by Christopher E. Chwedyk, AIA, CSI, NCARB

By far, the most often asked question I have received since the beginning of 2013 has been about the requirements for commissioning in the new Illinois Energy Conservation Code for Commercial and Residential Buildings which became effective on 1/01/13. Although much free training has been done for the design professional community over the past year by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), very little on the subject of commissioning is covered during these day-long programs. Interestingly, the DCEO website does contain a Frequently Asked Questions page with the opinions of the Illinois Energy Office (advisory only), but in the category of Building Commissioning it only indicates “Coming Soon”. However, that is only part of the problem.

Under the new Section C408 of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (as adopted by Illinois) there are just twenty paragraphs detailing the requirements for System Commissioning. Included are requirements for building mechanical systems which are covered under Section C403, and for electrical and power and lighting systems covered under Section C405. (Note that these sections all begin with the letter ‘C’, indicating that they are for ‘Commercial’ buildings only. Residential buildings have now been separated in the IECC, have an ‘R’ designation, and are located in the front half of the code.) The following systems are exempt from the commissioning requirements:

1. Mechanical systems in buildings where the total mechanical equipment capacity of the project is less than 480,000 Btu/h cooling capacity and 600,000 Btu/h heating capacity.
2. Systems that serve dwelling units and sleeping units in hotels, motels, boarding houses or similar ‘Commercial’ units.

Of course, this list of exclusions is very easily verified by examining the drawings. What is not so simple is trying to understand all the various activities that are necessary for the commissioning process when it is required. Unfortunately, unless you are the engineer of record on the project (or a LEED-AP), many aspects of the Commissioning Plan will seem like overkill. This is especially on smaller projects. For example, the Commissioning Plan must include the following items:

1. A narrative description of the activities that will be accomplished during each phase of commissioning, including the personnel intended to accomplish each of the activities.
2. A listing of the specific equipment, appliances or systems to be tested and a description of the tests to be performed.
3. Functions to be tested, including, but not limited to calibrations and economizer controls.
4. Conditions under which the test will be performed. At a minimum, testing shall affirm winter and summer design conditions and full outside air conditions.
5. Measurable criteria for performance.

The Code also stipulates that the Commissioning Plan must be developed by either a registered design professional or approved agency. So, it could be the engineer or record, or an outside engineer, or a third party commissioning agent that is “approved” (supposedly by the code official).

Along with the testing and balancing of the HVAC system and the “functional” testing of the lighting system (checking to see if the lights go on and off), there is a preliminary report, an acceptance by letter from the owner to the building official that the preliminary report has been received, and verification to the building official of the receipt of as-built record drawings and manuals that have been issued to the building owner within 90 days of the receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy.

Now, many owners, developers and tenants are being told that their Certificate of Occupancy will be withheld by the municipality if the above measures have not been taken. Technically, that is correct, but when recently questioned about the matter, Darren Meyers at International Energy Conservation Consultants (trainers for the Illinois IECC), said he knew of no municipality that was actively engaged in withholding Certificates of Occupancy for this reason.

It is also the case that ASHRAE 90.1-2010 has provisions for commissioning, but they are only for projects larger than 50,000 sq ft (except warehouse and semi-heated spaces). The instructions for commissioning the HVAC system must still be provided by the system designer in the project plans and specifications, and also included in the record drawings provided to the owner, but there is no direction to send these to the building official. Therefore, if you follow the 90.1 compliance path, you could avoid the issue of withholding Certificate of Occupancy – unless the municipality chooses to mandate the same requirements in either case.

Another possibility would be for the municipality to exempt projects from performing duplicate work when they are already seeking LEED Certification, which is done in California under the CAL Green Building Code. When the building owner has met the commissioning requirements for LEED, similar documentation is submitted to the U.S. Green Building Council that all tasks have been completed. This documentation includes a copy of the commission plan along with a letter certifying that the building’s design intent was met. Most likely, a LEED project will exceed the requirements under the Energy Code anyway – at least on paper.

