fairly recently, we didn’t have the knowledge or technology to understand their inner workings. A home is much more than a simple structure; when it doesn’t work properly, materials and energy are wasted, occupants can feel uncomfortable, and conditions can even be unsafe or unhealthy. More
Publication | June 13, 2018 by
Persistence of savings from retro-commissioning Measures: A field study of past ComEd retro-commissioning projects
Slipstream’s field study found that programs that add retro-commissioning (RCx) can recapture energy savings that are lost as buildings age. Our report outlines triggers to identify the most promising targets for RCx and the important role training can play.
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Publication | June 13, 2018 by Saranya Gunasingh and Joe Zhou and Scott Hackel
Persistence of Savings from Retro-Commissioning Measures
Commissioning and retro-commissioning (RCx) are critical in propelling building performance—but what happens once retro-commissioning is complete? Do the energy savings continue long after installation? And why do some buildings see long-lasting results, while others don't? We set off to answer these questions and more through a comprehensive study of the persistence of energy savings. More
Publication | April 30, 2018 by
Small Embedded Data Centers in Wisconsin: A market characterization study
The characterization study was comprised of both primary and secondary research. We reviewed studies germane to this project, interviewed Focus on Energy program staff and a select group of IT equipment distributors, surveyed a sample of Wisconsin businesses and conducted a limited number of SEDC site visits. We used the results from the survey of Wisconsin businesses and data gleaned from our literature review to quantify the potential for energy savings from measures targeting SEDCs. More