NAESCO Newsletter
Second Quarter 2010
- Interview with Ogi Kavazovic of OPOWER
Advocacy
- NAESCO Advocacy Report
NAESCO's advocacy work continues to expand to ensure that the
growing number of energy efficiency initiatives across the
country are cost-effective, sustainable, and offer new
opportunities for ESCOs and other NAESCO members.
New Members
NAESCO welcomes the following new members:
Upcoming Events
-
Southeast Regional Meeting
September 23, 2010
Westin Hotel, Charlotte, NC
-
Improving Your RFP Evaluation Scores Webinar Series
Webinar #1: July
21, 2010, 2:30pm EST
Webinar #2: July 23, 2010, 11:00am EST
Webinar
#3: July 26, 2010, 2:30pm EST
- NAESCO's 27th Annual Conference
November 9-10, 2010
Arizona Biltmore
Hotel, Phoenix, AZ
To exhibit or sponsor,
click here.
For a full list of all NAESCO Member News,
please
click here.
Featured Articles
Interview with Ogi Kavazovic of OPOWER
Ogi Kavazovic, Senior Director of Marketing and Strategy for
OPOWER is responsible for developing and coordinating the company's
overall marketing approach.
Can you give me some background on
OPOWER?
OPOWER is energy efficiency and Smart Grid software company that
helps utilities meet their efficiency goals through customer
engagement. Using behavioral science and data analytics, the OPOWER
platform enables utilities to connect with their customers in a
highly targeted fashion, motivating reductions in energy use and
increased utility program participation.
At the Energy Efficiency Global
Forum & Exposition, Adam Laskey, President and Founder of OPOWER
indicated that OPOWER's advanced customer engagement products are
motivating customers to make behavioral changes in regards to energy
efficiency; does OPOWER have data to support this assertion?
Yes we do. We brought to life this concept of behavior based energy
efficiency. We have found a way to message and measure people's
energy usage which is a tremendous development. In terms of our
ability to change behavior, we have abundant evidence. We have 15
live contracts right now and every month we measure the impact of
that program. Before we deploy our Home Energy Reporting program in
a new region, we randomly divide households into two groups with
statistically equivalent demographic profiles and past consumption
patterns. Both groups are exposed to the same local weather, energy
prices, and economic environment. The only statistically meaningful
difference between the groups is that the test group receives Home
Energy Reports while the control group does not. We use baseline
data to identify a test and control group with statistically
equivalent usage patterns and histories. We then measure program
impact against a group of nonparticipating homes to control for
external factors that affect energy use. Finally, we measure energy
use across thousands of households, over different lengths of time,
to increase the statistical precision of our results. The data shows
a 2-3% reduction in energy use among the customers receiving energy
reports.
Has OPOWER seen an increase of
energy efficiency retrofits among your customer base?
Specifically with retrofits, we don't have hard data but we hope to
soon. We drive changes in behavior; one is the daily habit kind like
changing your thermostat setting etc. The second phase of changes
involves taking the people that have been diligent in reducing their
energy to participate in utility programs and get energy audits. We
have hard data that we have driven up program participation in
utility programs by 30%.
Looking through your web site, it
appears your products are geared more towards homeowners-does your
customer base include buildings as well? Do you see OPOWER expanding
their presence in that market?
Currently we are focused on the residential market and small
businesses. In doing so we have been able to engage millions of
people and change the way they use energy.
Back to Top
NAESCO Updates
Advocacy
During the first five months of 2010, NAESCO concentrated its
advocacy efforts on federal government energy efficiency
initiatives, the emerging federal climate and energy legislation,
and on the development of two major proposals to US DOE that, if
funded, would significantly enhance the growth of the ESCO industry.
FEDERAL
At the federal level we have been working on the issues
surrounding the implementation of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, the inclusion of new funding for energy
efficiency in the upcoming Jobs Bill and the development of energy
and climate legislation.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
The ARRA, better known as the stimulus bill, appropriated more
than $20 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy
programs, as well as another $20 billion of potential tax credits.
The $20 billion of appropriations is supposed to be spent very
quickly, with all funds contractually obligated in the next two
years. To date, the implementation of ARRA by the US Department of
Energy (DOE) is lagging. DOE reports that it has paid out about 12%
($4 billion of the authorized $32.7 billion) of its ARRA funding.
The "authorized" figure does not include the Loan Guarantee program,
another $4 billion. (www.energy.gov/recovery/)
Drilling down further to the programs that are administered by the
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the figures
are $16.8 billion authorized and $1.5 billion spent (about 9%).
NAESCO recently presented a webinar on
the ARRA funding for energy efficiency. The webinar recording can be
found on the
NAESCO website.
NAESCO ARRA Advocacy Activities
NAESCO has been working with the National Save Energy Coalition,
which consists of hundreds of environmental and energy efficiency
groups, industry trade associations and major companies to try to
accelerate the implementation of the ARRA programs. The Coalition is
in regular contact with White House and US DOE officials to push the
resolution of the issues that are holding up the expenditure of SEP
and EECBG grant funds.
NAESCO also served as part of a small "SWAT Team" convened by US
DOE to address the implementation of revolving loan funds and other
financing plans that are elements of many SEP and EECBG plans.
According to DOE, approximately $1 billion of the available grant
funds will be devoted to revolving loan funds, most of which will be
administered by government agencies with little or no relevant
experience. The SWAT Team assembled guidance documents and best
practices program guides that are distributed to the grantees
through the US DOE website and a series of webinars that are
scheduled on a weekly basis. One of the two major focuses of the
SWAT Team is to ensure that the loan funds will able to work
efficiently with public building ESPC projects. NAESCO is
concentrating its work in this area. The documents and downloadable
versions of the past webinars are available on the
US DOE website.
NAESCO is also part of a consortium that submitted proposals to
US DOE in the competitive EECBG program described above. We won one
of the proposals - in the Southeast - and are now waiting for the
program sponsors to conclude their contract negotiations with US DOE
and start program implementation. NAESCO's role will be to
accelerate the use of ESPC in the region through a series of
training sessions for public officials and potential ESPC customers.
The Jobs Bill
The Congress is now working on a set of smaller stimulus bills,
which are currently called the Jobs Bills. There is a lot of
maneuvering about the composition of the bills, which include
extensions of tax credits (such as energy efficiency for new home
construction) as well as the extension of unemployment benefits. One
component of the bill will apparently be a residential program
called Home STAR, which has been dubbed "Cash for Caulkers."
President Obama has embraced the program concept for its populist
appeal (every voter can participate). Manufacturers and big box
stores that sell insulation and equipment to homeowners are
supporters. Home STAR passed the House in early May as an
authorization bill (no funding). It has been reintroduced in the
Senate by a bi-partisan coalition. NAESCO has been working with two
national coalitions to ensure that companion legislation called
Building STAR will provide rebate and enhanced tax incentives for
the commercial and industrial sectors. That bill has now been
introduced in the House. Both Home STAR and Building STAR are
confronting a major issue, which in Washington jargon is called the
"pay-fors," as in where does the $12 billion funding required by the
two bills come from? The latest news is that the Home STAR bill may
be attached to a pending "Small Business" legislative package, on
the grounds that most of the contractors that implement residential
energy efficiency projects are very small businesses.