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• What is LEED Certification?
• The Value of Using Green Building Consultants for Your Next Project
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• Building Energy Audit Checklist: 3 Areas Not to Miss

Perhaps the oldest form of renewable energy is the one that has driven windmills, flown kites, and guided sailboats for thousands of years.  Yet, most people in the US are unfamiliar with the benefits of wind farms, which include:

• The creation of tens of thousands of stable, high-paying jobs.  The Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that by 2030, offshore and land-based wind projects could create in excess of 500,000 such positions across the country.
• The potential to harvest vast amounts of green energy.  The feasibility of wind farming has been demonstrated in Europe, where offshore farms capable of generating 4,000 MW of power have been built.  That’s enough electricity to meet the needs of 1.3 million typical US households.  By 2020, European nations will have the capacity to create 40,000 MW from their offshore facilities alone.  That would power almost 13 million US homes
• Offshore wind farms will be used to generate power for coastal cities and Great Lakes states, which together consume 80% of the electricity generated in the United States.  Additionally, a 2007 DOE study showed that developing land-based farms from northern Texas to the Canadian border could supply 20% of the nation’s power needs.
• Wind energy can greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the air from power plants.  Currently, wind farms generate around 10 million MWh annually in the United States.  To create the same amount of electricity using traditional sources would release 1.8 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.  That’s enough carbon to fill 18,000 rail cars.
• Offshore wind farms actually run better during heat waves. Given some of the current weather plaguing various parts of the US, this is one of the major benefits of wind farms.

Ocean breezes are more powerful on hot summer days, making wind power an excellent way to meet increased demand during the months from June through August.  This was proven in 2011, when farms located off the Gulf Coast helped to fill emergency needs in Texas caused by unusually hot temperatures.

There are plenty of other reasons for the United States to launch a major wind farm initiative.  For example:

• Wind power can act as a cushion against the economic shocks associated with price spikes in energy costs.  Since wind is free, utilities can lock in their prices for as long as 20 years.  There will be no more stock markets panics due to instability in oil production.
• Large US population centers will benefit from vastly improved air quality.  Traditional power plants that depend on fossil fuels spew billions of tons of particulate matter into the atmosphere, which contribute to respiratory and other diseases.
• The economic benefits of wind farms will be concentrated in areas where jobs are few and far between, such as isolated rural communities in the Midwest.  This will raise the standard of living for millions of Americans and offer their families a brighter future.

• Wind farms create no air pollutants or soil contaminants.  They require no mining, radioactive materials, or other threats to the environment.  Tapping into the unused power that blows past our homes and businesses every day can make the world a cleaner, safer, better place to live, for us and for generations to come.

At Burnham Nationwide, we’re proud to be part of the movement towards adopting eco-friendly building and power creation methods.  We offer a wide range of services, including sustainability training, assistance with code compliance, and solar facility inspections.  Browse our site and see what we have to offer; then, contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

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Los Angeles is becoming greener by the day, and one sign of that is the growing presence of photovoltaic panels across the city.  So, if you’re considering using the sun to help provide your energy needs, then we congratulate you on being both thrifty and environmentally conscious.  As solar panel inspection experts, we also recommend that you let our building code consultants make sure that your project’s plans meets all applicable building and fire codes.  L.A.’s regulations regarding solar power installations are reasonable, but also rather stringent.  Here are just some of the many things the city will expect to see on your plans:

• The building’s footprint and north reference point
• The locations of all on-site structures
• The street address of the building
• All access points from the street to the buildings
• The locations of the solar arrays
• The locations of all disconnects
• The locations of all required signage
• The locations of all required access pathways
• The locations of all required markings, warning signs, and labels

The city will also need elevation views of the buildings on your property.  They will need to show the following:

• Placement of the arrays
• Ridgelines for the roof
• Eave lines
• All equipment on the roof
• Skylights, roof hatches, vent lines, and all other objects present on the roof

In addition, you should provide photographs of the area where the array is to be placed.  This will assist city officials in evaluating the feasibility of your plans.

