How can I increase my company's energy efficiency in order to meet our sustainability goals?
- Reducing your overall energy consumption will reduce your carbon footprint, helping you to meet your sustainability goals. A systematic energy audit can help identify the best ways to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.
Are there tax incentives for my company to be more energy efficient?
- Yes, there are! A tax deduction (not a tax credit) is available for compliance with the Energy Policy Act EPAct of 2005 for energy efficient buildings. There are four ways identified in EPAct that a building may qualify for the tax deduction: Whole Building, HVAC/Water Heating, Building Envelope, or Lighting. Visit the NC State Energy Office or SC Energy Office website for more details.
Who can evaluate my building for EPAct compliance for the tax deduction?
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Southern Energy Management can perform a site evaluation and energy modeling to determine if your building is in compliance with the EPAct 2005 guideline and produce the documentation necessary for your company to claim the tax deduction.
Is there an Energy Star program for commercial buildings?
- Yes! There are two pathways available for commercial buildings to meet the Energy Star program. This depends on whether the building is being designed or already built.
- If the building is under construction it can be certified as "Designed to meet Energy Star." This means that the building's projected energy consumption puts it in the top 25% of the least consuming buildings in their building use category. This is verified with a year's worth of actual utility data before the building is certified as an Energy Star for Commercial building.
- The other pathway is for existing buildings and requires a year of utility bills to benchmark the building's current performance. If the building is already a high performing building based on it being one of the top 25% most efficient buildings in their category, Southern Energy Management can verify that the building meets the Energy Star requirements and submit documentation to the EPA. If your building does not meet the Energy Star guidelines, Southern Energy Management can perform an energy audit to help you make improvements to obtain the Energy Star label for your commercial building.
My building is brand-new construction. Is there any use in having an energy audit?
- Definitely. Many times, new construction uses more energy than older buildings because the systems have not been set up properly. Educating the facilities manager about how a new building should operate can also greatly affect the energy consumption of a building.
What can I expect from an energy audit?
- An energy audit is a detailed inspection to identify promising energy saving opportunities in the building. Audits typically begin with a benchmarking exercise to see how your building compares to other similar buildings. Recommendations may include changing equipment, reducing excessive fan and pump runtime, managing temperature and ventilation controls. There are several levels of audits that range from identifying low-cost, no-cost improvements to a complete investment-grade audit that provides information needed to explore high cost, longer payback items such as chiller plant replacement.
Are there any incentives from the utilities to have an energy efficient building?
- Progress Energy has a new program for helping commercial business finance energy efficient improvements. Check out www.progress-energy.com/carolinasbusiness for further information about their program.
Are there any incentives from the utility companies to have an Energy Star certified commercial building?
- There are none at this time, however, financial incentives from lower operating costs are a direct benefit of a certified Energy Star building. More and more tenants are pursuing sustainable and energy efficient buildings to complement their corporate sustainability goals.
What are the benefits of solar water heating for my company?
- Investing in a solar water heating system will lower your company's utility bills each month as well as lower your carbon footprint!
When will my company see payback on a solar water heating system?
- Payback for commercial scale solar water heating systems are coming in at three to five years!
How can I tell if our site is good for solar?
- Great sites for solar water heating systems have south-facing, unshaded roofs and use more than 100 gallons of hot water per day. Our team will come out for a site visit where we'll assess your facility's conditions.
Is solar pool heating a feasible option for my organization?
- Solar pool heating makes sense for your organization if the pool is indoor and heated consistently or if it is heated beyond the normal pool season.
How does a solar electric system fit into my company's broader sustainability goals?
- A solar electric system uses a renewable energy source, the sun, to generate power. By harnessing the sun's free energy, your company produces clean energy for the utilities and reduces your carbon footprint.
How soon will we see a payback from the solar electric system?
- At today's energy prices, a commercial scale solar electric system has an average payback at less than ten years! Combined with progressive state and federal tax credits, solar PV is an economical way for your company or organization to generate power.
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