SBC staff, Author at Smart Buildings Center

Video – Very High Efficiency DOAS: How It Works and Why It Matters

September 29, 2022 By SBC staff

This resource is brought to you by BetterBricks

In commercial buildings across the U.S., outdated or inefficient HVAC systems waste a staggering amount of energy and money, while also creating unhealthy and uncomfortable indoor environments. However, research and field studies have proven there’s an optimal approach to HVAC design that can significantly improve indoor air quality and occupant health, comfort and productivity, while maximizing energy-cost savings. Learn how this optimized, high-performance approach to HVAC combines high-efficiency equipment with design best practices to make widespread commercial HVAC deficiencies a thing of the past. Watch the video linked below to learn more.

Learn more about Very High Efficiency DOAS at: https://betterbricks.com/solutions/very-high-efficiency-doas

SBC Welcomes New Partner: Aeroseal!

September 22, 2022 By SBC staff

The Smart Buildings Center is excited to welcome Aeroseal as a new Smart Buildings Center Education Program Partner!

Aeroseal’s beginning dates back to 1993 when Dr. Mark Modera invented a breakthrough aerosol-based sealing technology that made it possible to seal leaks and holes in air ducts from the inside out. Dr. Modera then teamed up with Amit Gupta, a heating and air industry leader, and they’ve since been committed to making the world a better place by improving the air occupants breathe in buildings and reducing buildings’ energy usage at the same time.

Aeroseal audits and tests buildings and then performs their innovative duct sealing technology that’s helped improve indoor air quality and occupant health and well-being in more than 150,000 projects nationwide. Their solution has helped clients in the Healthcare, Hospitality, Education, and CRE sectors improve indoor air quality while reducing energy usage and costs.

Learn more by downloading Aeroseal’s Commercial Solutions brochure and watching their Mission & Purpose video

2022-2023 Better Buildings Webinar Series

September 22, 2022 By SBC staff

This annual series brought to you by the U.S. Department of Energy will showcase the latest topics, technologies, and trends to help your organization accelerate its efforts to save money, reduce waste and reduce carbon emissions. These webinars bring you the latest actionable insights from leading organizations and industry experts. Click here to view details about each webinar and register.

Topics for this season include:

Decarbonization
Electrification
Financing Solutions
Workforce Development
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
And More!

The next webinar in the series is on Financing Decarbonization Projects on Tuesday, September 27th from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET. Learn about the financing mechanisms Better Buildings Financial Allies use with organizations interested in decarbonization projects, with practical steps to identify and source capital from grants, third-party investors, bonds, and more. Register here.

Webinars are typically held on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. ET. Don’t miss this chance to hear from experts in the field and your peers in energy efficiency – check out the full series schedule and sign up today!

Job Opportunity: Assistant Energy Management Analyst, Seattle City Light

September 22, 2022 By SBC staff

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served. Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle’s electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound. Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

The Customer Energy Solutions (CES) division of Seattle City Light implements the longest continuously operating municipal energy conservation initiative in the country. The Project Development team is responsible for delivering our portfolio of demand-side management programs to our commercial, industrial, and institutional customers. We are currently hiring an Energy Management Analyst, Assistant (EMA) to work on our Project Development team.

This individual will participate on a team of multi-disciplinary energy management professionals who promote and deliver the utility’s portfolio of demand-side management programs to its commercial, industrial, multifamily, and institutional customers. The portfolio has historically been predominantly comprised of energy efficiency programs; however, it is evolving and expanding to include distributed energy resources, such as demand response, distributed generation, as well as transportation and building electrification. CES is responsible for acquiring/delivering all cost-effective energy efficiency (kWh) to the utility (a least-cost resource) in support of I-937 targets – preserving and extending the benefits of Seattle City Light’s low-cost, carbon-neutral resources.

The Project Development team works with business customers across all sectors to conduct program outreach, opportunity assessments, and project development activities. In addition, the team contributes heavily to program design & development with a focus on enhancing customer experience, implementing continuous process improvement, and minimizing evaluation risk. This position will report to an Energy Management Analyst Supervisor.

View the full job description and application requirements here.

No-Cost Program Prioritized for Buildings in Seattle Serving BIPOC & Frontline Communities to Meet State Clean Buildings Law

September 5, 2022 By SBC staff

The new Seattle Clean Buildings Accelerator technical support program assists building owners or managers to meet the WA Clean Buildings Law (applies to commercial, nonprofit & nonresidential buildings 50,000 ft² and larger) and reduce building emissions. An educational path for all buildings and individualized coaching will be starting this fall. Coaching training spaces are prioritized for buildings that serve or have importance to frontline communities (e.g., black, indigenous, people of color, immigrants, refugees, youth, elders, houseless people, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, low-income). This could include many types of buildings or those with tenants like nonprofit organizations, small/local businesses, museums, shelters, community centers, worship facilities, health centers, nursing homes, and more. Register for a Sept 7^th (noon – 1pm) info session or visit the program website to learn more and watch a past info session recording.

Transatlantic Energy Efficiency Forum – The Role of Electrification, Sept 22nd

September 5, 2022 By SBC staff

Decarbonizing Buildings – The Role of Electrification

This virtual event will discuss the transatlantic movement away from fossil fuels and gas toward carbon-free electricity.

In the US, buildings are responsible for 28% of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. But more than half of American houses still use gas or other fossil fuels as their main source of heating and cooking, which results in the production of hazardous gasses including methane, carbon dioxide, and many more.

Washington State is the first in the US to have statewide energy codes that require building electrification. We want to find out if building electrification is the push to switch from using fossil fuels for cooking and heating to clean energy consumption.

Questions we will cover in our virtual event:

What fuel-switching incentives and electrification programs exist?
Does electrification play the same role in Germany and Washington State?
What role will utilities play?
What has to happen in addition to carbon-free electricity?

Key Takeaways:

Find out if electrification is a key component of a green transition
Understand how Germany and Washington State can learn from each other
Learn about the role of renewables – status quo and goals
Gain insights about German technologies

Register Here!

Find the link to part 1 of this virtual event series here.

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