More Building Owners Focusing on Energy Management

Eighty-five percent of building owners are using energy management to increase the efficiency of their operations, according to a global survey released in July by Johnson Controls. That’s an increase of 34 points over the last two years.

Additionally, 46% of those in the United States and Canada say they plan to focus more spending on energy efficiency within the next year, according to the survey, which queried 3,500 building owners and operators about their future energy plans.

Financial incentives appear to drive companies toward implementation, with one-third of respondents explaining that energy efficiency changes are fueled by the involvement of rebates, tax credits and other incentives. Johnson Controls has released a free report to address the need to increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings. Driving Transformation to Energy Efficient Buildings: Policies and Action includes a full report and a building efficiency policy assessment tool.

And IBM’s 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report indicates Big Blue is also following the efficient building energy management trend. In fact, the company’s energy management practices resulted in an energy savings of $43 million last year. In addition, IBM has reduced its electricity usage by 378,000-megawatt hours, saving the environment from 175,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

IBM set a goal of obtaining a 3.5% reduction in annual energy use, but has achieved a 7.4% reduction, resulting in the substantial energy savings cost. The company has over 2,300 energy conservation projects around the world, including HVAC system modifications, energy efficient lighting, lighting/occupancy sensors, and it’s implementing its Smarter Building technologies at some of its facilities.

More about IBM’s energy initiatives

Another example of an organization following this trend is the General Service Administration’s (GSA) recent project. The GSA has recently concluded a two-year project, costing $39 million, reports the Federal Times. The project links together 39 of the GSA’s high energy buildings throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas so the agency can monitor the HVAC, lighting, water and security from its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. The system will track energy usage and performance as well as alert building management to any broken components. Automation is expected to save the organization $2.7 million per year.

Pike Research has recently released a report addressing building energy management systems (BEMS). The report explains the hardware, software and various services available for monitoring and managing energy in commercial buildings, and offers a market analysis and forecast. As Pike Research explains, commercial buildings are high energy users, and BEMS are receiving worldwide attention for their fiscal and environmental efficiency.

The technology is evolving rapidly, providing significant opportunities for building managers to implement these systems. Pike Research recommends its report not only for building managers, but also for any sustainability managers, BEMS software vendors, utilities, government agencies and the investor community.

Is your organization using a building energy management system? Or do you intend to implement one in the near future?

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