Regulations Regarding Labels, Warning Signs, and Marking

City codes are detailed in their requirements for all signage, as it will be referenced by emergency responders in the event of a fire on the premises.  Here’s a list of some of the things they will be looking for:

1. Markings inside the main service disconnect.  These must be placed on the exterior cover if the main service disconnect can be operated with the service panel closed.
2. For commercial buildings, the marking must be adjacent to the main service disconnect.  It must be clearly visible from the point where the lever is operated.
3. The verbiage on the markings must read CAUTION: SOLAR ELECTRIC CONNECTED.
4. It must be white lettering on a red background.  All letters must be capitals and be a minimum height of 3/8 of an inch.  The font used must be Arial or something similar, and the letters cannot be in bold.
5. The material used for the markings must be reflective and weather resistant.

For DC conduits, enclosures, raceways, DC combiners, junction boxes, and cable assemblies, the following is required of all markings:

1. They must be placed every 10 feet.
2. The verbiage must read CAUTION: SOLAR CIRCUIT.
3. Markings will also be required at turns, above and below penetrations, and on all DC combiners and junction boxes.

Regulations Regarding Access Pathways and Smoke Ventilation

For one and two family dwellings, the following are some of the requirements you will be expected to meet:

1. For buildings with a hip roof layout, solar panels must provide a three-foot wide access pathway from the ridge to the eave, on each slope where panels are placed.  The access pathways must be located along load-bearing walls or other structurally strong points of the building.
2. For buildings with a single ridge, the panels must provide two three-foot access pathways, from the eave to the ridge, on each slope where the panels are placed.  Access pathways cannot include any eave’s overhang.
3. Panels cannot be placed closer than 1.5 feet to a hip or valley, if they are placed on both sides of the hip or valley.
4. If the panels are placed on only one side of a hip or valley of equal lengths, then the panels can be located directly adjacent to the hip or valley.
5. In cases where there are two or more access pathways, the clear pathways must be arranged so that there are no dead ends longer than 25 feet.  Any access pathways that leads to a dead end if greater than 25 feet in distance, it must continue on to the next access pathway.  However, at no time can any access pathway cause an individual’s travel to be greater than 150 feet prior to arriving at another access pathway.
6. Arrays of photovoltaic panels must not exceed 150 feet by 150 feet in dimension.  This applies to both axes.
7. Panels must have a clearance of at least three feet below the ridge, UNLESS the fire department has determined that an approved method or product will provide equal or greater opportunities for ventilation.

For housing units intended for three or more families, additional regulations must be met to pass solar panel inspection.  These are spelled out in detail on fire department and building safety department websites.

Further Rules and Guidelines

The locations of your wiring systems and raceways are also important.  They must be as close to the ridge, hip, or valley as possible.  Conduit runs must follow the shortest paths from the array to the DC combiner box.  Those combiner boxes must be located so that conduit runs in the pathways between the arrays are minimized.  DC wiring must run along the bottoms of load-bearing walls.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

The city has many other rules that must be followed when solar panel arrays are installed.  Though all of this may sound excessive, in reality, it’s not.  Every sub-section of every heading of every page in the manual of regulations is there because it helps to ensure not only your safety but also that of your residents, your neighbors, and the public at large.

That being said, we hope that you can understand how important it is to have the help of a company like Burnham Nationwide.  We’re experienced building code consultants and can perform many types of third party inspection.  If there are problems in your setup, we will see them and point them out, allowing you to make the necessary changes so that you can pass when the fire marshal does come out to look over your project.  Let our expertise help you avoid needless delays.  Contact us today.

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The first step in the LEED certification process is gaining a solid understanding of why the LEED standards exist in the first place.  So, let’s take a look at the rating system’s history and what it is intended to accomplish.

