Building Systems Upgrades
Follow these sustainable strategies as your space undergoes a building system upgrade to improve energy or water use and occupant comfort. Federal projects should meet or exceed the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings. Refer to the Apply Section of SFTool for representative project case studies to discover key practices, benefits, results and checklists.
For sustainable strategies specific to non-office workspaces, such as cafeterias and labs, refer to the Explore Section.
When considering upgrading building systems, such as lighting, HVAC, or plumbing, calculating cost savings associated with different products can help you make the best choice. The Department of Energy’s Cost Savings Calculator
compares products based on relevant specifications and compares the savings to both the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) baseline and top-of-the-line models.
Also consider predictive maintenance technologies, an emerging systems upgrade. Read about some of the most useful types, such as thermography and ultrasonic analysis, in the Operations and Maintenance Guide released by DoE.
- Include electrical loads and controls in commissioning plan
- Implement an energy management information system (EMIS) to monitor, analyze, and control metered building energy use and system performance
- Implement an energy management system (EnMS) to codify energy goals and policies and execute on EMIS outcomes to improve energy performance
- Provide ENERGY STAR labeled equipment and appliances
- Enable power management features on computer, monitor, printer, and copier equipment that turn the device off, or switch the system to a low-power state, when it is inactive
- Deploy advanced power strips (APS) to control the power supplied to plug-in devices during unoccupied periods
- Deploy manual-on, vacancy-off control devices for plug loads such as task lighting and monitors
- Deploy scheduled timer control devices to power down printers, copiers, and kitchen appliances during nonbusiness hours
- Follow federal environmental and energy guidelines for product and service purchases
- Optimize energy performance
- Specify LED lighting from the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List
- Install lighting system-level metering to track and continuously optimize energy performance
- Install occupancy sensors to control dedicated power receptacles for task lighting in offices and workstations
- Specify LED lighting from the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List
- Maximize access to daylight and views
- Locate interior offices and enclosed shared spaces away from exterior glazing, use interior glazing on interior offices and enclosed shared spaces, and provide privacy with opaque glazing or applied polyester opaque film
- Implement passive daylighting strategies such as light shelves and light color finishes to reflect light while avoiding the negative effects of glare
- Implement active daylighting strategies such as daylight photo-sensors, dimming electronic ballasts, occupancy sensors and automatic shades
- Consider low height workstation panels in open office environments, allowing for views from all locations while still providing visual and acoustical privacy
- Install dynamic window treatment systems such as automatic shades to avoid the negative effects of glare
- Install light fixtures that are either indirect, direct-indirect pendant lighting, or indirect lay-in
- Enable occupant control
- Install task lights or individual controls
- Educate occupants about lighting, controls, and energy savings strategies
- Provide feedback to occupants on energy use and light levels through the use of a dashboard or other display methods
- Minimize waste and manage pollutants
- Consider lighting systems that can accommodate private office, conference room, and open office arrangements without modification
- Ensure the recycling or proper disposal of lamps, such as fluorescent, classified as hazardous waste, when replacing lighting
- Reduce the consumption (and resulting greenhouse gas emissions) of fossil fuel generated energy:
- Consider lifecycle cost-effective carbon pollution-free electricity sources, including on-site renewable electric or thermal, power purchases from off-site renewable sources or renewable energy certificates (RECs), and/or partnerships such as an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreement (ESA)
- Consider lifecycle cost-effective alternative energy systems such as waste heat, combined heat and power (CHP), or fuel cell energy systems
- Consider lifecycle cost-effective carbon pollution-free electricity sources, including on-site renewable electric or thermal, power purchases from off-site renewable sources or renewable energy certificates (RECs)
- Follow federal environmental and energy guidelines for product and service purchases
- Follow federal environmental and energy guidelines for product and service purchases
- Install high efficiency plumbing fixtures, including aerators on faucets (0.5 gpm), high efficiency showerheads (2.0 gpm), dual flush toilets (0.8/1.28 gpf) or high efficiency toilets (1.28 gpf), and high efficiency urinals (0.125 gpf)
- Install automatic fixture sensors on lavatories
- Avoid automatic flush sensors on toilets because they often result in double flushing
- Consider waterless urinals, which demand that cleaning and maintenance staff receive training in the specific maintenance regimes required
- Reinforce acoustically quiet areas with appropriate visual cues such as opaque walls or signage
- Follow federal environmental and energy guidelines for product and service purchases
- Acquisition.gov | Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 23 - Environment, Energy, and Water Efficiency, Renewable Energy Technologies, Occupational Safety, and Drug-Free Workplace
- Acquisition.gov | Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 52 - Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses, Subpart 223
- LEED Building Operations & Maintenance (O+M) Rating System and LEED Reference Guide for Building Operations and Maintenance