Commercial Research

NLR commercial buildings researchers develop real-world solutions that improve energy efficiency, achieve energy performance targets, and maximize return on investment.

Real-World Solutions

Working on projects with a range of public- and private- sector building owners and industry partners, NLR researchers have developed proven tools and resources to enable building owners to capture energy cost savings.

Whether involving a single building, a diverse portfolio of buildings, a campus, or a larger community, a proven strategy is to focus on the technically feasible energy savings for a given investment at the earliest stages of an energy-efficiency upgrade. This approach involves:

• Developing baselines of current performance and existing building characteristics
• Identifying energy efficiency opportunities in all building systems
• Assessing the energy and economic impacts of various technologies, giving priority to those that offer the greatest return on investment.

Increasing Energy Efficiency

To hit energy efficiency cost-effectively, the energy implications of every design decision must be accounted for and tracked from the beginning of the process using an accurate energy model. Radically reduced energy demands result in first-cost capital savings from downsized HVAC and energy generation systems. These savings can make energy efficiency cost-competitive, especially when combined with available incentives and novel financing arrangements.

Important strategies NLR has developed to allow all building owners to make energy efficiency feasible include:

• Incorporating energy modeling into the delivery process from start to finish
• Using an integrated design process and whole building systems approach
• Identifying first-cost savings through smart design and load reduction to achieve energy goals within a capital budget
• Integrating energy after pursuing all available demand-side savings
• Coordinating the design process to ensure that all parties are working toward the energy efficiency goal.

Solutions for Small Businesses

Small business owners can save significant money and energy and promote their businesses by tapping into resources and financing options. NLR helps small building and small business owners by demystifying the three-step process to achieving building energy efficiency and by providing the tools and resources needed to overcome obstacles.

NLR's buildings research supports the U.S. Department and various industry partnerships.

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