Hub October 2024 Newsletter

October 30, 2024

Building Energy Resource Hub October 2024 Newsletter

Greetings -



Earlier this month was ENERGY STAR Day and we are celebrating throughout October! ENERGY STAR isn’t just for appliances and single-family homes—there are extensive commercial and multi-family building resources for energy efficiency and building retrofits as well. Make the most out of ENERGY STAR today: subscribe to their newsletters, check out their resources and catch up on building benchmarking and Portfolio Manager, including pages in Spanish, below! 


The Hub is excited to announce our next Finance Friday webinar on November 8th at 11:00 AM when Illinois Energy Office will share two new opportunities for Housing Assistance Energy Grants. We also have a few spaces available at next month’s Contractor Connection; email us if you want an invitation sent to you. 


Thanks!


Katie, Kindy, Matt & Rimjhim

The Hub Team

Celebrating ENERGY STAR Day this October!


ENERGY STAR Day was October 9, 2024 and EPA announced several new resources, including Portfolio Manager being made available in Spanish.

 ¡Portfolio Manager® ya está disponible en español! 


Los propietarios, gestores e inquilinos de edificios hispanohablantes ya pueden medir y evaluar el consumo de energía, el consumo de agua, la generación de residuos, y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero de sus edificios en español. Además, pueden aprovechar otros recursos útiles en español, como: 

  • Solicitud de Certificación de Energy Star: Presente su solicitud en español y todas las comunicaciones durante el proceso de revisión serán en español. 
  • Asistencia al usuario: Envíe su pregunta en español. 
  • Biblioteca de preguntas frecuentes (Próximamente al final de 2024/principio de 2025). 
  • Documentos de formación (Próximamente 2025). 

Cómo acceder la versión española de Portfolio Manager. 

  1. Inicie sesión en Portfolio Manager.
  2. En “Configuración de la cuenta” (esquina superior derecha de cada página), seleccione, “Sus preferencias.” 
  3. Para el idioma, elija español. 
  4. Guarde los cambios haciendo clic en “Realice cambios” en la parte inferior.

Iniciar Sesión

Contractor Corner


Three resources to add to your contractor decarb library


  1. Check out Better Buildings HVAC Electrification resources. HVAC and water heating systems frequently run on fossil fuels, significantly contributing to buildings' on-site greenhouse gas emissions. Electrifying building systems heat pumps is a huge step towards a more efficient, decarbonized portfolio. Better Building works with partners to share cost-effective heat pump system installation and maintenance strategies for both space conditioning and water heating. This page will connect you to case studies, technical guidance and webinars. 
  2. Explore the benefits of Enhanced Ventilation (ERV) Technology in this Hub primer, which delves into how mechanical ventilation can be optimized for improved comfort, health, and energy savings. An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) is an advanced mechanical ventilation system that provides controlled, conditioned fresh air while minimizing energy loss. By recovering energy from exhaust air and transferring it to incoming fresh air, ERVs improve indoor air quality and occupant well-being. In addition to enhancing comfort, this technology reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lowers energy consumption, making it a key strategy for sustainable building operations.
  3. The Hub's LED Lighting Technology Primer highlights the simplicity and numerous benefits of retrofitting to LED lighting. LED lighting offers long-lasting, highly efficient upgrades that significantly enhance both building performance and occupant well-being. These retrofits provide a low-cost, high-impact solution to improve a building's lighting system by reducing energy consumption, lowering maintenance costs, and extending fixture lifespan. In addition to energy savings, LED lighting enhances occupant comfort through improved light quality and control options, making it a valuable investment for both sustainability and operational efficiency.


Upcoming Hub Events


Finance Fridays: Explore the Equitable Energy Futures Grant
November 8 at 11:00 AM 


Join us on November 8 for an overview of the Illinois EPA Energy Office of Energy Housing Assistance Energy Grants. Illinois EPA recently announced the expansion of two energy efficiency grants: the Energy Efficiency Assessment Program and the Energy Efficiency Trust Fund Program provide funding for energy efficiency assessments and upgrade projects at eligible properties serving residents receiving housing assistance. These grant programs will now accept applications statewide for single-family residential and multifamily properties with up to 20 dwelling units serving residents receiving housing assistance. Learn how you can leverage these financial programs for your next project.


Register Now

And in case you missed the first two episodes of our Finance Fridays series, you can check out the recordings below!



Partner Events


Making Decarbonization Financing Work for
Homeowners and Contractors
Hosted by Rocky Mountain Institute
October 29 at 2:00 PM CT


This webinar presents new findings from RMI’s Making Decarbonization Financing Work for Homeowners and Contractors report, featuring real-world perspectives from experts in home energy upgrade financing, contracting, and program design. The panel discusses how to create simpler, more accessible financing options that make electrification a more appealing choice for both homeowners and contractors.   


Register Now


Illinois Stretch Code Training: Residential 
Hosted by Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
October 29 at 10:00 AM CT


Learn about requirements for the state-developed stretch code aimed at improving building energy efficiency. Energy codes are among the most cost-effective tools impacting the energy use and emissions of newly constructed buildings, and stretch codes are a great option for jurisdictions with climate or energy goals. Learn from an expert in stretch codes and the changes that may impact your building energy code requirements. Continuing education credits will be available for AIA(HSW), ICC and RESNET.


