Blog | December 2, 2015 by Jeannette LeZaks
All eyes on climate change
Leaders from around the world have convened in Paris this week to develop multilateral solutions for combating climate change. Potentially game-changing in scope, many are hoping that the 21st Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will result in binding agreements to curb greenhouse gas emissions and keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius. More
Publication | November 30, 2015 by
Performance of water-source variable refrigerant flow: measurement and verification of two installed systems
Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems have developed into a promising emerging technology. While popular in some places in the world, these systems are quite new to the upper Midwest. The systems are an innovative version of a simple split system air conditioner that utilizes variable speed compressors, multiple zone refrigerant distribution, heat recovery, and low energy fan coils to cool and heat commercial buildings more efficiently than standard split systems and heat pumps. More
Blog | November 16, 2015 by Marge Anderson
There is work to be done, so we do it: the power of love and servant leadership
As 25,000+ leaders in sustainable building gather in Washington, D.C. this week, I've been reflecting on my role as Chair of the USGBC Board of Directors and also Slipstream's role in the green building movement. More
Publication | November 1, 2015 by
When above average is not good enough: results from a study of high-energy-using homes in Minnesota
Article by Jeannette LeZaks and Ingo Bensch, Home Energy Magazine, Nov/Dec 2015.
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Publication | August 1, 2015 by
Adjusting lighting levels in commercial buildings: energy savings from institutional tuning
Task tuning is one form of lighting control that can be used in commercial buildings to save energy. It involves dimming lights in a space so that the average illuminance at the working plane is appropriate for the type of use in that space.
Task tuning has the potential to save energy without decreasing occupant satisfaction because most commercial spaces, for a variety of reasons, are over lit. With more widespread adoption of dimmable ballasts and LED lighting there are more opportunities to apply this relatively simple-to-implement efficiency measure. More
Publication | July 1, 2015 by
Energy savings from implementing and commissioning demand control ventilation
Demand control ventilation (DCV) systems use sensors—generally either CO2 or occupancy sensors—to estimate the actual number of people in an area and supply only as much ventilation air as is needed at a given time. DCV has the potential to save a substantial portion of building energy use in extreme climates like Minnesota and other areas of the northern U.S. More
Publication | April 1, 2015 by
Implement and commission demand control ventilation to capture significant energy savings
Summary of findings from a field study of DCV system performance.
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Publication | April 1, 2015 by
Adjusting lighting levels in commercial buildings
Summary of findings from task tuning research.
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Publication | March 1, 2015 by
Application of air-source variable refrigerant flow in cold climates: a white paper
This white paper outlines the optimal control strategies for designing and operating air-source VRF systems in cold climates.
Report number: 275-1
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Publication | March 1, 2015 by
High performance refrigeration cases
Grocery stores use a significant amount of refrigerated equipment including display cases, walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. This refrigeration equipment accounts for roughly 60 percent of grocery store electricity consumption. Due to this high electric demand, a typical grocery store’s average energy costs are higher than almost all other building types at $4.00 per square foot (Bendewald, 2013).
There are several technologies that can be applied to refrigerated display cases to improve their energy performance. These include: More