Federal Energy and Climate Legislation
The third major federal initiative combines two initiatives that had
previously been separate: national energy efficiency and renewable
energy resource standards (EERS and RES) and a national greenhouse
gas emissions reductions policy (GHG). The House of Representatives
passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) a
year ago on a very close vote. The Senate has been considering its
version of comprehensive energy and climate legislation for about
eighteen months. The first component, the American Clean Energy
Leadership Act (S. 1462, or ACELA), passed the Senate Energy and
Natural Resources Committee last June with bi-partisan support.
ACELA contains no climate change or cap-and-trade provisions,
because they are under the jurisdiction of the Environment and
Public Works Committee. Senator Boxer (Chair of EPW) and Senator
Kerry released their draft bill, the Clean Energy Jobs and American
Power Act (CEJAPA or the Kerry-Boxer Bill) in late September 2009
and passed the bill out of Committee without debate because the
Republican members of the Committee boycotted the Committee
meetings.
Shortly after the Committee action on the Kerry-Boxer Bill,
Senator Kerry announced that he would work with Senator Graham
(R-SC) and Senator Lieberman (I-CT) to draft a compromise bill that
can draw broad bi-partisan support. After some months of work,
Senator Graham dropped his sponsorship because of a dispute with
Senate leadership over the legislative calendar and because the Gulf
oil spill makes the enactment this year of enhanced off-shore
drilling provisions, a major part of the compromise crafted by
Senator Graham, highly unlikely. In mid-May 2010 Senators Kerry and
Lieberman circulated draft bill language, but have not introduced a
bill. The Kerry-Lieberman draft picks up several of the key concepts
of the CLEAR bill (described below). A summary of the draft language
is contained in the
National Save Energy Coalition Webinar in which NAESCO was a
presenter.
Senators Cantwell (D-WA) and Collins (R-ME) introduced a third
bill in late December 2009. Their bill, which is entitled Carbon
Limits and Energy for American Renewal (CLEAR) has many of the same
GHG reduction goals as the Waxman-Markey and Kerry-Boxer bills, but
has a much simpler enforcement mechanism. Instead of the elaborate
emissions allocations formulas in Waxman-Markey and Kerry-Boxer, the
Cantwell-Collins bill would auction all allowances. About 75% of the
auction proceeds would be returned to consumers as rebates, with the
remaining 25% retained by the Federal government for deficit
reduction. CLEAR would also restrict the market for allowance
trading to about 3,000 entities that actually are subject to carbon
regulation, eliminating what some observers feel would be a wildly
speculative allowance trading market. It is interesting to note that
the CLEAR bill is less than 40 pages long, whereas both the ACES and
the Kerry-Lieberman bills are well over 1,000 pages long.
Click here to view the video that
Senator Cantwell presented at last week's caucus of Democratic
Senators.
Energy Efficiency Policy - RES and EERS
Both ACES and ACELA mandate a number of national energy efficiency
programs, including a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). This
means that utilities must by a date certain procure a mandated
percentage of their energy from renewable sources. ACES mandates 20%
by 2020; ACELA mandates 15% by 2021. In both bills approximately one
quarter of the mandate can be met with energy efficiency. This is
commonly known as an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard or EERS.
NAESCO is part of a national coalition that is exclusively
focused on making a standalone EERS a major provision of the
legislation eventually enacted. Since the energy efficiency
provisions in the ACES and ACELA RES mandates are actually lower
than the Business-as-Usual case (because twenty-two states now have
higher EERS mandates for their utilities), we are asking the Senate
to enact a minimum 10% standalone EERS, independent of whatever they
may decide to do with an RES. It is important to note that the
argument for a strong national EERS is supported by a virtual
blizzard of research reports that document the economic development
and job creation potential of energy efficiency. A recent report
from Georgia Tech and Duke Universities documents the fact that even
in the South, the fastest-growing region of the country; an
aggressive energy efficiency program can eliminate the need for new
power plants for about the next twenty years. See the NAESCO website
for a copy of the study.
NAESCO has recently introduced a new version of an EERS, which we
are calling NEER, which is much more aggressive in pursuit of energy
efficiency resources. NEER would require that 60% of all new
electric system capacity be energy efficiency. We believe that NEER
solves one of the energy and climate change major policy dilemmas -
how to pay for the transformation of our energy system to a
portfolio of Clean Energy resources. As documented in the recent
McKinsey studies, the $680 billion of net benefits produced by a
massive national investment in energy efficiency can cover the cost
of the Clean Energy portfolio for at least the first decade of
carbon reduction.
GHG Reduction Policy - Allowances vs. Rebates
The GHG provisions of the legislation involve the establishment of a
national carbon cap-and-trade system, in which the federal
government issues a limited number of carbon emission allowances (in
effect, permits to emit CO2). The number of allowances is reduced
each year to reach the target level of emissions in a future year.
The first major debate is about how the initial allowances will
be distributed. The Obama administration has proposed that all
allowances be auctioned. Industries (including utilities) that emit
large amounts of CO2 have argued that forcing them to purchase
allowances at auction will deal the economy a body blow, by
increasing the cost of energy, and so they should be granted
allowances at no cost.
The second major debate is about the use of the proceeds from the
allowance auctions. NAESCO and the national coalition are urging
that a substantial portion of the proceeds be invested in energy
efficiency programs, because EE programs produce CO2 emissions at a
negative net cost. Consumer groups and advocates for low-income
ratepayers insist that most of the proceeds should be rebated to
ratepayers. Advocates for utilities and energy intensive industries
would like to see a substantial portion of the proceeds used to help
them defray the cost of implementing emissions reduction
technologies.
The coalitions that include NAESCO are arguing that cap-and-trade
is important because it produces the revenues that can finance
large-scale national EE programs. We are urging that the legislation
mandate that substantial portions of the allowances be used to
finance EE programs.
Media and Messaging
NAESCO is part of the National Save Energy Coalition (NSEC), which
is concentrating on communicating the job creation and economic
development benefits of EE to the Congress and the public. NSEC is
organizing a grassroots campaign of hundreds of energy efficiency
and renewable energy providers to counter the huge national media
campaign, financed by energy producers and utilities, that is
delivering the message that climate change legislation will cripple
the national economy. NAESCO believes that by participating in this
national communications effort we can also help to realize our own
communications goals - to build the national reputation of the ESCO
industry. NSEC holds monthly webinars on the status of federal
legislation. NAESCO is a presenter in all of these webinars.
Stalemate in the Senate
During the first three weeks of June, the leadership in the Senate
attempted without much success to assemble "hybrid" energy and
climate legislation that could be brought to the Senate floor for
debate in mid-July. A ‘hybrid" bill would attempt to combine the
best features of the various bills that have been developed during
the past 18 months.
On June 10, Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) convened the Chairs of
the Senate Committees that have jurisdiction over the various
components of a comprehensive energy and climate bill to see if
there is consensus about a bill that could muster the 60 votes
necessary to stop a Republican filibuster and then pass the Senate.
Apparently there was no consensus.
