Archive for March, 2009

Cow Power and Other Inspirational Stories of Leadership on Renewable Energy

March 30th, 2009

By Don Albinger, VP of Renewable Energy, Johnson Controls

I was very pleased to be one of the speakers at the recent Wisconsin Renewable Energy Summit in Milwaukee. The session topic was the Role of Local Governments in Moving Towards Energy Independence with Renewable Energy – and I was honored to appear with a distinguished group of people who are doing just that:

Larry Nelson, Mayor of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Larry talked about the work he and his colleagues are doing to demonstrate that cities can be fiscally and environmentally responsible at the same time. Larry proudly pointed to two commercial developments – a new Kohl’s department store and a Wal-Mart super center – that will be showplaces for sustainable practices when they’re completed. Solar panels on the Kohl’s will generate 15% of the store’s electricity. And the Wal-Mart will incorporate – among a host of other sustainable features – more than 100 skylights to lower (or even eliminate), the need for interior lighting on sunny days. Larry also presented details of the energy efficiency upgrades to Waukesha municipal buildings (performed, I’m happy to say, by Johnson Controls!), that are paying for themselves with more than $2 million in savings on utility bills.

Jeanne Hoffman, Facilities and Sustainability Manager for the City of Madison, Wisconsin. Jeanne talked about MadiSUN – the city’s solar energy program aimed at doubling installations of solar electric and solar hot water systems by 2001. One of the ingenious features the program provides, Jeanne pointed out, is a “solar agent” – an expert who answers questions and provides free advice to home and business owners about solar systems, required permits and rebates – and then helps them pick out a qualified contractor. More than 300 citizens and businesses have taken advantage of the program so far.

Dave Merritt, Dane County, Wisconsin. Dave correctly pointed out that “the key to energy independence and climate change is local.” And he provided an excellent example of how Dane County is doing more than giving that lip service: Cow Power is the County’s program to build two digester systems to turn cow manure from a number of dairy farms in the County into electricity. The program positions Wisconsin as a national leader in making available to small farms these manure-to-energy systems that in the past have only been used by large cattle operations. Construction of the digesters will create hundreds of jobs, and when they’re completed, each system will generate $900,000 in revenue from renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12,000 pounds. The digesters will also remove thousands of pounds of phosphorous from the manure and prevent it from entering Madison area lakes where it contributes to algae growth and green water (when it comes to lakes, “green” isn’t necessarily a good thing!).

And Ann Beier, director of the City of Milwaukee Office of Environmental Sustainability. Ann painted a clear picture of the critical role Milwaukee city government is playing in energy independence by setting the right example, testing new technologies, and developing innovative programs and policies. Ann talked about the progress the city is making in meeting its goal to reduce energy use by 15% by 2012 by installing solar electric and geothermal systems in municipal buildings, and converting city stoplights to high-efficiency LED fixtures – a step the city is also studying for municipal parking garages. She also talked about Milwaukee’s participation in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Cities program – a partnership of 25 major cities (Madison is also a participant), designed to accelerate adoption of solar technologies by giving home and business owners information, guiding them through the permitting process and helping them pay the initial cost of going solar. Later this year, the city and Focus on Energy will launch a pilot Milwaukee Energy Efficiency program – or Me2 as it’s known – which will pay up-front costs of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in two city neighborhoods, allowing building owners to pay off the costs over time on their utility bills.

In my mind, the stories told by each one of these speakers demonstrate how we already have the means, the funding mechanisms, the technologies and the expertise to put energy efficiency and renewable energy to work in city halls and county courthouses across America to save money, create jobs and protect the environment.

Waukesha, Madison, Dane County and Milwaukee – they’re all leading the way. A lot more like them need to find the will to join in.

What do you think?

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Posted in Green Buildings

Your Other Footprint – It May Be Just As Big and Just As Bad

March 23rd, 2009

By Tricia Kuse, Johnson Controls

No question about it: the buzz for quite some time has been mostly about our “carbon footprint” – the amount of CO2 we emit into the atmosphere as a result of what we do and what we consume at home, at work and on the road.