The Very Basics

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  The program was developed in the 1990s by the U.S, Green Building Council (USGBC), an organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable methods of building design, construction, and maintenance.  LEED has grown from a single standard in 1994 to five divisions covering all aspects of the construction process.  These include:

1. Green Building Design and Construction – Under this division are five subcategories:
2. LEED for new construction projects
3. LEED for building cores and shells
4. LEED for school buildings
5. LEED for building and renovating retail centers
6. LEED for healthcare facilities

2. Green Interior Design and Construction – With two subcategories:

1. LEED for commercial building interiors
2. LEED for commercial retail interiors

3. Green building operations and maintenance – With one subcategory:

1. LEED for maintaining and operating existing buildings

4. LEED for developing neighborhoods – With one subcategory:

1. LEED for neighborhood development

5. Green Home Design Construction and Design – One subcategory:

1.    LEED for homes

The LEED Ratings System

As of 2009, there are five credit categories in which points may be earned for compliance with LEED sustainability criteria: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy/atmosphere, materials/resources, and indoor environmental quality.  Points can also be earned for regional priority and innovative design factors.  Buildings can receive one of four LEED certification levels, depending on how well they conform to green building standards.  These levels are:

1. Certified – granted when a site receives between 40 and 49 points
2. Silver – for sites with 50-59 points
3. Gold – for sites with 60 to 79 points
4. Platinum – reserved for sites with 80+ points

The credit/ratings system’s purpose is to lessen the environmental impact of building projects, while at the same time increasing their benefits to humanity, in accordance with EPA standards.  These are in turn derived from field studies that measure the consequences of construction and maintenance materials and techniques.

What LEED Means For Residential Construction

LEED has a special section governing how both new and existing homes can gain certification.  For sites under construction, the standards apply to both single and multi-family units, in areas such as energy and water efficiency, site selection, interior environmental quality, materials election, and building methods used.

Existing homes can be remodeled to qualify for the LEED certification process.  Steps that can be taken include switching to tankless water heaters, using low-flow toilets, and painting with low- or no-volatile organic compound (VOC) paints.  These contain lower amounts of compounds found in regular paints that can cause respiratory issues.  While some of the projects needed to make an existing dwelling LEED compliant can be tackled by homeowners, the more extensive ones usually require the help of a professional contractor.

REGREEN: a Resource for Homeowners and Contractors

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has partnered with USGBC to develop a web-based resource for homeowners interested in LEED-compliant remodeling.  Known as REGREEN, it offers interactive tools and other resources geared towards laypeople, covering projects ranging from room-by-room renovation to an entire home makeover.

Obtaining LEED Certification For New Building Projects

The process begins with paying a fee and submitting an application for certification.  This brings the applicant in touch with a LEED provider, who will be his or her primary contact person.  After deciding on the level of certification to be pursued, an official known as a Green Reader will inspect the project at least twice, once during construction and once after.  A LEED accredited professional may also offer guidance during this phase.

The Green Reader creates a final report, which in turn goes back to the LEED provider.  This is sent to the USGBC, which either approves or denies the original request.  If approval is granted, then the USGBC sends the applicant a notice of certification.  The council may also assist with preparing marketing materials and/or press releases, announcing the completion of a LEED-compliant structure in the particular geographical area.

Is LEED Certification Worth Pursuing?

This is a question that is still debated in some circles.  There is no doubt that pursuing the certification may raise design and construction costs.  It can also cause delays in meeting deadlines, as many contractors are unfamiliar with green building materials and techniques and have to go through their own learning process.  In fact, it might be difficult for some builders to obtain green construction materials, further exacerbating the additional costs and time factors.

These drawbacks are more than offset by the benefits of certification, however.  These include:

ü  Lower post-construction operating and maintenance costs, due to highly efficient use of resources such as electricity and water.

ü  Better salability prospects, as many buyers look for LEED certification and will pay a premium for properties that obtain it.

ü  A healthier environment for those who live and/or work in the structure, due to use of eco-friendly resources.

ü  A feeling of satisfaction derived from constructing earth-friendly buildings that benefit both humans and the environment.

Burnham Nationwide Can Help You Achieve LEED Certification

Our staff of LEED accredited professionals, along with our architects and inspectors, can assist with all phases of obtaining your USGBC certification goals.  Contact us today to find out more and speak to a LEED accredited professional about your project.

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When: 20 Sep 2012

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: 375 W. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440-0591

Join the USGBC – Illinois Chapter South Suburban and Fox Valley Branches for a roundtable program on understanding and implementing green codes and standards in your municipality!

This event has been approved for 4.0 GBCI CE and AIA CEU hours.

