The Energy Champion Awards were held on September 27, 2016.
We are busy planning the 2017 awards, so check back soon!
The Energy Champion Awards focuses on highlighting and recognizing key businesses and leaders in California who have shown excellence in advancing energy efficiency. Opening remarks will be made by long-time supporter of clean energy Nancy Skinner, State Senate Candidate and former Assembly Member. The Energy Champion Awards will be presented and a reception will follow.
The audience of this event includes Efficiency Council member companies, clean energy and environmental advocates, utilities, and representatives from those businesses receiving awards. There will be a no-host bar and appetizers will be served. Take advantage of this great networking opportunity!
Energy Champion Award winners:
Assembly Member Das Williams is recognized because he was key to the passage of SB 350 in 2015 which doubled energy efficiency goals for the state. He also authored AB 802 which was landmark legislation establishing the use of existing conditions baseline and normalized metered energy consumption for energy efficiency and also invigorated a languishing benchmarking policy at the Energy Commission. This year he championed demand response in his authorship of AB 2454 which mandates that the PUC consider all technically and economically achievable demand reduction in its procurement policies.
The Boeing Company
Project: Enhanced Retro-commissioning/Boeing – Multi Campus System Optimization
Partner:
The Boeing Company, in partnership with its consulting team at Nexant, has implemented measures resulting in over 4.5 million kWh of verified annual energy savings. Furthermore, an additional 4 million kWh of potential savings have been identified and are currently in the process of being implemented.
Nexant devised a long-term strategic plan to optimize the energy consumption of more than 70 Boeing buildings. Types of measures identified included: scheduling optimization, variable frequency drives on fans and pumps, optimization of supply-air and chilled water supply temperature, static pressure resets, and reducing simultaneous heating/cooling. Boeing is also integrating data analytics and installing cutting edge “fault, detection, and diagnostics” on all of its major Energy Management Systems. These technologies save energy over the long-term and provide strong tools at the facilities for on-going optimization and improvement.
The City of Palo Alto
Project: 2016 Palo Alto Energy Efficiency Reach Code
Partner:
The City of Palo Alto unanimously approved a new local amendment to the California Energy Code, to take effect January 1, 2017. This new Zero Net Energy ready ordinance will improve the energy efficiency of all new buildings in Palo Alto and is expected to become the most aggressive energy code in the United States. The new Energy Reach Code will act as an incremental step in meeting the State’s Zero Net Energy goals set for 2020 for new residential projects and 2030 for non‐residential projects, and aligns with Palo Alto’s commitment to sustainability, zero net energy, and carbon reduction. TRC supported the City of Palo Alto by completing a cost-effectiveness analysis requiring 10% above Title 24 code for all building types, and developed alternate policy paths that allow permit applicants to exchange PV credits for energy efficiency savings.
The Irvine Company
Project: Irvine Company HVAC Optimization
Partner:
The Irvine Company is California’s largest owner of leased property and manages a 98 million square foot portfolio of residential and commercial space. As a statewide leader in commercial real estate, Irvine Company has made a commitment to sustainable building practices through a number of initiatives including the implementation of a scalable, cost-effective energy management strategy across their commercial building portfolio and an investment in an in-house team of experts to manage energy use.
Irvine Company’s improved maintenance practices and ventilation upgrades are saving an estimated 2,252,102 kWh annually and 998 kW in demand reduction. In addition, since late 2011, HVAC service calls have decreased in spite of increasing occupancy. Going forward, complementary performance monitoring efforts will provide the Irvine Company with actionable data to detect equipment faults proactively, thereby reducing energy waste and tenant complaints. This investment in an energy management infrastructure has also allowed the deployment of demand response capabilities throughout much of the portfolio, resulting in cost savings and reductions in service disruption. As a result of this comprehensive energy management approach, Irvine Company has increased their number of Energy Star buildings from zero to nine.
Opening Speaker:
Nancy Skinner, State Senate Candidate and former Assembly Member, will speak on the importance of energy efficiency and demand response as part of California’s move toward clean energy and a low carbon future.
About: A social justice advocate, energy and climate expert, and accomplished legislator, Nancy Skinner served in the State Assembly for three terms representing the East Bay cities along the I-80 corridor from Hercules to Oakland. Assembly Member Skinner chaired Rules Committee, the Budget Committee and Natural Resources Committee. She authored dozens of important new laws including: two groundbreaking gun violence prevention laws; enhanced worker protections and enforcement of workplace violations; the “E-Fairness” bill requiring sales tax collection from Amazon and internet retailers; California’s renewables portfolio standard that requires 33% of electricity be generated from renewable sources, increased net metering; improved home and building energy efficiency; and changes to make food stamps more accessible to families. She also notably led the effort to green the Capitol building through a major energy efficiency upgrade, saving the tax payers over half a million dollars per year.
Ms. Skinner began her public service in 1984 as the first and only UC Berkeley student to be elected to the Berkeley City Council. While a Councilmember Skinner introduced the nation’s first Styrofoam ban, established a municipal energy services corporation, and co-founded ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. Upon leaving the Council, Skinner served as Executive Director of ICLEI’s US office and the International Director of Cities for Climate Protection engaging over a 1000 cities worldwide in efforts to address climate change. Her work on climate change includes producing the first carbon counting tool to help cities conduct emissions inventories; and coordinating the 2005 Climate Summit between Fortune 500 CEOs, Governor Schwarzenegger and UK Prime Minister Blair which facilitated the signing of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act. She then served on the East Bay Regional Park District Board from 2006-2008.
Skinner is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a BS from the College of Natural Resources and a MA in Education. Skinner currently serves as Senior Policy Fellow at the Center for Water-Energy Efficiency and the Institute for Transportation Studies at UC Davis. Skinner is a candidate for State Senate – District 9. LinkedIn
The Efficiency Council is a statewide trade association of non-utility companies that provide efficiency and demand response products and services in California. Our member businesses include implementation and evaluation experts, engineering and architecture firms, contractors, financing experts, energy service companies, workforce training entities, and manufacturers of energy efficiency products and equipment. Our mission is to support energy efficiency and demand response policies and programs for all Californians to create sustainable jobs, long-term economic vitality, stable and reasonably priced energy systems, and environmental improvements.
Our website is www.efficiencycouncil.org
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Events
2017 Spring Symposium
April 25, 2017
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2017 Annual Fall Conference October 24, 2017
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