Energy costs are among the top business expense line items, and some companies are turning that to their advantage.
Smart buildings could be the next big software and networking play with venture capitalists showing strong interest in the sector. Innovations are revolutionizing energy use, to ultimately combat global warming.
An estimated 35% of U.S. electricity is used in commercial buildings and another 29% in industry. Businesses spend $135 billion a year on energy, and as much as half of that is wasted. Commercial buildings create 278 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually.
That is changing. Some high-performance buildings are generating their own renewable energy and selling excess kilowatts back to the utility. Advanced lighting systems harvest daylight, while new solar technologies can make the whole building produce power. Certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Development (LEED), the green building rating system, is helping to boost property values and lower vacancy rates.
Big buildings have big appetites for energy, with massive potential to conserve it -- and even to produce their own renewable energy. Super-efficient buildings can cut costs and carbon, generating generous goodwill -- but can owners justify the price?
MIT Enterprise Forum Northwest will host a program in Bellevue on November 8, 2006 to explore recent developments and incentives for super-efficient commercial buildings. The Enterprise Forum is an outreach of MIT, which recently has launched major initiatives in energy research.
Yes
Posted by: Thomas | October 30, 2006 at 06:23 PM
Interesting subject. Reminds me of some full page ads I've been seeing lately in Barron's. United Technologies is running these ads with a color sketch of an energy efficient building to highlight all their new energy saving products (elevators, etc.).
The "green building" concept seems like a good idea, we'll see how it works out.
Posted by: David | October 30, 2006 at 11:46 PM
The retrofit of existing buildings is also very interesting. Solar collectors shade the roof of large buildings and reduce the cooling load while at the same time generating heating/cooling power, electricity, and with algae growing solar collectors process waste water into clean water, fertilizer, and biofuels, biogas and biodiesel.
It's a great trend, green conversion. Much cheaper than whole new buildings. I hope this conversion trends takes off with vehicles too.
Posted by: amazingdrx | November 01, 2006 at 11:58 AM
It's great that many new buildings produce their own renewable energy.This will help for the perserving of our planet and will save a lot electricity.
Posted by: Cara Fletcher | September 06, 2007 at 06:33 PM
Justified? Of course they are. What a silly question.
Posted by: Emerald Energy | October 08, 2010 at 03:23 PM