Also on June 10, Senator Murkowski (R-AK), the ranking Republican
on the Senate Energy Committee brought a motion to the Senate floor
to revoke the EPA's statutory to regulate CO2 as a pollutant. That
motion was defeated, so the EPA is moving ahead with its plans to
impose CO2 emissions regulations on power plants starting in January
2011. That keeps the pressure on the Senate to do something, or else
concede the formulation of national policy to the EPA bureaucracy.
On June 15, President Obama, in his Oval Office address, tried to
breath new life into the climate and energy legislation. Using the
BP oil spill in the gulf as a take-off point, he urged the Congress
to set a new national energy policy that weans the country from its
dependence on petroleum.
On June 17, Majority Leader Reid convened the entire Senate
Democratic caucus to determine if there is a consensus about how to
advance energy and climate legislation. Senators Kerry (D-MA) and
Lieberman (I-CT) presented their discussion draft bill, Senator
Bingaman (D-NM) presented the ACELA bill that passed the energy
committee with bi-partisan support a year ago, and Senator Cantwell
(D-WA) presented the CLEAR bill that she and Senator Collins (R-ME)
introduced last December. The Caucus apparently ran out of time to
discuss the various bills and will re-convene on June 24. In the
meantime, Senate leaders from both parties will meet with President
Obama on June 23 to discuss the prospects for an energy and climate
bill.
While the Democrats were trying to develop their consensus,
Senators Graham (R-SC) and Lugar (R-IN) introduced what they are
calling a Practical Energy Plan. Senator Graham had previously been
part of the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman effort to write a consensus bill,
but pulled out after the BP oil spill made it unlikely that a
comprehensive bill that included expanded offshore drilling would
pass. Senator Lugar, whose principal concern seems to be that the US
is increasingly vulnerable because of its dependence on foreign oil
supplies, had introduced a discussion paper last winter. Their bill
features modest federal funding ($2 billion revolving loan fund) for
EE retrofits of homes and buildings, substantial funding for the
retirement of the dirtiest coal plants, and what they call a Diverse
Energy Standard (as opposed to an RES or EERS), which requires that
utilities acquire an increasing percentage of their supply (50% by
2050) from EE, RE, nuclear, clean coal, natural gas, etc.
Despite the lack of consensus among Democrats about how to move
forward, and the seemingly intractable opposition of many
Republicans to any far-ranging legislation {Representative Barton
(R-TX) even objected to President Obama's demand that BP set aside a
$20B fund to pay the costs of its oil spill}, Majority Leader Reid
continues to say that the Senate will take up debate on an energy
bill on July 12, when Congress returns from its July 4 recess. It
appears that Senator Reid may lead with ACELA, which has bi-partisan
support and perhaps the best chance of garnering 60 votes, and then
permit a smorgasbord of potential amendments once the bill is in
debate.
The NEER Standard
The apparent stalemate in the Senate on climate and energy
legislation has created an opening for NAESCO to advance its NEER
(National Energy Efficiency Resource) Standard, which would require
that all utilities procure a minimum of 60% of new capacity from
energy efficiency. NAESCO has received favorable response to NEER
from a half dozen Senate offices and we are working to rally the
energy and climate advocacy community in Washington behind the
concept, which we think is a simple and workable approach to the
stalemate.
NEER would enable the country to meet its initial CO2 target at a
negative net cost, because energy efficiency more than pays for
itself from energy savings while delivering CO2 reductions as a
no-cost side benefit. NEER would also generate significant net
benefits - about $680 billion according to estimates by McKinsey -
that would help pay for the costs of a portfolio of clean energy
generation including renewables, nuclear, and coal with carbon
sequestration.
See the next article, which introduces the NEER Standard and its
benefits.
Analyses of the American Power Act (Kerry-Lieberman)
Last week, while the Senate Democrats were working to reach a
consensus on the elements of climate and energy legislation, several
organizations released their analyses of the potential environmental
and economic effects of the American Power Act (APA), the leading
contender to be the climate component of a comprehensive bill.
- The EPA analysis shows modest costs to households of $79-146
per year during the next two decades.
- The ClimateWorks analysis, using a model developed by McKinsey,
shows that households would save about $35 per year, the economy
would grow by 440,00 jobs in the next decade and 540,000 between
2020 and 2030, GDP growth would average 2.3% through 2020 and CO2
emissions would be reduced by about 45% (compared to
business-as-usual) by 2030.
- The Peterson Institute analysis shows a net gain of 203,000 jobs
in the years 2011-2030, with an increase in household costs of
$75/year from 2011 to 2020 and a decrease in household costs of
$144/year from 2021 to 2030.
The ACEEE analysis of APA shows household savings of $256/year in
2030, a decrease of 60,000 jobs in 2020 and an increase of 166,000
jobs in 2030. ACEEE also looked at two other scenarios that include
much more EE than APA. Their "Expanded" scenario, which approximates
the NEER Standard, would expand employment by about 373,000 jobs by
2020 and almost 700,000 jobs in 2030, and would yield household
savings of about $81/year in 2020 and $673/year in 2030.
US DOE Proposals
In late April, US DOE announced the availability of $28 million in
competitive grants for state energy offices through a Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA). DOE is soliciting proposals for
programs that will be sustainable and will dramatically change the
market for whole building retrofits in commercial (including MUSH
market) and residential buildings. DOE specifically calls out Energy
Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) as an example of a
sustainable program. NAESCO has worked to assemble two major
proposals.
The first proposal is from a group of seven states (NC, SC, GA,
MS, AZ, NV and UT) that want to use DOE grants to substantially ramp
up their public buildings ESPC programs. NAESCO has teamed on this
proposal with NASEO and the ESC to offer the states a combination of
training, Best Practices ESPC processes and documents, supplemental
funding for staff positions (from DOE) and hands-on assistance in
developing and implementing large projects. The seven states own or
lease a total of about 300 million square feet of public buildings,
which represents a $1.5-$2 billion market for ESPC projects that can
be accelerated with grant funding from US DOE.
The second proposal is from NYSERDA, the New York energy office,
which wants to promote ESPC in Class A office buildings in New York
City. This market segment is a very rich target, but ESCOs have had
very little success in the segment to date. NAESCO and NYSERDA
believe that a combination of factors may allow us to develop a
successful new ESCO business model for this sector. These factors
include a new law that mandates the benchmarking of all large
(>50,000 SF) commercial buildings and the public disclosure of those
benchmarks; energy audits with public disclosure of the results for
those buildings; a large turnover of commercial leases which were
made during the building boom of the late 1990s; and, the pending
refinancing of a large portion of the commercial building portfolio,
with the opportunity to include energy efficiency upgrades in the
new building mortgages. The project strategy is to recruit
interested ESCOs to work with the 20 major commercial real estate
(CRE) owners, and to use the DOE grant to develop marketing
approaches, business models and targeted incentives that ESCOs
cannot afford to develop on their own. We believe that this project,
if successful, can be replicated in the commercial building market
across the country, opening up a major market for ESCOs.
