Building Efficiency

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Rule Breakers’ Guide to Dominating Energy Efficiency and Air Quality Compliance in Oregon

11/28/2023

Are you ready to break the rules? Not in the traditional sense of rebellion, but by rewriting the rulebook on how to excel in the realm of energy efficiency and indoor air quality (IAQ) compliance in Oregon. It is time to challenge the status quo and carve out a path that leads to compliance mastery while keeping the well-being of all building occupants, especially priority populations, front and center.

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Traversing the Technical Landscape of BuildingLens: Advanced SaaS Solutions Enhance Property Management

11/21/2023

In the ever-changing landscape of property management, staying ahead with technology is not just a choice but a necessity. That’s where our

A cutaway cartoon of a bunch of different office spaces on three different floors of a building. Each room has a little to a lot of gray smoke in it, indicating polluted air.

Lancet Covid-19 Commission finds IAQ standards too low

11/15/2023

the Lancet Covid-19 Commission released a report on current IAQ standards. They found they don’t protect against the spread of infectious diseases in the air. The report considers ventilation, filtration, and disinfection rates in five types of small and medium-sized spaces. These include office, restaurant dining room, elementary classroom, hotel lobby, and supermarket. The report states, “there is no debate that the current targets are too low”.

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In 2023, the Future of Clean Energy is Good Health ,

11/07/2023

buildings as “health promoting environments” with “ventilation standards designed for health”.

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US Government Continues to Move Slowly but Surely on Clean Power

11/07/2023

A recent report by the National Resources Defense Council titled “Powering Toward 100% Clean Power by 2035” studies whether we can achieve this. Thanks to a history of environmental regulation and recent funding from the Biden Administration, the US can reach 100% clean power by 2023. This means we can meet our national commitment for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the Paris Agreement, too.

A cartoon of a small all glass building with solar panels, a charging station and trees on the outside. Furniture is spread around the inside and icons in speech bubbles represent a lock, a place, wifi, music, settings, the cloud.

Small to Medium Sized Building Systems Found to be a “Huge” Market

11/07/2023

By integrating IoT, commercial buildings, can use less energy and be cheaper and safer. However, “The Internet of Things in Smart Commercial Buildings 2018 to 2022,” published in 2018 reports that most commercial buildings have yet to fully exploit the power of smart control systems. In 2023, not much has changed… yet.

A graph that shows that the number of buildings under 100,000 square feet, which is: 95% of commercial buildings, 50% of commercial floor space, 44% of energy consumption. Only 13% have a BAS.

BuildingLens Wags the Dog with Traction in the Long Tail Market

11/07/2023

As a group, “Long Tail” buildings use 44% of energy in the United States. This makes them key for grid stability and climate change mitigation. Even so, only 13% of long tail buildings have a building automation system (BAS) that controls HVAC, the primary load in the building. In contrast, 71% of larger buildings have a BAS installed.

This is a screenshot of the cover of the: Heading: "Climate Investment Plan" Subheading: "Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) Climate Investment Plan" Subheading "Full Draft" "May 2023" a photos with a 11 people of a variety of races and ethnicities are holding a draft of the plan and celebrating in front of a colorful wall.

Building a Better Future: Unleashing the Power of the Portland Clean Energy Fund and BuildingLens in Property Management

11/07/2023

Among many other tasks, good property managers strive to provide a great tenant experience and manage energy. They face a challenge, though. In the age of COVID and wildfires, tenants’ demand for clean, safe indoor air is high and growing. Lucky for us, the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) Community Investment Plan (CIP) offers an exciting way to address these concerns. Geared towards projects led by or for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, CIP funds must be used for climate justice outcomes.

A screenshot of "Table 2: WAYS IN WHICH GEBs CAN PROVIDE VALUE TO THE GRID". There are 4 columns (i.e. Ways, Load Impact, Example Measure, and Example Benefit." Efficiency: Load impact is simply just lowered. Example measure: Building has an insulated, tight envelope and an efficient HVAC system to reduce heating/cooling energy needs. And the example benefit is "Reduced costs of burning fuel to satisfy energy demand, and reduced emissions associated with lower fuel use." The other ways include "Shed Load", "Shift Load", "Modulate", and "Generate".

Smart Buildings & DERs: The Path to a Greener, Resilient Grid

11/07/2023

In the face of escalating energy demands and the urgency of tackling climate change, the intersection of smart buildings and Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) is no longer just a luxury—it’s a necessity. Recognizing this, the US Department of Energy (USDOE) has offered a groundbreaking roadmap aimed at meeting the Biden administration’s 2030 climate goals.

A screenshot of "Table 2. Summary of Cost and Performance Parameters for Distributed Generation Technologies". There are 8 columns that include "Technology", "Size Range (kW)", "Installed Cost ($/kW)", "Heat Rate (Btu/kWhe)", "Approx. Efficiency (%)", "Variable O&M ($/kWh)", and "Emissions" with two separate columns, one for "NOx" and one for "CO2". Technologies described include: "Diesel Engine", "Natural Gas Engine", "Natural Gas Engine with CHP", "Dual-Fuel Engine", "Microturbine", "Microturbine w/CHP", "Combustion Turbine", "Combustion Turbine w/CHP", "Fuel Cell", "Photovoltaics", "Wind Turbine", "Battery", "Flywheel", "SMES", and "Hybrid Systems".

DERs Decoded: Fueling Property Management Success

11/07/2023

For property managers, DERs may offer the following:

Energy Management and Reliability. DER systems can augment current energy sources. This helps manage energy costs and ensures a reliable power supply.

Energy Independence. Buildings can run independently from the electric power grid using DER systems.

Economic Benefits. High energy and fuel costs and incentives can greatly lower the life-cycle costs of DER.

Emergency Preparedness. DER systems offer energy security when they power critical loads during power outages. This is good for the building and the community.

For property managers who want to make use of DERs, but don’t know where to start, we

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Individual Rights, Equity and the Indoor Air Quality Act

11/07/2023

A glimpse into the future of building management The ever-growing concern about indoor air quality (IAQ) and its impact on public health

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Beyond Hardware: How BuildingLens Augments BAS Capabilities

11/07/2023

Think of a BMS or BAS as the physical heart and brain of your building. It’s a collection of technological components designed to autonomously control any system in a building, like HVAC and energy storage and generation control. On the other hand, BuildingLens is like the smart coach that ensures this heart and brain operate at their peak. Our service is designed to optimize, enhance, and streamline the function of these systems.