Lately, though, I’m hearing a lot about another set of tracks we’re laying down: our “water footprint” – particularly the trail left behind by businesses, governments and other organizations.

Water is essential to everything we do. We rely on it for food production (6%), power generation (40%), manufacturing (40%), personal use (8%) and a host of other uses that are critical to our economic prosperity and our very well being.

Yet water shortages are on the rise. Drought – made worse by climate change – affects much of the world. California is in the midst of what’s being called “the worst drought in modern history.” Thirty-six other states will face similar shortages in the next few years. One chairman of a major North American company worries that water shortages could actually present a bigger challenge than energy security. He predicts, “We will run out of water before we run out of fuel.” Frightening.

As individuals and businesses, we can all use water more efficiently, but governments – federal, state and local – must play a role, as well. And more of them need to follow the example being set by Charleston, South Carolina.

We’ve worked with Charleston city officials for more than four decades – helping them make their municipal facilities and operations more energy efficient and sustainable. One recent focus has been on water.

With more than 90 beautiful parks, 1,200 acres of open space and 190 landscaped municipal buildings, the City of Charleston uses a lot of water to keep the grass green and flowers blooming. In 2007, we identified ways to do that more efficiently: a new smart irrigation system.

We installed WeatherTRAK smart sensors throughout Charleston’s parks. These ingenious little devices analyze daily weather data from satellites and combine it with information about the type of vegetation, soil, ground slope and other factors to provide the exact amount of water to keep the landscaping green and growing when the plants need it, not when they don’t. This amazing system cuts water use by up to 40%.

The project was funded through a performance contract, which means that guaranteed cost savings from lower water bills, coupled with additional cost savings from energy efficiency improvements, are paying the cost of installing the new irrigation system.

Government bodies at all levels should learn some lessons from what Charleston is doing:

  • There are new technologies out there to help you use water more efficiently
  • The rising cost of water makes these technologies much more attractive and necessary
  • You don’t have to devote precious capital budgets to making these improvements, because proven alternatives such as performance contracting are available
  • In fact, the Department of Energy recommends that performance contracting be used for projects funded with stimulus dollars – to extend the impact of those funds and add transparency and accountability to the process
  • If you want (or need) to make a statement about sustainability, make sure that water efficiency is part of your plan

More government bodies and businesses need to follow Charleston’s lead and focus on both tracks they’re leaving behind: their carbon footprint and their water footprint.

The solution couldn’t be clearer: Efficiency Now – it’s never been more important.

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Posted in Sustainability

The Bad News and the Even Worse News

March 16th, 2009

By Jeff Van Ess, Johnson Controls

So a doctor says to his patient, “I have bad news and worse news. Which do you want first?”

“The bad news, I guess,” replies the visibly shaken patient.

“The tests show you’re suffering from an incurable disease and have 48 hours to live.”

“Oh no! What could possibly be worse than that?” the patient asks.

“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you since yesterday,” answers the physician.

Does that story remind you of anything? How about this: the bad news is we’re in the midst of a global energy crisis. And the worse news is we’ve also got a problem with water. Take California for example.

With the state now in its third consecutive year of severe drought, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently proclaimed a state of emergency. Likening the water crisis to an earthquake or raging wildfire, the governor called for urgent upgrades to the state’s water infrastructure to ensure a clean and reliable water supply, and avoid mandatory rationing.

And here’s the kicker: California is by no means alone in this. Thirty six states face the possibility of suffering similar water shortages in the next five years. Thirty six states.

So what’s the solution? Here’s a hint: it’s the fastest and easiest to implement, and it’s the same solution to the energy crisis: efficiency now. Just like we need to squeeze everything we can out of every ounce of energy we consume, we need to be getting the most out of every single drop of water we use.