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REGIONAL
The most important regional initiative that NAESCO is working on
is in the Northeast: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
RGGI
RGGI is a prototype of a national carbon cap-and-trade program that
encompasses nine Northeastern states that auction carbon emissions
allowances and invest the auction proceeds in energy efficiency
programs. These RGGI-financed programs are complementary to the
substantial utility and state-administered EE programs in each of
the RGGI states. NAESCO was appointed to the Advisory Committee for
the New York program (approximately 34% of the total RGGI program)
that advises NYSERDA, the program administrator on the composition
of the RGGI program portfolio. So we are getting useful early
experience with the issues that will affect the investment of the
proceeds of a national cap-and-trade program.
NYSERDA's initial program plan, approved last year, budgeted
about $525 million over three years. The draft revised program plan
budget, presented to the Advisory Committee in January, is reduced
to about $301 million because of two factors. The first is that
because of the recession the value of the allowances has dropped
significantly, from $3/tonne to $1.86/tonne. The second is that the
Governor and the Legislature have appropriated $90 million from the
RGGI proceeds to help balance the state budget. Lessons learned are
that the auction proceeds may be volatile during the early years and
that the proceeds are always subject to diversion from energy
programs to other government programs.
On top of these two major adjustments on the revenue side, the
Legislature passed Green New York legislation, which mandates that
about $125 million of the $301 million be spent on residential and
small commercial building EE programs and workforce training. NAESCO
and other members of the Advisory Committee questioned whether this
money could actually be spent effectively, since it is additional to
substantial sums from EECBG, WAP, the NYSERDA and utility
ratepayer-funded programs, and the Home STAR provisions of the
pending Jobs Bill. The answer to our questions was that the Green
Buildings spending mandate is absolute, and not subject to NYSERDA's
judgment as program managers. The lesson learned is that mandates
for the expenditure of auction proceeds or emissions allocations do
not optimize the use of those funds.
To accommodate the Green New York mandate, NYSERDA is proposing
to eliminate a program that NAESCO believes is at the core of the
RGGI concept - a program that solicits competitive bids for
innovative carbon emissions reductions - and to reduce funding for
commercial and industrial building programs. The rationale for
reducing the C/I programs is that that the ARRA SEP funding, which
was not anticipated when the original program plan was approved, is
supplying more money for MUSH market buildings than the RGGI budget
reduction. The elimination of the competitive bidding program is
apparently a trade-off to allow the continuation of several R&D
programs (carbon sequestration and smart grid). It is not clear to
NAESCO, and to other Advisory Committee members, that the research
programs are meaningful, in light of the billions that are being
spent on R&D in these areas across the country. The Advisory
Committee discussion indicated that these research programs are
politically untouchable, despite their questionable value.
NAESCO will now work with other members of the Advisory Committee
to attempt to restore funding to these programs.
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STATES
The news from the states is a mixture of encouraging developments
and significant challenges. Perhaps the most exciting development at
the state level is the flurry of activity related to the receipt and
dissemination of the federal ARRA funding, which will invest about
$11 billion in state and local government EE programs in the next
two years. But while the states and local governments are working on
their ARRA implementation plans, a number of states are instituting
or expanding ratepayer-funded EE programs. Some states in which
NAESCO has been working are highlighted below.
California
On September 24, 2009 the California Public Utilities Commission
approved about $3.1 billion for energy efficiency programs in the
2010-2012 program cycle. This is a major re-affirmation of the
importance of energy efficiency to the future of California's
struggling economy. Meanwhile, the utilities and other stakeholders
continue to wrestle with the final evaluation of the 2006-2008
programs, which will determine the incentive compensation paid to
the utilities for program management. Because of the difficulty of
agreeing on this evaluation, the CPUC has opened a new proceeding to
develop a new EM&V system for the next program cycle, which begins
in 2013. NAESCO is a party to this proceeding, and will participate
in the development of the new system.
Texas
The PUCT is considering a rule change that would significantly
increase the goals for energy efficiency and demand reduction
programs. NAESCO submitted comments in late March urging the PUCT to
increase the goals and to change the basis of the goals from the
current formula (percentage of load growth) to a percentage of
consumption. The new basis would eliminate the volatility in the
current system, in which goals and utility funding has been cut by
the dramatic drop in load growth during the recession.
Massachusetts
The state is approximately doubling its energy efficiency programs,
pursuant to the 2008 Green Communities Act. Utilities have filed
implementation plans. NAESCO is working with the state Division of
Capital Asset Management (DCAM) and the Division of Energy Resources
to stream line the ESPC project development process and to revise
the standard ESPC contract to maximize ESCO participation in Green
Communities and ARRA program implementation.
New York
The Energy Efficiency Performance Standard (EEPS) programs, which
approximately triples EE funding to about $922 million in the
2010-2011 program cycle and puts utilities back into EE program
administration, are now beginning implementation. The PSC approved a
total of 90 programs, 60 of which are in operation, with 23
producing savings. The balance of the programs are starting up this
quarter. NAESCO is participating in the Evaluation Advisory Group,
the successor to the SBC Advisory Group, which is setting program
EM&V standards and protocols. Later in the year, the PSC will
consider the renewal of the Energy $mart program, the main NYSERDA
program that has now been operating for a decade.
North Carolina and South Carolina
Utility regulatory commissions in both states have ordered the
states' major electric utilities - Duke and Progress Energy -- to
implement large new energy efficiency programs. Both state
commissions have rejected Duke's program compensation proposal,
called Save-a-Watt, as advocated by NAESCO and a coalition of energy
and environmental groups. In December, the North Carolina Commission
approved a settlement negotiated by the coalition that preserves the
innovative aspect of the Save-a-Watt compensation plan (allowing
utilities to collect a fraction of the avoided cost of power the EE
programs replace) while reducing and capping the compensation at a
reasonable level. The utility programs are ramping up, and the
legislature is considering a bill that would expand the utility RES,
which includes energy efficiency.
Illinois
The expanded Illinois utility EE programs will start their third
year of implementation in mid-June, with substantially increased
budgets. NAESCO is working with the program managers for the
Commonwealth Edison program to set up meetings with ESCOs to
encourage the development of more comprehensive projects in
commercial buildings. The issue faced by the Illinois program
administrators is the issue NAESCO is trying to address through the
NYSERDA proposal to US DOE described above: how do we develop an
ESPC program model that delivers whole building retrofits in the
commercial real estate market.
Michigan, Ohio, Indiana
These three Midwestern states have begun aggressive utility energy
efficiency programs that illustrate the deficiencies of the proposed
EERS provisions in the pending federal energy and climate
legislation. Instead of the proposed 4-8% federal EERS, for example,
Michigan is mandating a 10% EERS by 2020 and Ohio is mandating a 22%
EERS by 2025.
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New Members
NAESCO welcomes the following new members.
Deltek - Deltek is a leading provider
of enterprise software solutions designed specifically for
project-focused businesses such as ESCOs. For more than two decades
their software applications have enabled organizations to automate
mission-critical business processes around the engagement, execution
and delivery of projects. Deltek provides software solutions that
help companies meet federal & state compliance requirements,
segregate funding sources, and increase profitability on commercial
and public sector projects. Deltek has a complete suite of software
solutions to support each phase of the project lifecycle including
financial management, project accounting, project management, human
resources, operations, business development and business
intelligence/reporting.