During this program, our speakers will set the stage for how best practices and sustainable outcomes can be driven by a combination of codes, standards and rating systems. This seminar will address synergies and differences between the International Green Construction Code, that includes ASHRAE Standard 189.1, and LEED Rating Systems. Following this overview, panelists will discuss challenges in and the implementation of green codes and standards in towns, villages and cities. In particular, panelists will address the following:

• Interplay between green construction codes and state and local law.
• What green construction code is right for my community or state?
• Green construction code decision making and implementation from start to finish.

After attending this program, attendees will:

• Understand the distinct and complementary roles of green codes, standards and rating systems and the roles each play.
• Identify the issues for considering and deciding on adopting a green construction code including challenges that may be faced and how to address those challenges.

Agenda:
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM - Networking and Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM – 9:50 AM - Green Codes Definition & Function – IGCC, ASHRAE 189.1 & LEED
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM - Case Study: Addressing Sustainability through Green Code in Will County.
10:20 AM – 11:30 AM – Green Code Planning: A Panel Discussion
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Facilitated Q&A

Presenters:

• Chris Chwedyk, Burnham Nationwide
• Allan Bilka, International Code Council
• Josh Greenfield, Primera Engineers, Ltd. / ASHRAEIllinois
• Stephen Grossmark, Tressler, LLP
• Helen Kessler, HJKessler Associates
• Sean Ziadeh, Turning Leaf Solutions, PLLC
• Curt Paddock, Director, Will County Land Use Department
• Raymond Semplinski, Chief Building Official, Will County Land Use Department

 For More Infomation and To Register, Please Click Here

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Generating electricity from wave power technology has enormous potential for meeting the world’s energy needs.  The effort to turn the idea into reality is about to take a giant leap forward, as Lockheed Martin is partnering with New Jersey-based Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) to build a facility off the Oregon coast.  Composed of 200 separate buoys, the project is expected to create 100 MWs of electricity in a clean, sustainable fashion.

The Latest in a Series of Initiatives

This isn’t the first time that the aerospace giant has joined with OPT.  A smaller-scale project near the Jersey shore was commissioned by the US Navy to provide power for their offshore installations.  Another one off the coast of Australia is currently being built and is expected to create 19 MW of power continuously.  That initiative was underwritten by Australia’s Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, which provided a grant of $67 million US.

Driven by Ocean-Grounded Pistons

The buoys are anchored to the ocean floor by a cable.  It in turn runs into a generator driven by a piston-like structure at its base.  Electricity is created by the up-and-down motion of the buoys as they bob on ocean waves.  They will create enough power for 40-50,000 homes, with no use of fossil fuels or other pollutants.

Built to Withstand Hurricanes

Two concerns about using ocean waves to create power are (1) damage from storms, and (2) periods when there are no waves.  However, buoys built by OPT withstood the full force of Hurricane Irene with no problems, and excess power created by them is diverted to battery charging stations, to provide continual energy even when the ocean is calm.

Vast Potential

Since almost half of all Americans live within 50 miles of a coastline, the potential of wave power technology and these buoys to meet residential energy needs is enormous.  Along with offshore wind farms, buoy stations could be meeting most of the country’s electrical demands within a decade.

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Deciding when you need LEED consulting services can often be tricky for builders or project managers. You can turn to a consultant for advice when you feel overwhelmed by the project’s demands, or ideally, you can turn to a consultant near the beginning of the process before any feelings of frustration or confusion surface.

The role of a LEED consultant, of course, can vary from project to project. They can step in to help with whichever aspects of the project that they are needed for. Essentially, their role is to align the environmental goals of the project with the budget of the project and to increase the health and safety of the facility’s indoor environment for the occupants, while also reducing the operation costs of the facility. However, the steps that the consultant takes to reach those goals can vary from project to project.

For instance, LEED consulting services can be valuable at the onset of the project to determine the target LEED scores or even to determine which LEED certifications the project should apply for. However, if the project manager is familiar with those steps and is comfortable taking them on his or her own, the consultant may not be needed until later in the project’s timeline. They can work with the owner or the design team to ensure that the project contains the required elements and that it will be compliant with the LEED standards. Many project managers find the paperwork of the certification process to be the most onerous. If that describes you, you may wish to have a LEED consultant heavily involved in gathering the correct documentation and doing the right calculations, as well as drafting and submitting the documents to the USGBC.

