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Plug and process loads (PPLs) in commercial buildings account for almost 5% of U.S. primary energy consumption. Minimizing these loads is a primary challenge in the design and operation of an energy-efficient building. PPLs are not related to general lighting, heating, ventilation, cooling, and water heating, and typically do not provide comfort to the occupants. They use an increasingly large fraction of the building energy use pie because the number and variety of electrical devices have increased along with building system efficiency. Reducing PPLs is difficult because energy efficiency opportunities and the equipment needed to address PPL energy use in office spaces are poorly understood.

This publication details the design, implementation strategies, and continuous performance monitoring of NREL's Research Support Facility data center.

This case study details the design and operations of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Research Support Facility data center and its contributions to energy efficiency.

Plug and process loads in commercial buildings account for 5% of U.S. primary energy consumption. Minimizing these loads is a primary challenge in the design and operation of an energy-efficient building.

A case study of the overview, process, and results of the re-tuning that was conducted in a building in Arlington, Virginia by Vornado Realty Trust in October 2012. Re-tuning provided the facilities management team with the ability to identify and understand building scheduling opportunities that drove significant, low-cost energy savings. Five measures were conducted, many of which pertained to the HVAC system.

Understand how to identify and implement re-tuning measures

This is chapter 3 of 3. The full training can be found at http://buildingretuning.pnnl.gov/small_bldg_training.stm

This article, published in High Performance Buildings Magazine, presents the process used for delivering NREL's Research Support Facility (RSF) as a replicable blueprint to achieve a large reduction in building energy use and to adopt a net zero energy approach for large-scale commercial buildings (ZEB) without increasing cost.

Input basic project information to determine which external financing mechanisms might be well-suited as well as calculate common finance metrics. This calculator is a Microsoft Excel workbook. Find more detail on each external financing mechanism in the External Financing Guide from the Retail Industry Leader's Association (RILA) at: https://www.rila.org/sustainability/RetailEnergyManagementProgram/Pages/...

This guide is intended to help energy managers and finance professionals at retail companies understand how to use external financing for energy projects. An external financing mechanism exists for nearly any company’s project and risk preferences. There is external financing for big and small projects, individual or portfolio-wide. There are financing mechanisms that are very safe but limit reward, and there are some that require more risk but offer greater potential value. Facilities, operations, or sustainability managers who haven’t ever utilized external financing should explore the viability of the mechanisms described in this guide to fund future energy projects.

Other related resources available on the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) website at: https://www.rila.org/sustainability/RetailEnergyManagementProgram/Pages/...