Energy Solutions Professionals
- Energy Solutions Professionals (ESP) is a Kansas-owned and based,
full-service energy solutions provider that addresses all aspects of
client energy use through the Energy Efficiency Triad, an approach
that encompasses energy supply, facilities/systems, and human
behavior. We remain product, vendor and commodity independent, and
maintain streamlined operations in an effort to provide exceptional,
cost-effective, value oriented services.
Madico Inc. - Madico Inc has been
developing innovative materials for more than a century. Madico's
cornerstone products consist of a suite of window films designed to
conserve energy, and provide protection and comfort in virtually any
application - view control, commercial and residential energy
control, safety and security, and automotive. The company's award
winning specialty film products have been proven to increase
protection and energy generation in the emerging renewable energy
sectors. Madico's corporate headquarters and manufacturing complex
are located in Woburn, Massachusetts.
San Antonio River Authority - The San
Antonio River Authority (SARA) plans, manages and implements
water-related programs and projects within the San Antonio River
Basin. The State of Texas empowered SARA to preserve, protect and
manage the resources and the ecology of the San Antonio River and
its tributaries.
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Upcoming Events
Southeast Regional Meeting
September 23, 2010
Westin Hotel, Charlotte, NC
Improving Your RFP Evaluation Scores Webinar Series
Webinar #1: July
21, 2010, 2:30pm EST
Webinar #2: July 23, 2010, 11:00am EST
Webinar
#3: July 26, 2010, 2:30pm EST
NAESCO's 27th Annual Conference
November 9-10, 2010
Arizona Biltmore
Hotel, Phoenix, AZ
To exhibit or sponsor,
click here.
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Industry News
Report Finds ESCO Industry Growing
During Downturn In Economy
The U.S. ESCO industry grew at about 7% per year from 2006 to 2008,
reaching total annual revenues of about $4.1 billion in 2008,
according to a recently released report from Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory (LBNL) and NAESCO. Looking ahead, the report
authors estimate that the ESCO industry annual revenues will reach
$7.1-7.3 billion in 2011, representing an average annual growth rate
of 26% per year between 2009 and 2011 as federal, state and local
government performance contracting programs continue to escalate
ESCO market growth.
The report shows that ESCOs continue to thrive in the
public/institutional market in the U.S., which accounted for 84% of
ESCO revenues ($3.4 billion) in 2008. This represents a slight
percentage increase from 2006 when 80% of ESCO revenues ($2.9
billion) were projects in public/institutional market sector.
The report, entitled "A Survey of the U.S. ESCO Industry: Market
Growth and Development from 2008 to 2011" is based on a sample of 44
ESCOs. It examined current revenues by market segment, contract type
and technology; anticipated revenues in the next three years; and,
factors influencing trends in industry costs and savings. Authors of
the report were LBNL researchers Andrew Satchwell, Charles Goldman
and Peter Larsen, as well as NAESCO President Donald Gilligan and
Executive Director Terry E. Singer. The study was funded by the U.S.
Department of Energy.
Click here to download a copy of the report.
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New Report Finds Enhancing Energy
Efficiency Provisions in Pending Energy & Climate Legislation
Will Create Jobs, Save Consumers Money & Reduce Fossil Fuel
Dependence
A report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient
Economy (ACEEE) shows that the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act
(APA) and the Senate Energy Committee's American Clean Energy
Leadership Act (ACELA) could benefit from even stronger energy
efficiency measures to create additional American jobs and consumer
savings. The report shows that by enhancing the energy efficiency
provisions in the legislation, the number of jobs created could
nearly triple, energy savings could quadruple, and consumer savings
could increase by about $200 per household per year. The analysis
found that by 2030, enhancing the energy efficiency provisions in
the two pieces of legislation would increase direct energy savings
from energy efficiency provisions from 5% to 16%, drive up the
number of new jobs created from just over 100,000 to about 360,000,
and increase annual consumer energy bill savings from $256 to $448
per household. ACEEE's enhanced efficiency case included six changes
to APA and ACELA:
- Establishing a 10% Energy Efficiency Resource Standard
(EERS), either separate from, or combined with, a Renewable
Energy Standard (RES).
- Devoting one-third of electric and natural gas utility
allowances to energy efficiency.
- Establishing industrial energy efficiency program funding at
0.25% of emissions allowances until 2030; and the establishment
of a Revolving Loan Fund with 1/3 of the Energy-Intensive,
Trade-Exposed Industries (EITE) allocations.
- Continuing to provide emissions allowances for state energy
efficiency and renewable energy programs through 2030, and
increasing the percentage of emissions allowances to 6%.
- Increasing energy savings in the transportation sector by
targeting Highway Trust Funds and Transportation Investment
grants in APA so that they achieve greenhouse gas reductions.
- Closing a loophole in APA's Clean Vehicle Technology Fund
that lowers the bar for diesel vehicles to qualify and including
only vehicles that exceed federal fuel economy standards by at
least 25 percent.
The full report, The American Power Act and Enhanced Energy
Efficiency Provisions: Impacts on the U.S. Economy, is available
for free download.
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DOE Announces Award Of Four New Projects
for Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, And Water Conservation
Upgrades At Federal Facilities
The U.S. Department of Energy announced four new agreements valued
at a total of $52.5 million under its Energy Savings Performance
Contracts (ESPC). Award recipients include Honeywell ($9.8 million),
Schneider Electric ($17.9 million) and Johnson Controls who received
two contracts ($17.9 million & $ 7.2 million). The new "task orders"
will result in energy-saving upgrades at the Bureau of Land
Management, National Wildlife Center, and two General Services
Administration facilities.
The four new awards are for improvements to federal facilities which
include installation of renewable energy systems; improvements to
heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems; upgrades to
lighting, boilers and chillers, and water and sewer systems;
installation of building automation systems; and appliance
energy-use reduction. Annual energy savings for these projects is
projected to be in excess of 2,460,000 million BTU: enough energy to
power 63,000 homes for a year. There are an additional 35 ESPC
projects currently under development.
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A New Report Shows A Possible Clean
Energy Future For U.S. Based on Aggressive EE Investments Even
Without Legislation
According to a new report, the United States could move to a
dramatically cleaner and healthier approach to meeting its
electrical power needs. The report, prepared by Synapse Energy
Economics Inc., outlines a "Transition Scenario" that would step up
energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable energy, allowing
the country to retire all coal-fired power plants and over a quarter
of existing nuclear reactors. The overall cost of the plan would
involve initial costs over a business as usual scenario, but result
in savings by 2040, according to the report.
Among the report's scenarios, aggressive investments in more
efficient technologies in every sector could reduce electricity use
by 15% from today's requirements or over 40% from a business as
usual scenario. The U.S. could feasibly retire the entire fleet of
coal-fired plants and build no new coal-fired generation. Tens of
billions could be saved in avoided pollution control costs at the
coal-fired plants retired between 2010 and 2020. At the same time,
the U.S. could retire 28% of the nation's nuclear capacity. The
scenario would cost an estimated $10 billion per year more than the
current estimated cost in 2020, but it would save $5 billion
annually by 2040 and $13 billion annually by 2050. For a typical
residential consumer purchasing about 900 kWh per month, the 2020
cost increase would amount to about $2.20 per month. By 2040, the
same customer would be saving about $1.50 per month and nearly $4.00
per month by 2050.
