1. ENERGY STAR for Existing
Commercial Buildings
By
Paki Taylor, PE, LEED AP

2. ENERGY STAR Program
1. Joint program of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the U.S Department of
Energy - 1992.
2. Helps individuals, organizations, property
managers and owners adopt cost-effective
energy efficient technologies to manage
energy costs and address climate change.

3. ENERGY STAR Program
• Credible and objective
source of information.
• 3rd party verification
of products and
building energy
performance.

4. ENERGY STAR Buildings
• Consume less energy
• Cost less to operate
• Provide utility bill
savings
• Reduce carbon
emissions
• Avoid the need for
new power plants

5. ENERGY STAR results
represent 1/3 of the
total greenhouse gas
emission reductions
from the U.S. Climate
Change Program
ENERGY STAR and Global
Climate Change

6. ENERGY STAR 2006 Statistics
• Prevented 37 million
tons of greenhouse
gas emissions
• Saved 14 billion on
utility bills
• Helped to avoid
35,000 megawatts of
peak power

7. ENERGY STAR 2006 Statistics
• 3,200 buildings with
Energy Star label
• 575 million square
feet
• 35% less energy use
• Saved 600 million on
utility bills

8. ENERGY STAR 2006 Statistics
• 300,000 buildings were rated using EPA’s energy
performance rating system.
• 5 billion square feet
• 42% Hospital Space, 30% Supermarket Space,
18% School Space, 25% Office Building Space.

9. ENERGY STAR Partners
Manufactures
Retail Partners
Builder Partners
Private Business
State and Utilities
Energy Service Providers

10. • Commercial buildings can generate $2.00
to $3.00 of incremental asset value for
every $1.00 invested in energy
performance improvements.
ENERGY STAR Financial Case

11. ENERGY STAR Market Barriers
• Lack of Corporate Commitment
• Lack of Information
• Lack of Measurement Tools
• Tenant/Landlord Split Incentives

12. ENERGY STAR Program
• By encouraging top-level commitment.
• By creating easily accessible online
information.
• By establishing a standardized energy
performance rating system.
• By promoting system integrated approach
to upgrade buildings.

13. How to attain an ENERGY
STAR Label for a Commercial
Building
• A Professional Engineer (PE) must perform
the 3rd party validation of the building
Gather
Utility
Data
Verify, IAQ
thermal comfort,
illumination levels
Meet ENERGY
STAR criteria ?
Determine
eligible
Buildings
Submit
documentation
for energy star
award
Make
recommendations for
improvements
Yes
No

14. 1. Eligible Space Types for the
ENERGY STAR Label
• Offices
• Hospitals
• K-12 Schools
• Medical Offices
• Supermarkets
• Dormitory/Residence Halls
• Refrigerated/UnRefrigerated
Warehouses
Energy Star Building Building Building Building Building
Eligibility Rules Sets for Benchmarking A B C & D E (FDLE) F
Joint
Building Type : Office, K-12 School, Office Office CEP & Office/Lab Dispatch
Supermarket/Grocery, Hotel, Acute care Cafeteria Center
& children's hospital
Building Type Requirement Satisfied? Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Occupied at least 11 of the 12 most recent months Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Gross Floor Area (Sq. Ft.) Yes Yes 5,000
Gross Floor Area < or = to 10,000,000 Sq. ft. (?) Yes Yes
Gross Floor Area > or = to 5,000 Sq. ft. (?) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Floor Area of Computer Data Center is not Greater
than 10% of the Gross Floor Area of the Entire ?) Yes Yes Yes No
50% of Gross Floor Area is Primary Office Space
(not including Garages or Parking Lots) Yes Yes No
Floor Area of Garage cannot exceed 100% of the
Facility's Gross Floor Area Yes Yes
Facility must operate 35 hours or more per week Yes Yes
Facility must have at lesat 1 Personal Computer
but not more than 25,000 Yes Yes

15. 2. Gather Utility Data
• Eleven (11) months of consecutive
utility data
• EPA Portfolio Manager rating of 75
or greater for ENERGY STAR Label
• EPA Portfolio Manager rating of 60
is prerequisite for LEED EB
certification in Energy and
Atmosphere category.

16. 3. Verify IAQ, Thermal Comfort,
and Illumination Levels for
Building
A Professional Engineer (PE) is required to perform a site
assessment to determine if building complies by:
• ASHRAE 55 – Thermal Comfort Criteria
• ASHRAE 62 – Outdoor Air Ventilation, Indoor Air Quality
• IESNA – Illumination Criteria

17. 4. Submit Documentation for
Energy Star Award
• PE Signs a Statement of
Energy Performance and
submits the document to
the EPA for evaluation
and ENERGY STAR award
label.

18. Case Study – Capital Circle Office Center
(CCOC), Department of Management
Services, Tallahassee, Florida
• Fifteen (15) High
Performance Buildings
• 1,225,704 square feet
• Designed for efficient
operation, low
maintenance costs,
flexible floor plans,
extended life cycle

19. Capital Circle Office Center (CCOC),
Department of Management Services,
Tallahassee, Florida
High Performance Features
• Central energy plant on densely
developed campus
• Low-e glass
• Sealed thermal envelope
• Light sensors in office areas
• Mandates for ENERGY STAR
equipment
• Variable air volume HVAC
equipment
• Digital Controls for faster
reliable adjustments as well as
operating use

20. CCOC Energy Star Study Data Collection
• Several buildings were
eliminated due to either
poor performance or
inaccurate data output.
• Only four (4) buildings
yielded consistent chilled
water and electrical
consumption readings.

21. EPA Portfolio Manager Rating for four
(4) CCOC buildings
Facility Name Current
Rating
(1- 100)
Total Floor
Space
Square Feet
Current Energy
Period Ending
Date
Eligible for
Energy Star
3611- 4030 73 80,000 2/28/2007 Not Eligible: Rating
must be 75 or above
3613 - 4050 81 80,000 3/31/2007 Eligible
3918 - 4042 23 100,000 11/30/2006 Not Eligible: Rating
must be 75 or above
Gerald L. Gunter 79 100,000 3/31/2006 Eligible

22. Site Assessment for Two (2) ENERGY STAR
Eligible Candidates
• Temperature, humidity,
illumination readings and
volumetric airflow
measurements were performed
for office spaces, air handlers,
and exhaust fans.
• One building did not satisfy the
ASHRAE ventilation criteria.

23. Gerald L. Gunter Building was
awarded the Energy Star Label for
2007

24. Building Performance for Energy
Star Award Winner
Relative to a similar building type and square footage with
an Energy Star rating of 23
• The estimated savings is 2.4 million kilowatt hours on an annual
basis.
• A savings of $2.00 per square foot.
• A reduction in greenhouse gases (CO2) of 3, 842, 400 pounds.
• A reduction in Nitrogen Oxides of 5,830 pounds.
• A reduction in sulfur dioxides of 10, 512 pounds.

25. Buildings that did not qualify for
the ENERGY STAR Label
PROBLEMS –
Incorrect
Data Output,
insufficient
ventilation
and exhaust,
improper,
controls
CONTINUOUS
COMMISSIONING –
A system integrated
approach focusing on
optimizing HVAC systems
and controls based on
existing conditions

26. ENERGY STAR Summary
• ENERGY STAR label provides quantifiable and
measurable results to increase asset value and reduce
operational energy costs.
• Provides standardized measurement to establish energy
targets.
• 3rd party verification to validate performance.