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A nominee for best documentary at the Environmental Media Awards, “Carbon Nation” is a film very close to Sieben Energy Associates. CEO Craig Sieben was a producer on the film which was released in February 2011. The Environmental Media Association (EMA) advocates for environmental responsibility in the entertainment industry. EMA’s annual Environmental Media Awards honors films and television programming that demonstrates achievements in delivering effective green messages. “Carbon Nation” discusses the issues and the solutions surrounding climate change through interviews with a diverse group of people combating climate change. The film documents how a low-carbon economy would provide not only solutions to climate change, but also address current pressing social and economic problems; including job creation, public health, and national security. The EMA presents their awards October 15, 2011.

Energy Star has announced a new program focusing on multifamily residential high-rise buildings. According to the program website, this new designation for multifamily high-rises (dubbed “MFHR”) is intended for “new or substantially renovated” buildings. Energy Star aims to incorporate energy efficient design elements such as high-performance insulation and windows, efficient HVAC equipment, and Energy Star rated appliances into these new residential spaces. These elements not only minimize the building’s energy consumption, they also create a comfortable (and less costly) environment for tenants. The EPA highlights the ability of high-efficiency design and properly-installed systems and insulation to ensure temperatures and indoor air quality stay optimal despite temperature and weather shifts. Especially in a climate with significant seasonal changes like, say, autumn in Chicago, an energy efficient high-rise is designed to keep energy usage and costs to a minimum while keeping its tenants warm in the winte ...

We know energy efficiency to be a solid cost-saving strategy and a smart way to minimize one's carbon footprint; but it’s also one of America’s greatest energy sources.  Reframing the debate about energy efficiency into one about energy resource and fossil fuel independence could generate it national attention and ultimately a national standard.  The research surrounding Energy Efficiency Resource Standards explains energy efficiency as America’s cleanest, cheapest, fastest and most reliable energy resource.  Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS) are policies enforced by public utilities commissions mandating reduced energy use upon retail electricity and natural gas providers.  EERS have been successfully implemented in 26 states; the first initiative was in Texas in 1999.  Illinois’ first EERS, SB1592, was signed into action in 2007.  SB1592 requires electric utilities to reduce energy use by 0.2% through advancements in efficiency by 2009 and a further 2.0% by 2015. Ill ...

On Sunday, June 26th, Jerry Burin and Chris Philbrick presented “Monitoring Based Commissioning Success”  at the International Conference of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) in Washington, D.C. Their presentation explored the monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) process, an innovative, data-driven approach to achieving improved energy efficiency. SEA’s MBCx assignment at 311 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, served as a case study for the presentation.  311 S. Wacker is one of the city’s most recognizable skyscrapers. The presentation provided attendees an overview of the new technologies driving MBCx and the benefits of tracking and acting on building performance data. MBCx uses web-based data tracking that enables SEA to identify energy saving opportunities. Jerry and Chris demonstrated how MBCx generates information that enables building owners to optimize HVAC performance while maintaining occupant comfort. Data-driven energy management is nothing new to SEA. MBCx is an emerging tre ...

“Low hanging fruit” is a term commonly referring to targets or goals which are easily achievable and don’t require a lot of effort. The term is a convention in the energy efficiency space, referring to easily identifiable, readily achievable measures to produce energy savings. Rooting out and replacing high wattage lighting with lower wattage lamps is often referred to as low hanging fruit. So is modifying operating schedules of energy-consuming equipment to meet occupancy needs, and turning off equipment that continues to run when it’s simply not required. Eliminating the waste associated with simultaneous heating and cooling and employing re-set strategies, for example, on chilled water temperature, are among energy saving initiatives commonly described as low hanging fruit. Finding and repairing leaks in compressed air systems is another energy saving opportunity the often earns a place in the low hanging fruit family.   To some, the term “low hanging fruit” is derogatory, even insulting, as if suc ...

Environment Illinois highlighted Sieben Energy Associates in their “Saving Energy Growing Jobs” report , which was released today. The report describes SEA’s history and the growth of the energy efficiency industry in Illinois stating how “customers who wouldn’t have considered paying for an energy audit in 1990 now actively seek [SEA] out.”   It makes special note of our recent partnership with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council (MCHC), working with hospitals to tackle their specific sustainability and energy efficiency challenges. The partnership with MCHC demonstrates the increase in public and private awareness of energy efficiency, and the role that SEA has played in that development. Visit the Environment Illinois Website to read the entire report that includes the SEA case study.

At the beginning of this year, the Cook County Energy Efficiency Block Grant Program opened to buildings in several communities and neighborhoods throughout Cook County. This program is terrific for small- to medium- sized buildings of nearly any type, including commercial, industrial, non-profit, places of worship, and health care. The program involves: Either one or two site visits by SEA, depending on the size/complexity of the building being audited Deployment of data loggers to trend temperature, humidity, light levels, and power draw on large equipment for up to one week Analysis similar to what is found in an ASHRAE Level II Audit, including utility analysis, energy use analysis, building envelope examination, and energy saving measures Peer-review of audit reports by the Delta Institute, a non-profit organization that is administering the program A meeting with the Delta Institute and representatives from the building about financ ...

 The USGBC Illinois Chapter is hosting a Commissioning Panel Discussion on Thursday, April 7th and SEA will be well represented. Mike Kuk, SEA’s Director of Technical Services and Commissioning, is one of four panelists speaking at the event. The firm is also sponsoring the event, and additional staff members (myself and Bart Lazarczyk) will be there for the discussion and to answer questions and meet attendees at the SEA table. The event promises to be an interesting and informative discussion of the value of Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning, and how the process is integrated into LEED. For more event info, visit the USGBC website.  

The USGBC is hard at work on its latest Building Design and Construction LEED Rating System, simply referred to as LEED 2012. Among the sea of changes that have been proposed, I will briefly discuss the vastly expanded scope of commissioning services under both Fundamental and Enhanced commissioning. Under the previous LEED guidelines, commissioning services typically focused on heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment, as well as the building automation systems that drive the sequence of operations for HVAC systems and lighting controls. LEED 2012 proposes that the process go beyond HVAC to include the following under the Fundamental Commissioning guidelines: Building envelope, which includes roofing assemblies and systems; and thermal, air, and vapor transmission properties of walls, roofs, windows and doors Any monitoring and measuring devices for potable or reclaimed water entering the buildingAutomatic sensing devices in plumbing Irrigation systems Cooling tower chemica ...