To download a copy of the report, entitled "Beyond Business as
Usual: Investigating a Future without Coal and Nuclear Power in the
U.S.",
click here.
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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Issues Measurement and Verification Study
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), in collaboration
with Itron and Schiller Consulting, has issued a new study focusing
on evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM&V) issues relating
to estimating savings and impacts of energy efficiency programs
funded with ratepayer monies. The report identifies six EM&V issue
categories that are important to address in order to improve EM&V
practices and methods: Consistency in reported savings or load
impacts; Measurement methods used to estimate net savings; Quality
control and accuracy; Allocation of evaluation resources;
Independence of program evaluators; and Integration of load impact
results from energy efficiency programs into utility planning and
forecasting.
The report offers the following recommendations for activities that
can be undertaken to address the EM&V issues identified in this
report:
- Develop or enhance methods for estimating total program
savings that includes both near term effects of equipment
installation and longer-term behavioral impacts;
- Develop and share best practices guides and case studies on
a number of specific EM&V topics and disseminate information
through webinars and regional seminars with state, utility,
regulator staff and industry;
- Develop accessible regional and/or national databases of
standardized ex-ante savings estimates for energy efficiency
measures;
- Design and implement a national, searchable data base that
provides access to energy efficiency evaluation plans and
studies in various states;
- Develop a short program savings reporting format (i.e. one
page) for all states and regions to use in reporting program
savings and seek voluntary adoption by region(s) via regional
workshops or other strategies; and
- Develop a glossary of standardized EM&V and measure,
program, or portfolio terms for voluntary use by all states and
seek voluntary adoption by region(s) through regional workshops
or other strategies.
The report entitled, "Review of Evaluation, Measurement and
Verification Approaches Used to Estimate the Load Impacts and
Effectiveness of Energy Efficiency Programs," was funded by the U.S.
Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability (OE), Permitting, Siting, and Analysis Division. The
report may be downloaded
here.
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Report Signals Rebound in Energy
Efficiency Spending
The recently released report, "Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI)",
published by Johnson Controls found that energy efficiency projects
are on the rise. The EEI report surveyed more than 1,400 executives
and managers in North America who are responsible for making
investments and managing energy in commercial buildings. Despite
limited capital, 60 percent said they were planning operating
expenditures in efficiency programs over the next year, up from 55
percent in 2009.
Other highlights from the survey found:
- Energy cost savings continues to be the most important
factor for efficiency upgrades, with 97 percent of respondents
reporting that they considered cost savings to be significant.
- Fourteen percent of respondents said they had a publicly
stated greenhouse gas reduction goal.
- Seventy-five percent of those surveyed still think some sort
of carbon legislation is likely in the next year in the U.S.
- Nearly 50 percent require a less-than-three-year payback for
energy efficiency projects.
- Forty percent of those surveyed don't know or have not yet
prioritized their strategies for reducing their organization's
greenhouse gas emissions.
- Energy efficiency in buildings was by far the top strategy
to reduce carbon emissions.
- One-third of respondents are aiming for green building
certification for new construction projects.
- Retrofitting lighting systems was the most popular
efficiency measure.
- The second most popular efficiency measure was educating
employees.
- Capital was the largest barrier to implementing energy
efficiency programs
A copy of the Energy Efficiency Indicator, can be downloaded by
clicking here.
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The UN Foundation Releases Report
Indentifying Clean Energy Best Practices
The UN Foundation recently released a report entitled The
Compendium of Best Practices, which highlights 20 successful US
best practices to deploy energy efficiency and renewable energy. The
practices are grouped into five broad areas: local policies, rules
and regulations, approaches to financing renewable energy and energy
efficiency projects, practices addressing utility regulation and
transmission issues, state and local efforts to lead by example in
their own operations, and three example of exemplary low-carbon
cities: San Francisco, Austin and Seattle.
The report finds that state, provincial, and local governments have
great influence in the global effort to address climate change by
transforming the way energy is traditionally produced and consumed.
By adopting innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy
practices, these governments are working to support the industries
that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions via reduced demand for
fossil fuel derived energy, and at the same time are reducing energy
costs and boosting local and regional economies.
All initiatives are highlighted for their success in creating
favorable market conditions for energy efficiency and renewable
energy, as well as for their replicability, relative ease of
implementation, measured energy savings, ability to offset the need
for conventional energy, cost effectiveness, greenhouse gas
emissions reduction, and job creation. The full report can be
downloaded for free by
clicking here.
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IFMA Partners Released Study With
Today's Facility Manager Analyzing Facility Management Staffing
Trends
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and
"Today's Facility Manager" have jointly released a new study which
provides an overview of staffing issues within the facility
management profession. Among the study's findings:
- The majority of facility managers work in a service
industry, followed by institutional and manufacturing settings;
- More than half of facility managers manage multiple
buildings in multiple sites, and many manage a combination of
owned and leased space;
- The majority of companies handle facility planning, project
management, moves/additions/changes, space planning, and
operations and maintenance in house;
- Services most often handled by a third-party provider are
janitorial, roads and grounds, construction, food services and
security;
- An average of 59.3 total staff work within each company's
facilities department, including professional staff, skilled
trade and non-skilled workers;
- In the past year, facility managers report an annual pay
increase of 2 percent for professionals, skilled trade and
non-skilled workers; and four out of 10 respondents report that
their total space managed has increased over the past year,
indicating that facility managers are doing more with less
staff.
The report is based on a survey of IFMA members and "Today's
Facility Manager" readers. The survey assessed staffing levels for
professional, skilled trade and non-skilled facility manager
positions; measured total staffing levels; and identified factors
that drive staffing such as industry sector, size and type of space
managed, outsourcing practices, employee turnover and location.
Study respondents include 1,414 FM professionals working in 134,900
locations/unique buildings, managing 9.91 billion square feet of
space.
The study, entitled the "Facility Management Staffing Report", can
be accessed by
clicking here.
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Member Projects
Boston Housing Authority Partners With
Ameresco To Complete $63 Million PHA Project
The Boston Housing Authority has partnered with Ameresco to
implement $63 million in energy efficiency improvements. Ameresco
will engineer, design, and implement water and energy conservation
measures in approximately 4,300 apartments at 13 public housing
developments throughout the city. The project will save the BHA more
than $56 million in energy costs over the next 20-years, will result
in hiring approximately 600 local union workers to implement the
efficient measures, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 13,000
tons annually. Efficiency measures will include replacing water
closets, showerheads and faucet aerators, installing energy
efficient lighting, converting electric heat to gas, upgrading or
replacing old central heating plants and installing co-generation
and Photovoltaic Electric systems, Energy Star rated fiberglass
windows, high reflective "cool" roof membranes and healthy apartment
improvements. An extensive resident education, training, and
employment program will complement and reinforce the program over
the life of the project.
