When most people think about energy conservation, they are probably not thinking about a seventy-year-old luxury resort and spa in one of the country’s most sought after tourist destinations. However, the recent recognition of Granlibakken in Lake Tahoe, California, by the US Department of Energy proves that those are exactly the sort of places that can make a difference.
In fact, with a projected reduction of over 40% in power consumption, Granlibakken is not just a flagship project for Placer County, and its first successful mPOWER funded project, it is an example for the entire country of how any building can improve energy conservation and increase energy savings.
How Did They Do It?
Increasing energy savings by 40% would be difficult for most homeowners, but for a commercial building operating year round with aging infrastructure, that is almost unheard of.
The projected reduction is all thanks to smart upgrades and retrofits, among which are:
- Kitchen equipment, including extractor hoods and refrigerators being swapped for newer, more efficient models.
- HVAC control upgrades.
- Improved building management systems.
By making these changes, the facility anticipates that they will cut their power consumption by over $40,000 in 2015, bringing their annual bill down from over $100,000 per annum to just over $60,000 this year. That is a massive saving by any measure!
Making Big Change Possible
The Granlibakken success story is a part of a bigger, national initiative called the Better Buildings Challenge, and was financed by mPOWER, which finances energy efficient upgrades for businesses in the area upfront, which means there is no need for capital investment.
The payment plan for the $676,000 upgrade at the resort will be offset by the energy savings enjoyed by the facility, and the investment has had an added benefit in that it has created local jobs and stimulated the local economy. The project has required local businesses to supply materials and equipment as well as labor and skills to complete the massive retrofit, and that is good for a small community like Lake Tahoe, whether directly or indirectly.
Placer County is just one of the 250 organizations who have partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy to create energy efficient buildings as a part of the Better Buildings campaign, and with a commitment to improve energy efficiency by 20% across millions of square feet of building space, there will be a significant benefit over time.
Energy Conservation Helps Everyone
Of course, we are not all looking to do hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of infrastructure upgrades to improve our energy consumption. However, under the Better Buildings Challenge and other programs, the U.S. Department of Energy does offer funding, rebates and incentives to improve energy efficiency in homes and commercial buildings.
So whether you’re looking for a residential electrical contractor to take your home partially off grid, or someone to overhaul the equipment in use at your commercial or industrial facility, it’s worth finding out what you might be eligible for. Because even if we do not win awards for saving power, the environmental and financial rewards are significant.
Recent Comments