Earning LEED certification has a number of merits that are both financial and environmental. However, when the entire process is slowed down because of a missing document or a small design inconsistency that can cause the project to take longer to complete and incur more costs. By hiring quality LEED consulting services as soon as they feel that they need them, project managers can avoid these eventualities and keep their project on target and within budget.

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Solar panel technologies offer the potential to generate enormous amounts of power while being environmentally friendly.  However, they have faced a number of barriers to widespread acceptance, due to efficiency and other limitations.  That’s why recent news from MIT researchers is so exciting.  They have developed a way to use three-dimensional design techniques to increase solar panel output by as much as 20 times that of traditional flat arrays.

Rooftop panels are limited in how much power they collect by the location of the sun.  When it’s directly overhead, they are very effective, but this diminishes in the mornings and evenings.  The collection amount is also reduced in winter and in areas far from the equator.

Aware of this, the MIT researchers set out to determine the ideal shape for panels.  They tested a number of configurations in a variety of latitudes, weather conditions, and seasons of the year, using a computer algorithm.  After that, they settled on three designs, which they built models of and installed on the roof of the MIT lab building.

The solar cell arrays out-performed traditional flat panels, creating anywhere from two to 20 times the amount of electricity.  The power output was also more consistent over time, even after the effects of clouds and shadows were taken into account.

Each of the designs is accordion-shaped and is meant to be vertically mounted on rooftops.  According to Jeffrey Grossman, the study’s senior author, they could also be installed on parking garages to provide power for vehicles that run on electricity.

Solar energy has long been touted as an answer to the world’s energy needs, but several limitations have prevented its widespread adoption.  One of these is the cost of manufacture versus the amount of energy produced by these solar panel technologies.

“Even 10 years ago, this idea wouldn’t have been economically justified because the modules cost so much,” said Grossman in a recent interview.  However, these costs have been falling in recent years, leading him and his colleagues to believe that now is an ideal time to explore new types of panels.

At Burnham Nationwide, we know solar panels and the ins and outs of installation, efficiency, and much more. Contact us today to learn how we can help you!

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Sunny days are here again—quite literally, with the arrival of the sunnier days of spring and in anticipation of the imminent summer months. Now that spring has sprung, it might be a good idea for those of you with solar panel installations to explore how best to take advantage of the sun’s rays in these brighter, post-winter days.

It’s actually not too complicated, and we will attempt here to demystify the process. A first requirement for optimizing the use of solar panels lies in the most basic of astronomical knowledge, which is to say, realizing the sun is at its peak between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in most spots. Given that solar schedule, point your panels due south as this tends to be the best direction to harness the energy of solar rays.

Owners of solar panels tend to have sunny dispositions, and among them there’s no such thing as a bad latitude (sorry, couldn’t resist a little solar humor there). However, seriously folks, knowing your latitude is important in operating your solar panels. It’s important in these hotter months to adjust your panels to your latitude to further enhance the panels’ efficiency and output. Conversely, in the winter, one would still aim one’s solar panels according to latitude but add 15 degrees to that calculation. Like in real estate, location is everything. For U.S. residents, this is a good thing because the country is in the middle latitude with the sun directly overhead, thus ensuring the delivery of greater energy from the sun during the hotter months.

Some folks think that solar panel installations have to be aimed at the sun every minute of every hour, but that’s a myth. As long as solar panels are directed at the sun for a few hours each day, you’ll be assured of reliable energy.

It may seem obvious to advise about avoiding shade in locating and configuring your solar panel array, but it’s worth repeating. Shade, of course, is anathema to solar energy collection. A solar panel obscured by shade can lose up to 80 percent of its total output.

Configuring and adjusting solar panels sounds like a chore, but it takes mere minutes. Those inclined toward a more sedentary lifestyle might derive greater enjoyment tracking their solar harnessing on the computer—a fun exercise but also an important one to get the most out of a system of solar panels. Many owners of solar panels opt to mount their array on a tracking system to better monitor the sun’s movements in order to capture the most of its solar output. We have seen grown men and women describe their solar tracking with a palpable enthusiasm usually exhibited by a teenager gushing over the latest computer app or game. It’s fun to go solar!