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Chevron Energy Solutions To Build 3.7MW
Solar Project For CA High School District
Chevron Energy Solutions and East Side Union High School
District in San Jose, California announced the start of construction
on a 3.7-megawatt solar project that is expected to provide more
than $1.5 million in budget relief to the district's general fund in
the first year and $7.6 million over five years. It is anticipated
that the project will reduce the district's electric utility costs
by 30 percent and deliver $36 million in savings over the life of
the project. The solar panels at six school sites will generate
enough power to light more than 250,000 average-sized compact
fluorescent light bulbs. The district will also reduce its purchase
of utility power through this project, which is expected to reduce
carbon emissions by more than 3,100 metric tons per year, equivalent
to planting more than 980 acres of trees. Chevron Energy
Solutions, will design, build, operate, maintain, measure and
guarantee the solar energy system's performance for the district.
The project will also help stimulate the local Silicon Valley
economy by hiring more than 100 local union contractors.
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Chevron Energy Solutions and Marine
Corps Logistics Base Albany Announce First Navy Landfill Gas Project
Chevron Energy Solutions and the Marine Corps Logistics Base
(MCLB) Albany announced the start of construction for the Department
of Navy's first landfill gas cogeneration project. The project will
produce 1.9 megawatts of renewable electric power and steam by
burning landfill gas collected from a nearby landfill. Chevron
Energy Solutions will also complete industrial lighting
retrofits in 82 buildings and expand the existing energy management
control system. When combined with the cogeneration project, these
measures will reduce the base's purchase of utility power and reduce
MCLB's carbon emissions by 19,300 tons annually, equivalent to
removing 16,000 cars from the road. The new facility will house a
dual-fuel engine generator, a stack heat recovery steam generator
and two dual-fuel boilers. The primary equipment can operate on
landfill gas or natural gas, which provides energy security
benefits. MCLB's use of renewable power will increase to 19 percent,
which exceeds the EPAct of 2005 and Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 mandate of 7.5 percent renewable power use by 2013.
Chevron Energy Solutions and MCLB will share in the operation of
the generator and steam-producing equipment. Through an Energy
Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), Chevron Energy Solutions
arranged the financing for the project, which is repaid through the
energy costs avoided. The company also guarantees system performance
for 22 years.
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Constellation Energy Partners With
McCormick & Company, Inc. To Develop New Solar Power System
Constellation Energy and McCormick & Company, Inc. announced
an agreement to develop a new 1.8-megawatt (DC) solar photovoltaic
power system at the McCormick Distribution Center in Belcamp, Md.
This will be the largest single rooftop solar installation in
Maryland. Construction has been scheduled to begin in late June with
estimated completion by the close of 2010. Constellation Energy
will finance the project, including design and construction of the
installation, and then own and maintain the solar power system for a
period of 20 years. McCormick purchases energy produced by the solar
installations hosted at its facilities. Constellation Energy
expects McCormick to save an estimated $3.4 million in electricity
costs over the term of the agreement. The McCormick Distribution
Center solar project is currently designed to utilize 8,372
crystalline photovoltaic solar panels on the facility's 363,000
square foot rooftop. The system is expected annually to generate
power equivalent to the amount of electricity used by 195 homes in a
year.
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Control Technology Solutions Awarded Rantoul
City Schools Project
Working together with Control Technology Solutions (CTS), the
Rantoul City School District 137 is implementing green technologies
that will result in more than $134,000 in energy savings in the
first year alone. All five Rantoul campuses will benefit from a
closed loop ground source geothermal HVAC system that will replace
outdated and ineffective radiation units, ventilators, cabinet
heaters, and window AC units. In total, 330 wells approximately 300
feet deep each will be drilled to affect geothermal heating and
cooling, and an automated system will adjust building temperatures.
CO2 sensors will control dampers that ventilate fresh air to
classrooms. In addition, each school will receive additional
upgrades, including new electrical systems, new energy efficient
lighting, drop ceilings, and single pane window replacements which
utilize low-E technology.
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Energy Systems Group Implements Permanent
Energy Conservation Initiatives on the Kentucky Capitol Campus
Energy Systems Group is implementing energy efficiency
retrofits at the Executive Mansion, the State Capitol building, the
Capitol Annex and the boiler and chiller plants, both located behind
the Annex. The upgrades are estimated to save more than $251,000
annually in energy and operational expenses and will reduce energy
consumption by 22 percent. The project will cost $2.6 million and
will be repaid entirely by the savings realized through the 24
percent reduction in utility costs. Energy Systems Group will
perform the work through an Energy Savings Performance Contract with
the Finance and Administration Cabinet. The energy conservation
projects on the buildings of the Capitol campus include lighting
upgrades; water conservation measures; vending machine controllers;
chiller plant optimization; chemical-free water treatments at the
chiller plant; replacement of steam traps; improvements in the air
pressure of the mansion; automation systems in the Annex; and
electrical transformer replacement.
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Grant Capital Management, Inc. Announces
$53 Million Energy Performance Contract Lease-financing for the
Housing Authority of Baltimore City
Grant Capital Management announced a $53 Million / 23-year
Energy Performance Contract lease financing for the Housing
Authority of Baltimore City (HABC). HABC will enter into a Lease
Purchase Agreement to finance the purchase and installation of
energy conservation measures in order to save energy costs and
upgrade certain equipment. HABC, the fifth largest public housing
authority in the country serving approximately 23,000 households
throughout the city of Baltimore, is estimated to achieve more than
$87 million in savings over a 20 year period.
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Buffalo Public Schools Joins
With Johnson Controls To Modernize School District
The Buffalo School District entered into a 20-year multi-phase
performance contract with Johnson Controls designed to
generate $56 million in positive cash flow for the duration of the
contract as a result of a broad range of improvements to generate
energy and operational savings. To help the district pursue its
sustainability goals, Johnson Controls collaborated with
design engineers on the renovation of one of Buffalo's elementary
schools which, as a result, achieved Silver point accumulation under
the U.S Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) program. Under the terms of a service
agreement that is associated with the performance contracts,
Johnson Controls supports all the equipment and controls that
were installed. At the same time, the district wanted to be
self-sufficient with regard to operating and maintaining its
facilities, so Johnson Controls developed and implemented
training programs for its staff.
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Wilson County, TN Partners
With Johnson Controls To Launch Energy Savings Program
Wilson County Schools, located in Lebanon, Tennessee, is embarking
on a comprehensive energy savings program with Johnson Controls
to address facility enhancements, including implementation of
building technology upgrades and energy conservation measures which
is expected to save the district more than $14 million in energy
costs over 15 years. Facility improvements include the installation
of more than 700 heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
in all buildings, and a geothermal heating system at Carroll-Oakland
Elementary School. Rain sensor technology will be installed at the
athletic fields of five schools to monitor irrigation needs.
Additional water conservation measures include the installation of
an irrigation well to supply water to the athletic fields, reducing
the dependence on municipal water for field maintenance.
Infrastructure improvements include the installation of a
centralized building management system that will provide facility
managers with remote monitoring capabilities and the ability to
adjust temperature systems via an Internet connection. Lighting
upgrades across all 20 facilities include the addition of more than
1,400 occupancy sensors and upgrades to more than 400 exterior
lighting fixtures, as well as the comprehensive lighting
retrofitting of four gymnasiums.
