Carbon Smart Buildings
Introduction
CEG is applying lessons learned from leading edge projects to deliver carbon smart buildings for our clients. Carbon smart buildings are energy efficient, utilize carbon-free energy sources, and are often complemented by onsite renewable energy generation. In our projects we go beyond conventional energy savings measures and like-for-like replacements, and instead seek to perform holistic, deep-energy retrofits that significantly reduce a facility’s carbon footprint and create carbon smart buildings.
As a leader in energy engineering and construction, CEG helps building owners and managers transform existing buildings into carbon smart buildings. We analyze existing building systems, and design and implement turnkey solutions that increase energy efficiency, make progress towards decarbonization, and generate renewable energy. We guarantee performance and leverage creative project financing to deliver comprehensive projects that meet sustainability goals and efficiency mandates.
Approach
CEG’s Carbon Smart Building approach includes the following:
Set goals for the project such as electrifying and decarbonizing buildings, generating utility cost savings, renewing critical infrastructure, improving operations, increasing resilience, and implementing onsite renewable energy generation.
Measure and benchmark baseline energy consumption, load profiles, performance of existing building equipment and systems, and utility costs.
Analyze Improvements to facility infrastructure using detailed modeling to balance consumption reductions, renewable generation, and shifting remaining energy use to carbon free sources.
Reduce loads via ECMs such as retrocommissioning existing equipment; upgrading and/or replacing HVAC, lighting, building envelope, and refrigeration systems; improving building controls and automation systems; and implementing water conservation measures.
Tailor and implement onsite renewable energy generation solutions such as solar PV, battery storage systems, and microgrids in order to reduce reliance on the utility grid and move toward building decarbonization and carbon neutrality.
Experience
Confidential Federal Site (NY)
This project achieved a 70% reduction in electricity usage and a 54% reduction in natural gas usage. Leveraging this reduced consumption, CEG designed net zero electricity upgrades that would expand an existing micro-grid to provide full-facility back-up power. Our design involved replacement of the main switchgear (which is nearing end-of-life), interconnection of the existing generating assets, and the installation of over 4 megawatts of solar PV.
Confidential Military Installation (MD)
This project reduced the site’s total annual energy consumption by over 40% and water consumption by 37%. As part of the project, CEG designed and installed ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). This eliminated the site’s heating oil consumption, which reduced the site’s reliance on fossil fuels.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (CA)
This project is saving more than $4.3MM, 61,000 MMBtu, and 18.5MM gallons of water each year. CEG started by reducing loads through RCx, HVAC airside controls, variable speed pumping, VAV conversions, building envelope measures, and lighting retrofits. Next, we designed efficient, right-sized central plants to take advantage of the load reductions. The project also included a rooftop solar PV system that lessened JPL’s reliance on the utility grid and increased renewable energy consumption.