To further optimize the output of solar panel installations, it’s a good idea to conduct an assessment of a home or building to ascertain areas where electricity is being wasted, and then hook up solar panels accordingly. As a complement to solar panels, one might also consider the use of energy-efficient light bulbs, the installation of good insulation, and other techniques to further augment the output of solar panels.

As the use of solar panels increases in popularity, the technology has gotten less expensive. It’s still not entirely inexpensive though, which further illustrates the need to explore methods of optimizing their output. Given such cost considerations, it’s best to view such technology as an investment with an ensured—if not necessarily short-term—rate of return. If your home or building has a roof yielding the best positioning, it’s a good idea to purchase the biggest system you’re able to afford with an eye toward maximizing these future returns.

In tandem, the kW output of solar panels continues to improve as the technology is perfected. These factors heighten the need to get the most of one’s solar panels. Rebates are now offered by various utilities as incentives for their use, and owners of solar panels are able to sell off excess electricity back to the grid. From any direction you choose to look at it, the use of solar panels is emerging as a really bright idea.

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Everyone knows tax day is April 15, but a lot of us forget that Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22. First celebrated in 1970, the day was set aside to raise environmental awareness and promote appreciation for our planet. When it comes to ensuring eco-friendly building, the effort should not be viewed as taxing, but as a way to not only contribute to our planet’s viability but also to realize economic savings by incorporating energy-efficient standards.

There are several ways building owners can boast of having eco-friendly buildings. Here are just a few simple steps that can be taken toward that end:

• Installing skylights in a building enables a property owner to illuminate the interior, free of charge, thanks to Mother Nature! Given today’s heightened environmental consciousness, building owners have no shortage of available skylight installers. Not only do skylights save on energy bills, but also they offer an elegant element to any building.

• Solar panels are another tested element toward eco-friendly building. Initially, the cost of solar panels was cost-prohibitive. However, advances in the technology have helped prices go down. Moreover, many utilities offer rebates as powerful incentives toward the development of eco-friendly projects. Many property owners with solar panels end up selling surplus energy to the utility where their eco-friendly buildings are located. Short of selling the excess to a utility, it can also be stored for later use by transferring it to a battery. Granted, there is an initial investment requirement but the dividends will pay off big time in the long run.

• Low-wattage light bulbs are an often overlooked, yet simple, step that can be taken to achieve eco-friendliness. These bulbs are the “pigtail” variety and can be deceptive, given that they are brighter than conventional bulbs. However, don’t be deceived; they are exponentially more energy efficient that old-school light bulbs. As an added plus, these bulbs require no special adaptations and can plug into any socket.

• The bathroom is one of the last places some might expect to target in trying to achieve eco-friendly building, but the toilet consumes quite a bit of water. Due to this, it’s advisable to secure a low-flow toilet device to cut on water bills. These easy-to-install devices—available at any building supplies store—ensure that a toilet uses considerably less water without compromising water flow. This simple step can help you save not only water but also money on your water bill each month.

• Motion sensors designed to turn off a light bulb automatically are another element found in many eco-friendly buildings. The timers on these devices will automatically shut off light bulbs either indoors or outdoors if you happen to forget to shut them off yourself. Building owners sometimes don’t count the cost of wasted electricity but believe us—it can be quite considerable.

As part of their professional acumen, the staff of Burnham Nationwide is well-versed on the range of energy-efficient methods and practices. We see the heightened interest in eco-friendly building as advantageous to our clients because of the real savings that can be achieved.

Having a so-called “green building” is an ever-increasing goal of many—a source of pride in their communities and a way of achieving financial and energy savings. Achieving green status requires cooperation from all construction players—the architect, the design team, engineers, and the client. You can count on having a reliable partner in Burnham Nationwide for development of your own green building.

For additional insight and guidance on achieving eco-friendly buildings, please contact us through our website at burnhamnationwide.com or by calling us toll-free at (800) 407-7990.

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