GBA Competing to Cut Expenses
The Georgia Building Authority (GBA) is participating in the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority’s (GEFA) First Annual State Building Energy Competition. Open to state agencies only, the agency building that reduces its energy use intensity the most on a percentage basis wins the competition.
The goal of the competition is to move more state buildings toward higher performance standards and reduce operating expenses.
Agencies were invited in fall 2010 to submit one or more of its buildings to the competition using baseline energy consumption information from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. GEFA selected the competitors and assigned “trainers” to each facility to assist and help work off its “wasteline.”
GBA’s 2 Peachtree Building and Annex were accepted into the program. Agency officials look forward to seeing a reduction in energy consumption as a result of energy conservation efforts. Occupancy sensors have been installed in the 45-story 2 PeachtreeBuilding. “Instead of the lights turning off in the evening by our cleaning crew, they’ll turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity,” said Carl Watkins, GBA’s energy manager. The agency is also installing an “after hours chiller,” that will more efficiently provide cool air to computer rooms without the expense of turning on the main units, which cool the 1-million-square-foot building in the spring and summer.
Watkins explained that GBA is taking advantage of very detailed reports on energy consumption, providing information that allows the agency to make operational adjustments that should cut costs. This has been particularly helpful at the 10-story Annex, where evening and weekend activities are more common.
“This is a great program and we are glad to be participating in it,” said Deputy Director Steve Fanczi. “GBA is dedicated to providing a comfortable atmosphere for our tenants and we are dedicated to doing it in an efficient manner.”
“This building competition creates awareness and promotes Georgia’s culture of conservation,” said GEFA Executive Director Kevin Clark. “I’d like to congratulate not only the agencies currently competing, but the many state agencies, campuses and facilities that are already doing a great job conserving energy through the Governor’s Energy Challenge.”
The competitors will use ENERGY STAR’s online energy tracking tool, Portfolio Manager, which automatically calculates EUI after entering a year’s worth of energy data and other metrics such as square footage. The performance period during which the competitors will be judged will be July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011, which aligns with the state’s fiscal year. The eight state agencies will not only save money through reduced energy costs, but receive free assistance from energy experts on best conservation practices.
The top three energy-saving agencies will receive full tuition (valued at $1,375) to submit one person for the Building Operator Certification Program at GwinnettTechnicalCollege. The grand prize winner will receive additional consulting services to apply for an ENERGY STAR label from Georgia Power. The winner will be announced in August 2011.
Commercial buildings currently account for 18 percent of the nation’s energy use and nearly 18 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions. These same buildings spend more than $100 billion annually on energy costs, with 30 percent of the energy expended in these same buildings wasted (www.epa.gov).
About the Governor’s Energy Challenge
In April 2008, Georgia committed its state agencies to reducing energy consumption 15 percent by 2020 and challenged businesses, local governments and citizens to do the same. The Governor’s Energy Challenge plays an active role in helping Georgians meet this challenge through education initiatives and an easy, interactive online energy modeling tool that provides no-cost, low-cost and long-term options for businesses and residents to reduce energy use. For more information and to make the pledge, visit www.GovernorsEnergyChallenge.org.