In California, the governor’s plan includes retrofit programs for all state facilities and a moratorium on new landscaping projects at state buildings that don’t incorporate efficient irrigation techniques. The state also has called on federal and local governments to implement immediate water use reduction plans for all their facilities.

Do you know what California – and, for that matter, every state in the nation – needs right now? More cities like Tulare.

Located in the state’s farm-rich Central Valley, a couple hours north of LA, Tulare has taken bold steps to dramatically cut its water use. State law requires all California cities to install water meters on all homes and commercial buildings by 2025. You think Tulare is going to wait that long? Think again.

Smart city officials in Tulare know that farmers, business owners and residents who don’t have water meters – and many in Tulare didn’t – can’t tell how much water they’re using. What they can’t measure, they can’t control, right?

Studies also show that just installing a meter can cut a property owner’s water use by 15%. So that’s exactly what Tulare is doing – years ahead of the deadline. In the last 18 months, we worked with the city to install 18,000 water meters that have radio transmitters. The transmitters enable city employees to read the meters without even getting out of their vehicles, and they’re much more accurate. They also help detect leaks quickly – before water losses mount. We’ve installed high-efficiency fixtures in municipal buildings to cut the city’s own water use and set an example for everyone else.

And here’s the best part: much of the cost of all this was covered by increasing city revenues through more accurate water meter readings, by lowering water usage to the point at which the city could put off drilling new and expensive water wells, and by cutting energy and operational costs through lighting upgrades and other energy-saving measures.

Every city in America should follow this lead. And every other government body, every school district, every commercial business. While the energy crisis certainly demands our urgent attention, we can’t afford to ignore the water crisis that is just as severe and which will have, in the words of Governor Schwarzenegger, “a devastating impact on our people.”

The answer is efficiency now. It’s never been more important.

What do you think?

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Posted in Sustainability

Caring for Kids in a Leaner and Greener Phoenix Children’s Hospital

March 9th, 2009

By Claudio Andreetta, Johnson Controls

I’ll bet you’ve heard the saying, “First, do no harm.” I’ve always thought that old motto was part of the Hippocratic Oath – the pledge traditionally taken by doctors when they enter the medical profession.

Turns out it isn’t part of that ancient oath at all – that’s just a widely believed misconception. But it is one of the fundamental principles followed by doctors, nurses and other health care professionals worldwide. And increasingly it means more than “do no harm” to your patients.

Today, like never before, health care organizations are under mounting pressure to “do no harm” to the world around them – the environment and the communities they touch. Hospitals across the country and around the globe are looking to improve their triple bottom lines – their economic, environmental and social performance. And I’m proud to be part of an organization that’s helping them get there.

Here’s just one example – Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Already one of the nation’s ten largest children’s hospitals, Phoenix Children’s provides Arizona’s sickest kids with state-of-the-art health care in more than 40 specialty areas. But the population in Arizona is growing rapidly, and that means the hospital must grow, too, so Phoenix Children’s broke ground last year on a $588 million, multi-year expansion project. A new 11-story patient tower, a Ronald McDonald House and a Level One Pediatric Trauma Center are all part of the plan.

These new and expanded facilities will require substantially more electric power and water — and that’s where Johnson Controls comes into the picture. In May, we will complete construction of a new central utility plant that will not only meet the hospital’s growing needs, but will save significant amounts of energy and water and make Phoenix Children’s even leaner and greener.

In addition to meeting the current and future needs of the hospital, the new utility plant will save $10.9 million in energy and operating costs over the next 15 years – money the hospital can redirect to taking care of kids and their families. The plan will also save 5.6 million gallons of water a year – a major consideration in an area where water is an increasingly scarce natural resource.

