How to Bring Tomorrow Here, Sooner: Accelerating the Deployment of Intelligent Efficiency in Commercial Buildings

摘要

Equipment and systems used in buildings are becoming adaptive to environmental inputs,rnanticipatory in their performance, and networked to one another within a facility as well asrnexternally to other buildings. Based on the findings of a two-phase study by the AmericanrnCouncil for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), this paper summarizes enabling policies,rnprogram strategies, and the organizational approach required to accelerate the deployment ofrnthese phenomena, termed intelligent efficiency (IE), in the commercial buildings sector.rnIntegration of information technology (IT) and building energy management is on the rise andrnthe symbiotic benefits in annual energy cost savings are huge. However, to realize these savings,rna number of factors have to fall into place—presence of building automation systems,rnavailability of appropriate software solutions, financial incentives, and proven energy savingsrnbeing some of them.rnCases of successful IE projects indicate that most of these have evolved throughrnserendipity rather than a deliberate approach. We examine these early successes for criticalrnsuccess factors and tipping points and based on our analysis, we suggest necessary and sufficientrnconditions that catalyze an accelerated adoption of IE in the commercial buildings sector. Wernreview key enabling technologies that constitute intelligent efficiency, take stock of newrncapabilities to analyze big data sets, and summarize industry-led efforts to develop standards forrninteroperability of network protocols. Our findings suggest that the government, utility programrnmanagers, and suppliers of IT and automation products have important roles to play in creating arnmacro environment conducive to adopting IE.