MakeHeat

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the release of the third installment in a series of four 50% Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs). This latest guide will help architects, engineers, and contractors design and build highly efficient retail buildings, helping to save energy and cut store operational costs. The 50% AEDG series provides a practical approach for designers and builders of retail stores, and other major commercial building types, to achieve 50% energy savings compared to the building energy code used in many parts of the nation. These commercial building guides support President Obama’s goal to reduce energy use in commercial buildings 20% by 2020. The Advanced Energy Design Guide for 50% energy savings in retail buildings is now available for download.

Beyond helping builders achieve efficiency exceeding the current energy code, the AEDGs also provide climate-specific recommendations to incorporate today’s off-the-shelf energy efficient building products. These recommendations help designers and builders choose advanced building assemblies, highly efficient heating and cooling systems, and incorporate other energy-saving measures such as daylighting and associated control systems. Additionally, efficiency measures found in the guides can be used in the development of future commercial building energy codes.

The 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide series is being developed through a partnership with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), American Institute of Architects (AIA), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). The Retail Buildings guide is the third installment in the 50% series, and follows the guides for small and medium office buildings and K-12 schools released in 2011. The final 50% savings guide for major commercial building types—large hospitals—is also in progress.

DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Learn more about EERE’s support of building technologies. Additional information on DOE’s efforts to support the development and adoption of building energy codes can be found on the Energy Codes website.

Used more for new construction, Building Integrated PhotoVolaics (BIPV) is slowly gaining ground.  Rather than poking a panel on a pole and sticking it in the dirt where there’s no shade, or racks of panels on the roof, BIPV integrates solar electric, energy efficient design and archetecture:

“…Whenever you approach an industry from a different perspective, that’s when you produce very interesting products, said JD Albert of SRS Energy.  SRS produces curved roofing tiles made of PV that are designed to fit into the mission-style architecture of the southwestern region of the U.S.  Curved red clay roof tiles there are modeled after the Mediterranean roof styles found in Spain and elsewhere. …”

BIPV Market Gaining Traction | Renewable Energy World.

Up north, the ground source heat pumps are still more prevalent, and we’re hoping to see more of the design efficiencies incorporated into them as well.  The upside of the air source heat pumps is that you don’t have to dig up your yard.  The downside is when the temperature extremes kick in.  With the ground at a constant 52 degrees, heating and cooling is more efficient during the summer heat and the winter cold.

“… There have been many recent developments in air-source heat pumps. The modulating, multistage output rotary compressor design is now available in heat pumps. This design produces high efficiencies for both heating and cooling (HSPF of 10 and SEER of 22). What this means is you can get $2 to $3 worth of heat for each $1 on your utility bills. …”

via Heat pumps are popular and efficient – St. Petersburg Times.

Got an ailing fridge, a washer that shakes the house during the spin cycle, or a furnace on it’s last legs?  Now is the time to shop wisely and cash in on replacements.  Be warned: you’ve got to fork over the cash first, then you get the rebate, so look into the scratch & dent sales, and know what side of the appliance is facing the wall.

Take the Energy Star Pledge: Federal Rebates for Appliances | HULIQ.