Just as impressive is how we were able to partner with Phoenix Children’s to make the project a reality. The hospital had already chosen a conventional design for the central utility plant, until we convinced them of the benefits that an alternative, enhanced design could offer. Our design uses heat pumps to cogenerate heating and cooling from one single energy source, which dramatically reduces the use of natural gas, while very modestly increasing electrical use. Additional cost savings come from:

  • More efficient use of cooling tower water
  • Reduced discharges to the sanitary sewer system
  • Variable-speed drives on chillers
  • Variable-flow primary heating system pumping
  • Implementation of higher efficiency condensing boilers
  • And the industry’s most sophisticated automation and control systems

And even though we came into the project in the middle of the design phase, we worked hard and collaborated with everyone on the project to make sure the construction timeline stayed on track.

In our contract with Phoenix Children’s we guarantee the energy and water savings, as well as the availability of chilled and hot water and standby electrical power. What’s more, we’re operating and maintaining the entire utility plant for the next 15 years at a fixed cost.

In the end, the new utility plant we’re completing won’t just provide power and water to meet Phoenix Children’s growing current and future needs. It will also support the hospital’s goals to save money, conserve resources and operate more sustainably.

And it’s just one more example of how we’re working alongside healthcare organizations nationwide to help them make good on their promise to “do no harm” to the people and communities they serve.

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Posted in Green Buildings

So What’s In the Stimulus Package for You and Me?

March 2nd, 2009

By Andy Armstrong, Johnson Controls

$87 billion for Medicaid bills. $27 billion for highways and bridges. $8 billion for public transit. As the late Everett Dirksen famously said, “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.”

As in $787 billion dollars in real money. That’s the price tag on the stimulus spending bill just approved by the Congress and signed into law by President Obama. Regardless of where you stand on whether or not it will actually get our economy off the ropes and back into the fight, you’ve got to admit: the numbers are just staggering.

And if you’ve been wondering what’s in it for individual Americans like you, don’t think you’re the only one – I’ve been wondering, too. The good news is there’s actually a lot. Billions and billions and billions in tax cuts, unemployment benefits and housing vouchers.

Of course, not all of us qualify for a big chunk of that spending – the parts that are targeted to assist lower income people. Here, however, is one that nearly everyone can take advantage of: $2 billion for energy efficiency improvements to our homes. No income requirements. It’s open to anyone.

Here’s the deal: the government will give you a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost to install energy efficiency upgrades to your home, up to a total of $1,500 in tax credits. That triples the amount of tax credits previously available. If you did happen to take advantage of the earlier program, the meter has been reset to zero, so you can now earn another full $1,500 tax credit. This is a two-year program, so the offer is good for any improvements made through the end of 2010.

So what kinds of improvements qualify? Almost anything that ups the energy efficiency of your home, like new windows or more insulation. But you’ll probably get the biggest bang for your buck by replacing an older furnace, air conditioner or heat pump.

Furnaces with an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (or AFUE) rating of at least 95% qualify. So do air conditioners with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (or SEER) rating of at least 16, and heat pumps with at least a 15 SEER rating.

If you’d like to see some examples, our York Affinity modulating furnaces are the most comfortable and efficient in the industry, with an AFUE rating of 98% efficient. Our Affinity series air conditioners have SEER ratings as high as 18, as do our Affinity heat pumps.

The first step is to figure out which improvements will help you save the most energy and money, and there are a number of ways you can do that:

  • Call your heating and air conditioning contractor – the guy who comes out and services your furnace and AC every year. He’ll give you some ideas
  • If you don’t know a contractor, you can find one here
  • Or your local gas or electric utility will also be happy to help, so you could give them a call

Here’s something else to think about: on top of these tax credits, additional rebates may be available from the manufacturer of the new equipment you buy. For example, York is offering a rebate of up to $1,700. Depending on where you live, your state or local government may also help out. Click here to determine which financial incentives are available in your state. And your utility company may offer even more rebates.

The bottom line is this: add up the tax credits, rebates and the money you’ll be saving on your utility bills, and you could end up paying back the cost of a new furnace in as little as two years.

So what are you waiting for?

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Posted in Residential