Course: GFM 102 Technical Aspects of Energy, Resources & Conservation

Reading

(2/3)
Optimizing Energy Use Recommendations

Optimizing Energy Use Recommendations:

- Reduce Heating, Cooling, and Lighting Loads through Climate-Responsive Design and Conservation Practices
- Employ Renewable or High-Efficiency Energy Sources
- Specify Efficient HVAC and Lighting Systems
- Optimize Building Performance and System Control Strategies
- Monitor Project Performance
- Sustainability and Energy Security

Energy independence and security are important components of national security and energy strategies. Today, power is mostly generated by massive centralized plants, and electricity moves along transmission lines. "Getting off of foreign oil" means minimizing energy consumption through energy conservation and efficiency, and generating energy from local, renewable sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, etc. (see WBDG Distributed Energy Resources, Fuel Cell Technology, Microturbines, Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), Daylighting, Passive Solar Heating) Additionally, using distributed energy systems adds to building resiliency as the threats of natural disaster damage become more frequent.

Click here to access the Whole Building Design Guide, Section Optimize Energy Use from the National Institute of Building Sciences.
Click here to access the Maintenance World website article Creating Reliable Equipment Information.