The CEG Approach

A complete understanding of the fundamentals of construction, particularly the relationships of complex integrated systems, is critical to energy efficiency measures in both new construction and existing facility retrofits. With our extensive construction experience, we fully understand the world of energy efficiency as it applies to the built environment. We bring the knowledge necessary to implement projects that produce guaranteed results, without putting your facility at risk.

Addressing ECMs in isolation often leads to suboptimal solutions. The final product of a comprehensive energy project can be much greater than the sum of its parts. Interactive effects often compound when multiple measures are implemented, creating additional “free” savings beyond the savings that would be realized if each ECM were implemented in isolation. This is why the CEG approach is rooted in exploring a wide breadth of ECMs that address every significant aspect of a building’s operation to achieve the deepest cuts in utility consumption. Our approach to deep energy retrofits addresses a building’s envelope (façade) and utility-consuming systems, along with organizations that operate within the building, individuals that occupy the building, and (renewable) resources available to the building.

An integrated strategy that addresses each of these disciplines compounds overall building efficiency, increasing the cost-effectiveness of each individual measure. Our innovative design process consistently enables us to dig deeper (beyond “first-cut” ECMs) and deliver cutting-edge projects.

The CEG team has a strong record of successfully delivering renewable energy solutions for a wide array of applications. Our audits include a thorough analysis of available renewable resources and identify potential sources of energy that are not being captured or are being used inefficiently. We then determine locations at your facility where this renewable energy could be harvested – considering both building-integrated solutions and those that use previously underutilized land. The renewable energy survey for your location will also include an analysis of available incentives, potential savings from on-site renewable energy, and the approximate implementation cost at your given location.
We can help you tap into any type of renewable energy, including solar photovoltaic, solar hot water, solar space heating, solar cooling, biomass, landfill or digester gas, wind, micro- or mini-hydro, geothermal, and ground source heat pumps, among others.

We track and monitor federal, local and utility programs and leverage them to offset the cost of your projects. In particular, we can structure our projects to utilize federal tax incentives (investment tax credit or production tax credit, including the cash grants in lieu of tax credits), state tax incentives, state grants, federal grants, renewable energy certificates (RECs), carbon credits, utility rebates or other incentives, feed-in tariffs, subsidized loans, system benefit trust funds, accelerated depreciation, and more. If there is money available for your project, we’ll find it.

Water conservation has become a major issue in our country and around the globe. Beyond the global impacts associated with our inability to consume water at a sustainable rate, inefficient water usage across the built environment, especially in the arid Southwest, is driving up water costs and increasing scarcity.
CEG analyzes water consumption in every site audit that we perform. Our water conservation audit process begins by examining each site’s historical water use, current patterns of usage, makes/models/locations of water fixtures, and functional status of each piece of equipment. We have expertise in domestic water, process water, cooling tower water, and irrigation water efficiency solutions, with experience across residential, commercial, and industrial settings.

CEG has implemented many creative water conservation measures in the past, low-flow and dual flush toilets, waterless urinals, faucet sensors, appliance replacements, irrigation system upgrades (physical and controls), green roofs, on-site wastewater treatment, HVAC water chemical treatment, ground water re-use, xeriscaping, and reverse osmosis purification system upgrades. Our team has the capability to expertly identify, design, and implement water ECMs that go beyond those the standard domestic, quickly delivering deep savings and ROI, increasing the overall savings both in the near and long term.

CEG goes beyond basic stakeholder management in occupied buildings; in addition, a key part of our strategy is engaging building occupants. This can be as simple as teaching occupants how to override the automatic night set-back, or it can fundamentally transform how occupants interact with the built environment. Key aspects of our deep retrofit strategy are “Occupant Engagement Programs” and “Organizational Engagement Programs,” both of which work to streamline how occupants and organizations utilize their infrastructure. One potential manifestation of these programs is the “hoteling” system, which replaces assigned desks with unassigned, flexible work spaces that foster collaboration and efficiency. Hoteling can be complemented by a cultural shift in the office that encourages telecommuting, which has potential to significantly reduce the client’s utility consumption. Our experience has proven that working with tenants in occupied buildings enables us to achieve deeper cuts in utility consumption. For past projects, we held multiple “Awareness Days,” which informed occupants about the energy and water retrofits that were taking place at the campus. We also incentivized occupants to attend sessions where we distributed training materials and tools to help occupants to reduce their electricity bills.

From selecting the right building materials to evaluating the first cost and life cycle cost of a facility, CEG is committed to guiding our clients through every step of the decision-making process to ensure that they receive the most innovative, environmentally conscious, and financially feasible solutions for their projects. We take a practical approach to sustainability, analyzing the implications of the counsel we give to determine just how it will impact our clients, communities, and the environment in, both the short and long term. Over the past two decades, we have compiled a stable of best practices, which we use to assist our clients in achieving their sustainability goals. Our staff of over LEED accredited professionals stays attuned to the latest developments in sustainable design and construction through both in-house training and education and on-the-job experience.