What others fail to see and do

Energy Efficiency is about heating and cooling more buildings with less energy.

You wouldn’t try to store water in a leaky vessel, would you? Similarly there is no benefit derived from heating and cooling a structure with fossil fuels—or even the sun or wind, for that matter if the interior of a structure continuously needs to condition (heat and or cool) its air to a desired temperature.

During the Carter era in the 1970′s the nation experienced its first energy crisis. President Carter pleaded with Americans to turn down their thermostat setting, put on a sweater, apply more blankets, and use fans instead of air conditioning. Since many of these suggestions caused a sacrifice in comfort, it was difficult to get widespread cooperation.   Both energy conservation and energy efficiency will reduce energy consumption. But only one requires sacrifice of comfort. That one is energy conservation.

Yet sacrifice is unnecessary with an energy efficient building. Instead, the building provides all the warmth you need. Similarly, in the summer, cooling an energy efficient building is like a thermos bottle.  It holds the cold air so that the inside of the building stays cool.

Bombarded with “eco” messages about products, programs and theories, you are probably asking yourself “What IS an energy efficient building…and why should I want one?

We’ll get to why you should want an energy efficient building later.  For now, let’s answer the first part of that question: what IS energy efficiency.  The first thing that probably comes to your mind is using less energy by turning down your thermostat to a cooler setting in the winter, turning up the air conditioner to a warmer setting in the summer, and living in an environment that is less comfortable.

You can conserve energy by adjusting your thermostat and with the amount and type of clothing your wear. However, energy conservation is not an effective way to reduce your consumption, or your costs. Conservation is not the same thing as efficiency.  An energy efficient building needs less energy to keep you comfortable. Efficiency comes when the systems in your building are operating at peak performance and in concert with each other. An energy efficient building provides a climate that is more comfortable and healthier.

The Thermal Package 

Your building’s thermal package is the most basic and important element when it comes to energy efficiency. What is a thermal package?

An energy-efficient building is one that uses the least amount of energy to condition the air to the desired temperature using the most technologically advanced thermal package. This allows equipment for heating, cooling, lighting, hot water, and controlling air quality and moisture to function at peak efficiency.  At the same time, the building is completely comfortable for the people who live and work there, providing for the ideal living conditions.