Posts Tagged ‘renewable energy’
|Facilities Management and Energy Conservation
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011
By Jim Ricker, Vice President, Corporate Services
For the past few years, we have all read vast amounts of literature about the need to conserve energy. During this time, energy conservation became known as “going green” or “sustainability.” Regardless of the names and definitions, they all are geared toward the same end—improved utilization of our finite resources to the point that we rely only upon renewable energy sources and reduce or even eliminate the waste stream.
While the terminology may change, professional Facilities Managers have long been striving to reach the goals of sustainability. These initiatives originated from the budget process – reducing operating expenses in order to free-up capital for research & development, marketing, and sales. During the Carter administration and the OPEC-generated oil crisis in the mid-‘70s, Facilities Managers responded to the national mandate to reduce energy consumption and the dependence upon foreign oil. Many readers will remember the gas lines, thermostats set in the low 60s, the emergence of the solar energy industry, and a national speed limit of 55 miles per hours.
As OPEC loosened its grip in the late ‘70s and oil started to flow again, these conservation initiatives were set aside by the Reagan administration. However, the majority of Facilities Managers continued their energy-savings efforts – even when the nation returned to 75 miles per hour on its highways. Budgets had to be tightly managed since the calls for capital did not change. So the enterprising Facilities Managers and their suppliers continued to innovate as before:
-Lighting energy usage continued to drop as electronic ballasts and more efficient lamps emerged. Foot candle measurements came into vogue as a means of determining the proper amount of lighting required for the tasks performed at the desktop.
-Paper products in the restroom migrated from all new content to primarily recycled content.
-Cleaning supplies went from chemicals that polluted our water supply to those that are essentially harmless to the environment.
-Motors were switched to more efficient models using substantially less electricity.
-HVAC systems were changed to heat pumps and central systems using highly efficient chillers circulating chilled water to remote units.
-Low-flow and battery-operated fixtures were installed in restrooms.
-Control systems were replaced with those that more efficiently matched up-time with usage requirements.
Today, Facilities Managers are in the lead in pushing for more innovations for solar systems, wind systems, and even tidal power in certain localities. They recognize it is the only way to further reduce energy costs and also the way to eliminate dependence on finite resources by utilizing renewable alternatives.
Tags: corporate real estate, FM, green, OPEC, renewable energy, sustainable
Posted in Facilities Management | Comments Off
Dawn of the Green Technology Decade
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
By Mike Tobin
Welcome to 2010 and the dawning of the clean/green technology decade – or so we are led to believe! The current administration has ushered in the new decade with some very exciting steps towards embracing a more sustainable and environmentally focused strategy which has the potential to dramatically affect our real estate market. From the notable steps taken by the Supreme Court in the 2007 ruling that the EPA must regulate CO2 and other greenhouse gases to the recent December 7, 2009 announcement in which the EPA has formally determined that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, it is inevitable that business as usual will no longer exist as it relates to greenhouse gas emissions. Congress will need to pass comprehensive greenhouse gas regulation soon otherwise the EPA will be required to regulate these emissions under rules that most experts consider inefficient. It was therefore more of a formality and favorable political opportunity for President Obama to finally, and confidently, put the United States in the middle of the discussions on global warming and limiting greenhouse gas emissions at the Climate Conference in Copenhagen this past month.
Regardless of politics, the winds of change are blowing harder than ever in relation to how businesses address greenhouse gas emissions and other sustainability issues. Leading companies have already put in place a strategic sustainability plan and begun to measure their carbon footprint, analyze their exposure to “dirty” fuels, and assess their capabilities to harness renewable energy sources (among other objectives). All companies could substantially benefit from developing a similar plan to position themselves for the cleaner/greener future.
Within this sustainability plan, the impact on real estate will be profound as companies struggle to adjust to the new regulations and stakeholder expectations, as well as the necessary efforts to take advantage of the myriad of incentives and initiatives surrounding them. This era of change brings with it opportunities for success but it also brings the potential for pitfalls. In order to capitalize on the future, leading companies are diligently working now at the forefront of change to identify both the opportunities and pitfalls.
For example, we all know the key in real estate is “location, location, location”. The new changes on the horizon will affect the playing field for finding the best sites. Site location criteria will begin to focus more on the mix of local fuel sources with an eye toward avoiding areas with “dirtier” fuels and areas with local utilities that have a higher cost to meet compliance. “Dirtier” fuels and higher conformance costs will translate into higher costs to consumers. Also, understanding the feasibility of local renewable energy sources will become more important as this will affect the prioritization of sites that allow a company to tap into the most efficient renewable energy systems that will provide clean, consistent power at relatively stable prices into the future.
As we begin 2010, how are you helping your company or your client prepare for – and capitalize on – the clean tech decade?
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in CresaPartners’ Blog represent those of our bloggers, and not necessarily those of the firm.
Tags: green, renewable energy, sustainable
Posted in Sustainability | 1 Comment »
