Hub July 2024 Newsletter

Building Energy Resource Hub July 2024 Newsletter

$ave Money, $ave Energy Series



ComEd has numerous tools to help commercial building owners, property managers, and building professionals identify energy savings opportunities for lights, HVAC system, chillers, or motors. Learn how to receive a free report detailing energy efficiency projects that you can start working on immediately. Retro-commissioning services will investigate your facility’s energy performance, improve your bottom line, and create a more comfortable environment for your occupants. This three-part series will provide 30 minutes overviews to get you orientated on ComEd services.

Contractor Corner

Learn About Variable Frequency Drives

Want to learn more about variable frequency drives? Check out this free two-part series by our partners at Focus on Energy to understand and optimize fan and pumping systems to give your customer significant opportunities in reducing energy costs. Join on Wednesday, August 14 from 8:30 to 11:30 am CT and Thursday, August 15 from 8:30 to 11:30 am CT. Register here.

DOE Commercial Building Heat Pump Accelerator

Are you following the Department of Energy's Commercial Building Heat Pump Accelerator? From 2024 through 2027, the Accelerator will work with stakeholders, from commercial building owners and operators to manufacturers, to accelerate the development and adoption of heat pump packaged RTUs to achieve integrated energy efficiency and electrification of buildings. The Accelerator website features case studies, webinars, and programs that are updated regularly. Learn more here.

Partner Resources

Low Carbon Action Plan Templates

In this U.S. Department of Energy tool, Low Carbon Pilot participants worked with the US Department of Energy and the national laboratories to document their work toward low carbon status in Action Plan Templates. Building and Plant owners can use example templates provided by DOE to outline and prioritize decarbonization projects at a specific site or facility. You can access these templates for different building and facility types in the links below. Check out the resource here.

Framework for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Panning: Building Portfolios

The Framework for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Planning (ERP), developed by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides guidance to organizations seeking to reduce GHG emissions for their building portfolios and vehicle fleets. The process described in this framework helps organizations develop an actionable plan that prioritizes emissions reduction measures, identifies solutions, and lays out a phased pathway to achieve deep emissions reductions. Check out the resource here.

Low Carbon Technology Strategies Toolkit

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the Low Carbon Technology Strategies guidance documents to support you in your journey to reduce carbon emissions in your buildings. The primary purpose is to aid owners and operators of existing buildings in planning retrofit and operational strategies to achieve deep carbon reductions. These strategy documents supplement existing energy design guides where new construction is the focus. Low Carbon Technology Strategies are currently available for 10 building types, with a supplement for commercial kitchen equipment. Check out the resource here.

Upcoming Hub Events

Hub 101: Get to Know the Building Energy Resource Hub
July 31 at 12:00 PM CT

Join this jam-packed 30-minute webinar to learn about current Hub resources and get a sneak peek at a few of the tools we are developing. All Hub tools and resources are free to use and geared towards commercial and multi-family buildings throughout Illinois. The Hub, along with our partners Elevate, Illinois Finance Authority, and International Code Council, are developing numerous new tools to help buildings professionals plan, fund, and implement energy efficiency and building decarb projects. Join us!

Finance Fridays: Illinois Climate Bank's SSBCI Program
August 23 at 11:00 AM CT

Join this 30-minute webinar with the Illinois Climate Bank and a participating lender to learn about the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). The Illinois Climate Bank assists Illinois businesses that create or retain jobs by offering the SSBCI through a participating lender. SSBCI staff will present this funding opportunity and identify how your project could qualify for the attractive interest rates at 1% or 2% flat per annum. Wintrust Bank will present how their customers utilized this loan product to finance building energy projects. Learn more about the SSBCI program here.

Partner Events

Energy Savings Unlocked: A Panel Discussion on Energy Management Best Practices & ROI
Hosted by Energy Management Association
August 6 at 2:00 PM CT

Join our partners at Energy Management Association for a webinar where a panel of energy management professionals will discuss strategies and real-life applications that have led to significant financial savings. The panelist will share their firsthand experiences from diverse sectors, demonstrating how effective utility bill data management, building benchmarking, and real-time metering, when combined with cutting-edge technology, can uncover substantial energy cost reductions.

Understanding the Energy Rating Index Performance Path

Hosted by Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

August 7 at 12:00 PM CT

Speakers Christopher McTaggart from Building Efficiency Resources and Jerica Stacey from International Code Council will share about the Energy Rating Index (ERI) method for complying with the Residential Energy Code.

2021 IECC: Commercial Blower Door Testing

Hosted by SEDAC

August 20 at 12:00 PM CT

In this webinar, SEDAC will cover how the changes to commercial building envelope air sealing requirements in the 2021 IECC impact energy code compliance in Illinois, when to do testing, how the test is set up and performed, and how to interpret the test results for energy code compliance. This webinar is designed for code officials, architects, building engineers, and anyone who is interested in this new 2021 IECC requirement.

Air Source Heat Pumps and Electrification

Hosted by Better Buildings: Better Business powered by Slipstream

August 21 at 8:00 AM CT

Slipstream experts will review how air source heat pumps (ASHPs) fit into the residential electrification landscape. They will also explore how the new generation of ASHPs are equipped to provide space heating needs in cold climates. Speakers will highlight ASHP applications with the strongest value proposition in new and existing homes in the upper Midwest.

What We're Reading

Illinois Green Economy Network
Community College Net Zero Collaborative

SEDAC

SEDAC is partnering with the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) to provide planning, education and support to community colleges in the IGEN network to develop Net Zero Plans. Colleges can participate by attending collaborative meetings and receiving free technical assistance for developing and implementing Net Zero Plans.