Hub October 2024 Newsletter

Building Energy Resource Hub October 2024 Newsletter

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.
   
   

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.

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

• Finance Fridays: Illinois Climate Bank's SSBCI Program - Recorded on August 23
• Finance Fridays: Small Business Products for Energy Projects - Recorded on September 13
• Finance Fridays: Equitable Energy Futures Grant - Recorded on September 27

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.   

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.

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.

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!

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.