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An Introduction to the Energy Star Buildings Program

Each year, the energy required to run office buildings in the United States consumes approximately $71 billion from the Nation's economy and costs the owner of a typical building between $1 and $3 per square foot. It also creates pollution---16 percent of the carbon dioxide, 12 percent of the nitrogen oxides, and 22 percent of the sulfur dioxides released into the atmosphere are a result of the energy (primarily electricity) required to run office buildings.

The goal of the EPA's Energy Star Buildings Program is to reduce that pollution by encouraging building owners to voluntarily implement profitable energy-efficiency improvements in their buildings.

A typical large office building consumes electricity in four main areas:

• Lighting systems (29 percent).
• Air handling systems (28 percent).
• Cooling systems (24 percent).
• Office equipment, elevators, auxiliary heating, and other (19 percent).

The Energy Star Buildings Program provides plans for energy-efficiency upgrades in each of these areas. Through these upgrades, Energy Star Buildings Partners can expect to reduce total building energy consumption by approximately half.

The foundation of the Energy Star Buildings Program is the Memorandum of Understanding between EPA and Energy Star Buildings Partners. As an Energy Star Buildings Partner, signing this document commits you to do the following:

• Survey and implement comprehensive energy-efficiency upgrades at one of your buildings within 2 years.
• Survey all of your U.S. facilities and implement 90 percent of the profitable' energy-efficiency  upgrades throughout those facilities within 7 years.

In return, EPA agrees to do the following:

• Provide technical guidance and support throughout the implementation.
• Evaluate Implementation results.
• Award Energy Star logos for completely upgraded buildings.
• Provide public recognition of your efforts.

The Energy Star Buildings upgrades take place in five stages. These stages provide the opportunity for profitable upgrades throughout your building (see Figure I-1) and corresponding reductions in your energy costs.

In Stage 1, EPA's Green Lights Program gets your building upgrades off and running by providing immediate profitable reductions in overall energy consumption through energy-efficient lighting systems.  As an Energy Star Buildings Partner, you have already agreed to participate in the Green Lights Program.

In Stage 2, Building Tune- Up, you will be completing a comprehensive energy-efficiency tune-up of your entire facility. The tune-up, which ensures that building systems are operating efficiently and continue to do so, includes preventive maintenance and staff training programs and provides the additional benefits of improved levels of occupant comfort and indoor air quality.

In the Energy Star Buildings Program, profitability is determined by comparing the internal rate of return for an upgrade with the prime interest rate plus 6 percent. For example, if the prime rate is 7 percent, an energy-efficiency upgrade is profitable if it provides an internal rate of return of 13 percent or more.

Stage 3, Load Reductions, is the foundation for the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAQ system upgrades in Stages 4 and 5. For example, energy-efficient lighting implemented through the Green Lights Program gives off much less heat. Therefore, new cooling equipment would not need to provide as much peak capacity as the equipment it replaces. Other ways to reduce heating and cooling loads can be found in reflective coatings for windows and improved insulation or reflective coverings for roofs.

In Stage 4, HVAC Distribution System Upgrades, you will be downsizing your air handling system to match newly reduced loads by installing smaller energy-efficient motors and larger pulleys; converting constant air volume systems to variable air volume systems (where applicable); and installing variable speed drives to control fan motors and provide maximum efficiency at reduced airflow. Variable speed drives provide energy savings of 30 to 60 percent over mechanical airflow controls.

In Stage 5, HVAC Plant Upgrades, you will find that the reduced loads achieved in Stages 1 through 4 create the opportunity for substantial equipment cost savings on new, high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment-for example, a smaller, high-efficiency chiller (an upgrade that should be seriously considered as new laws mandating reductions in chlorofluorocarbons come into effect). You will also be installing variable speed drives to control chilled water pumps and condenser water pumps and improving boilers, cooling towers, and direct-expansion space-conditioning equipment.