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NORESCO to Implement $7 Million in
Energy Upgrades at Fort Worth Naval Air Station
NORESCO will partner with Naval Facilities Engineering
Command Southeast to implement an energy savings performance
contract at the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base. The
project includes more than $7 million in facility infrastructure
upgrades and affects more than 20 base facilities. The energy
infrastructure upgrades to be installed by NORESCO will pay
for themselves through more than $14 million in reduced energy,
electric demand and operational costs over the 15-year project term.
Upon completion of construction, facilities upgraded by the project
are expected to consume 34 percent less energy. Carbon dioxide
emissions are projected to decline by 4,100 metric tons each year,
equivalent to removing approximately 800 cars from the road
annually. Upgrades will be made to equipment and controls used for
heating, ventilation and air conditioning and lighting. Specialized
capacitor banks will be installed to improve the base's power
distribution system and avoid penalties by the local utility. A
10-kW solar photovoltaic array will power lighting circuits and
demonstrate the base's commitment to renewable energy.
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National Grid and NYSERDA Announce Joint
Initiative to Help Hospitals Reduce Energy Usage
National Grid and the New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA) launched "Energy Efficiency For
Health," a new partnership to help National Grid's hospital
customers across New York State reduce their energy usage, save on
operating costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions through more
efficient use of electricity and natural gas. Under the new
initiative, National Grid and NYSERDA will work together to
provide hospitals with individualized and targeted technical
assistance as well as up to $10 million in funding for energy
efficiency initiatives that will generate as much as $5 million in
annual energy savings. Energy savings support will be offered for
lighting, heating, cooling, insulation, retrocommissioning, data
center operations, and other energy-intensive operations.
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Trane Installs Upgrades At CA School
District
Trane recently installed $8.63 million in upgrades in the
Mesa County School District.which are anticipated to save the
district more than $617,000 in annual energy costs, nearly 5.6
million kWh of electricity, and over 100,000 therms of natural gas
annually. This is equivalent to the carbon that would be offset by
115,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years. The renovations are also
expected to save an additional $390,000 in operations and
maintenance costs over the next five years. Improvements included
replacing lighting throughout the district with high efficiency
systems that require less energy while providing better
illumination. These lighting improvements saved the district over
$1.1 million through XCEL demand side management rebates. Other
improvements included replacing aging electric ovens with high
efficiency natural gas ovens and installing a building automation
system to enhance and maintain comfort. Upgrades also featured
boiler and HVAC retrofits to provide reliable and efficient
heating/ventilation and to improve air quality in the classrooms.
The district plans to launch a third phase of energy efficiency
improvements with additional solar photovoltaic and water
conservation projects currently in design. These forthcoming
upgrades will be funded through the Governor's Energy Office with
ARRA funds and through $2 million in low-interest Qualified Energy
Conservations Bonds.
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Trane Completes $2.1 Million Energy and
Infrastructure Improvements at Tonganoxie Unified School District
Trane recently completed a $2.1 million energy and
infrastructure improvement at Tonganoxie Unified School District
(USD) 464 . The completed infrastructure upgrades are expected to
save $217,000 a year in operations, maintenance and utilities costs.
Upgrades were needed throughout district buildings to improve
thermal, visual and acoustic comfort, indoor air quality and aging
infrastructure while reducing energy, operational and maintenance
expenses. Improvements to the elementary school, the middle school
and the district's two high schools as well as to an automated bus
route optimization program were completed in August 2009. In
addition, the district worked with Trane to engage students
in making the elementary schools more energy efficient. The
curriculum features in-depth lessons, including a school building
energy audit and an assessment of the building's environmental
impact.
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Wendel Energy Services Awarded NY
Dormitory Authority Project
Under its Energy Performance Contract with the Dormitory Authority
of the State of New York (DASNY), Wendel Energy Services was
selected to perform an architectural-engineering study to assess
building envelope and energy-related improvements to various
buildings throughout the City University of New York's Queens
College Campus. The project is being managed by Wendel's northeast
regional office in Long Island, NY. One of the buildings identified
as having potential for significant energy-saving upgrades was Kiely
Hall, a 40 year old, thirteen-story, 230,000 square foot building
comprised of administrative offices and classrooms. From a building
envelope standpoint, the windows and roof needed radical replacement
and/or repair. In addition, most of the mechanical systems and
ancillary equipment were original and in poor working condition.
Wendel Energy Services recommendations included a total
refurbishment of both building envelope and all mechanical
subsystems. Currently, Wendel Energy Services has completed
the feasibility study for this $20 million dollar project and is
entering the design phase.
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Wendel Energy Services Completes Energy
Efficiency Upgrades For The City of Olean, NY
Wendel Energy Services recently completed energy efficiency
upgrades for the city of Olean, N.Y. that will realize annual cost
benefits of over $700,000. The project implemented facility and
water system improvements as part of a $5.6M project that utilized
energy and operational savings to offset project costs. In less than
one year, Wendel Energy Services successfully replaced over
6,000 residential and commercial water meters to increase water and
sewer revenues, and installed an AMR system which improved reading
efficiency. The operational savings realized by the water system
upgrades enabled the city to implement additional improvements such
as pump replacements and controls upgrades at several pump stations,
and HVAC, lighting and building envelope improvements at all of the
city's facilities. Wendel Energy Services assisted the city
in obtaining over $300,000 in energy incentives through NYSERDA
programs.
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Member News
For a full list of all NAESCO Member News and Projects,
please
click here.
AECOM Acquires INOCSA Ingenieria, S.L.
AECOM Technology Corporation announced that it has acquired
INOCSA Ingenieria, S.L. (INOCSA), a professional technical services
firm with headquarters in Madrid, Spain. INOCSA also has offices in
the countries of Romania and Bosnia and a total of approximately 550
employees providing services to public and private clients. Its
services include architecture, design, engineering, program
management and urban planning.
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Con Edison Solutions Receives
"Green Business Award" From Johnson Country
ConEdison Solutions has won a "Green Business Award" from
Johnson County in Kansas in recognition of its achievements in
promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility at its
Overland Park, Kansas office. ConEdison Solutions, whose
national headquarters is located in Valhalla, NY, was honored
for implementing an extensive recycling initiative that reduced
the volume of its solid waste shipped to landfills by 73
percent. ConEdison Solutions also enacted a green
purchasing policy and instituted a green cleaning and pest
control program.
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Onset Announces Wireless Sensors for
Energy and Environmental Monitoring
Onset recently announced the HOBO® ZW Series, a family of
wireless data nodes for centralized monitoring of energy use and
environmental conditions in buildings. HOBO ZW Series data nodes
reduce the cost and complexity of data collection by measuring,
recording and transmitting real-time energy use and
environmental data to a central PC. Different from traditional
data loggers, HOBO data nodes work together in a self-healing
wireless network to transmit logged data to a PC at regular
intervals. This eliminates the need of having to spend time
retrieving collected data from individual data loggers deployed
throughout a facility. The wireless nodes can measure
temperature, relatively humidity, kilowatt hours, CO2, AC
voltage, amps, gauge pressure, and a variety of other
parameters.
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