When property owners and managers make the right investments to improve a building’s performance, the economics move in their favor.  High-performing buildings are energy efficient, meaning they are easier and less expensive to maintain. They provide healthy, comfortable workspaces, making them more attractive to tenants and prospective buyers. 

With the right strategy, technology and expertise, you can enhance your building’s performance and save on energy, water and building materials. And now is the time to do it. Building technologies are improving rapidly while the costs of those technologies are dropping. Astute building owners are taking advantage of technology to create comfortable temperatures, humidity levels and lighting.

 

Creating a high-performance building starts with developing a comprehensive energy plan. The right plan can save on energy costs, reduce emissions and create a culture that emphasizes continuous improvement in sustainability and building performance. If the task of implementing an energy plan seems overwhelming, here are some steps that may help:

 

1. Perform benchmarking in order to understand how much energy your building uses and how its usage compares with similar buildings

 

2. Set energy performance goals based on the benchmarking data that will improve your bottom line

 

3. Perform retro commissioning to "tune up" the building's existing energy systems and ensure efficient operation.

 

4. Research energy efficiency finance options such as tax credits, as well as state, local and utility rebates and incentives

 

5. Implement energy efficiency processes and install equipment

 

6. Measure, monitor and report the building’s energy performance on a regular basis

 

7. Register for third-party verification such as ENERGY STAR® and/or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) so that employees, tenants or prospective buyers know your building is a high performer

 

The Con Edison Green Team (conEd.com/energysavings) can be a valuable partner in helping you develop and implement your energy-efficiency plan. Customers in Con Edison’s Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Energy Efficiency Program have access to rebates, incentives and Con Edison’s Market Partners, a network of energy experts who can help identify and implement energy-efficiency solutions. More than 600 pre-approved energy-efficiency contractors, distributors and other energy professionals participate in the Con Edison C&I Market Partner network. 

The rebates, incentives and technical expertise will lower your capital investment. In many cases, financing can be structured so that the energy savings cover the project’s costs, negating the need for upfront capital. 

You can save on high-efficiency gas and electric equipment, including lighting and lighting controls, HVAC systems, boilers/furnaces, motors and variable frequency drives through the C&I Equipment Rebate Program. You can even save on improvements to chiller and/or refrigeration systems, industrial processes, compressed air systems or other cost-effective, energy-efficient technologies with incentives from our Custom Program. 

If you commission an American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers Level 3 energy audit through the program, you could save up to 50 percent, or up to $67,000, off the study’s costs. 

To be eligible for the C&I Energy Efficiency Program, your business must be a Con Edison commercial or industrial electric or gas customer and pay the System Benefits Charge on its utility bill. Your project must not have received an incentive from any other source.

In addition, federal, state and city agencies offer tax credits, low-interest loans, rebates and other financial incentives to help businesses make smart investments in energy efficiency. These incentives cover improvements to lighting, lighting controls, HVAC systems, furnaces, boilers, motors, variable frequency drives and energy-efficiency studies. 

 

 

Contact the C&I Energy Efficiency Program to assist with your energy- efficiency needs. For more information, visit conEd.com/energysavings or call 1-877-797-6347. Join the discussion on LinkedIn (Con-Edison-Commercial-Industrial), Facebook (ConEd Green Team C&I), Twitter (ConEd Green Team C&I) and YouTube (ConEd Green Team C&I). 

The Con Edison Green Team has energy-efficiency programs for almost everyone. To find out which program is right for you, call 1-877-860-6118 or visit www.conEd.com/greenteam.