We all need to do better in this design/build/O&M business.

Well, a whole lot of the time, according to the author. Consider his interesting perspective on the effort we pour into increasing efficiency in buildings and what it gets us in the end with regard to consumption. Also, can you guess the one sector that has actually managed to reduce usage? Find out and read some theories why.

Whether your client has a school or office building, desiccant dehumidification can successfully control the project’s humidity, save energy, and remove pollutants. This primer empowers you to teach your clients how desiccants work, while other tips and applications can help your future projects more than make the grade.

A lot has happened since the author’s 2008 article. It’s prime time to revisit expectations for BAS and chiller optimization controls, and then have a look at several of today’s options for anyone managing chilled water flow to wring the last drop of efficiency out of a system.

Forget high-tech or high-expense fixes for a minute. Have you tried to bump efficiency by looking for the  next aisle over, deploying a Trim and Respond strategy, or trying the soon-to-be-famous Paper On A Stick approach? Some of the biggest names in the data center universe think that you plant the seeds of real savings with some mighty simple steps.

If you can’t get to it, you can’t commission it.

As noted in last month’s column, accessibility to mechanical, electrical, and control system components is critical for sustainable systems operation. However, the design and construction industry is sorely lacking when it comes to agreeing on what appropriate accessibility means. In order to make a meaningful difference in how systems are delivered to owners/operators, it is critical to define measurable accessibility acceptance criteria early in the design phase and allow the commissioning professional to shepherd that criteria through the design, construction, and acceptance phases.

Gain Insight into Valve Performance

“Too warm.” “Too stuffy.” “Not enough airflow.” These were just a few of the countless complaints that facilities managers of the Basic Medical Science Building at the University of New Mexico were receiving on a regular basis.

This past March, I asked the question, “Do you have a corporate sustainability plan?” and recently I was discussing this topic with a director of a physical plant for a major college on the East Coast. He commented, “Energy conservation and environmental management should be a team effort.”