Register Now


The Future of Multifamily: Positioning Condos and Co-Ops for Success in DC and NYC
Hosted by Building Energy Exchange and Building Innovation Hub
November 7 at 10:00 AM CT


Join the Building Energy Exchange and the Building Innovation Hub for the first event in the Future of Multifamily series—Positioning Condos and Co-ops for Success in DC and NYC. This virtual webinar will overview the current BPS landscape in both cities and how condos and co-ops are preparing for compliance. After brief presentations from real case studies in DC and NYC, participants will hear from service providers and condo board members in a moderated discussion.


Register Now


ICYMI: Building Energy Benchmarking 101

This one-hour workshop, originally recorded in October 2023, provides an overview of the free building benchmarking tool, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and helps you understand how to set up an account, how to create accurate building profiles, how to best gather and enter monthly energy, water, and/or waste data, and how to interpret your performance over time in the tool. We also had special guests to help explain ComEd's Energy Usage Data System tool to help attendees understand how to collect aggregated whole building electricity data to support your benchmarking journey!

Watch the Recording Here


What We're Watching


Recorded Webinar: Integrated Strategies for Building Decarbonization 
Hosted by US Department of Energy's Better Buildings Initiative


Integrated decarbonization strategies can help organizations uncover pathways to reducing emissions and meeting sustainability goals. This real-world example from a Better Buildings partner shows a pathway that other organizations can leverage to accelerate their decarbonization planning. This webinar presents a case study that used a blend of strategies including right-sizing, heat pumps, thermal storage, and heat recovery to develop a successful decarbonization plan.



Watch Here

How Architects Can Drive High-Performance Office Fit-Out Projects

March 10, 2025
Resource Overview Architects are essential players in designing, constructing, and operating high-performance spaces for tenants, the demand for which continues to rise. Half of all commercial buildings in the US are leased, and retrofitting existing buildings is a must for meeting our evolving climate and emissions targets. How can architects take advantage of this opportunity, and get involved in these projects? TEOP for Architects takes ULI’s established Tenant Energy Optimization Program (TEOP), a 10-step process for embedding energy efficiency into leased spaces during initial fit-outs or significant renovations, and shows how architects can plug in and use it to streamline their work. Drawing on interviews with architects and real estate professionals from firms leading in sustainability, TEOP for Architects is filled with practical advice and data points for addressing common barriers, whether it’s how to approach clients that are new to sustainability, how to integrate energy modeling into your practice, or how to ensure building operations help meet initial performance goals. TEOP for Architects shows that tenant spaces are just as ripe for design excellence and innovation in performance as new construction. Whether you’re an experienced architect just getting familiar with tenant fit-outs or you’re entirely new to the world of sustainability, TEOP for Architects can help you get situated and start delivering the efficient, elegant projects that clients and the climate both need.

Fitting Out Spaces for Net Zero

March 10, 2025
Resource Overview Fit-outs tend to attract less attention than the construction and operation of buildings, despite the fact that it has a significant impact on the operational performance of the occupied space. In addition, in nondomestic buildings, the interiors can be replaced every three to 10 years, making fit-outs a crucial part of a building’s life cycle. This tenant primer focuses on the importance of fit-outs.

Tenant Energy Optimization Program

March 7, 2025
Resource Overview The Tenant Energy Optimization Program Infographic provides stakeholders with an overview of ULI's TEOP program as well as an outline of the 10-step process which outlines steps you can take to integrate energy efficiency into tenant space, design, and construction.

Green Leasing as Part of a Sustainable Tenant Fit-Out

March 6, 2025
Resource Overview Building owners and tenants are often characterized by conflicting interests and split incentives, hindering joint efforts towards energy efficient buildings. However, both parties play a vital role in embedding sustainability into the built environment and ultimately have common ground that can be leveraged to achieve shared goals. The Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Tenant Energy Optimization Program (TEOP) and the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Green Lease Leaders program share complementary, actionable steps for landlord-tenant collaboration in advancing sustainability in leased spaces. Green Leasing as Part of a Sustainable Tenant Fit-out: Tenant Energy Optimization Program and Green Lease Leaders Program provides an overview of TEOP and Green Lease Leaders, highlighting how the two programs can work together to offer a robust roadmap for landlord-tenant energy efficiency achievements.

Green Lease Leaders

January 20, 2025
Resource Overview  Launched in 2014 by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Alliance and the Institute for Market Transformation, Green Lease leaders sets the standard for what constitutes a green lease. The program provides guidance in leasing practices to advance mutually beneficial landlord-tenant relationships that lead to higher-performing buildings and healthier, more sustainable communities. Participants benefit from established guidelines and free support while developing their leases, as well as peer leadership recognition and substantial energy savings when leases have been implemented. Honorees are announced annually at the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Conference .

Energy Treasure Hunt

September 25, 2024
An Energy Treasure Hunt is a collaborative quest where your employees uncover opportunities to save energy.

Build for the Future Funding Navigator

September 13, 2024
The Build for the Future Funding Navigator provides a listing of funding opportunities across federal agencies to support efforts to enhance climate resiliency, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, healthy housing, workforce development and environmental justice for HUD communities.

ASHRAE: Advanced Energy Design Guides

September 6, 2024
This is a series of publications designed to provide recommendations for achieving zero energy buildings or building energy savings over the minimum code requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1.

ENERGY STAR Action Workbook for Small Business

August 23, 2024
This guidebook provides step-by-step guidance on ways to increase energy efficiency in facilities by implementing realistic and cost-effective energy improvement projects.

ENERGY STAR Product Finder

August 19, 2024
This resource helps you find all the information you need to start shopping for ENERGY STAR certified products, including product details, rebates, and retailers near you.
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