March 2019
Newsletter
SEDAC Announcements
 
Spotlight on Savings 
Since 2013, Pekin Community High School has been working with SEDAC to save energy and money.  Measures implemented from a 2013 retro-commissioning study were projected to save the district $44,000 annually on energy bills. 

Five years later, the school district reached out to SEDAC again for an energy assessment.  Measures recommended by SEDAC have the potential to save the district an additional $36,000 annually. 
"Both experiences working with SEDAC were very helpful. They were willing to look into areas we knew we wanted to work on, as well as areas we hadn't considered," says Tim Bonnette, Director of Buildings and Grounds.  

The district is already working to implement some of SEDAC's latest recommendations.  "We're open to anything that will make the learning environment better for our teachers and students and that will lower costs for our school district," says Tim. He plans to receive another assessment in another 5 years to review progress and set new goals. 

Read the entire case study here. 

Apply for SEDAC services
When was your last energy assessment? If it's been 5 years or more, it's time for a new one.  SEDAC provides no-cost energy assessments to Ameren Illinois public sector facilities and wastewater treatment facilities. RCx services are also available for Ameren Illinois non-residential customers. Apply here . 
 
Important update! 
The anticipated adoption date for the new Illinois Energy Efficiency Code (based on the 2018 IECC, with Illinois amendments) has been moved from March 1, 2019 to  May 1, 2019 . We will continue to provide updates as they are available. 

Webinars
With more time to prepare for upcoming changes, consider signing up for one of SEDAC's Energy Code webinars. 
  • 2018 IECC Commercial Mechanical Systems Provisions with Corresponding IMC Sections. April 24, 2019 at 12 pm. 
  • 2018 IECC for Existing Buildings. Learn about energy code requirements for renovations or additions to existing buildings. May 22, 2019 at 12 pm.
Find out more and register  here . 
Funding for this program has been provided in whole or in part by the Illinois EPA Office of Energy.
 
Your facility has made big energy efficiency improvements and now you want to share your success with the world!  People usually talk about success in terms of kWh or dollars saved, but how can you capture the environmental impact in a way that gets people excited? 

We recommend using the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. This handy tool helps ordinary people visualize the power of energy savings.  You enter the amount of kWh or therms you've saved, and the calculator generates "equivalencies."  

For instance, SEDAC estimated that Pekin Community School District would save  378,000 kWh annually by implementing energy savings measures from an RCx study.  These savings are equivalent to greenhouse gas or CO2 emissions from: 
Now those are exciting savings!  By sharing the environmental impact of your energy savings, you demonstrate to building users and communities that you are committed to a greener future.
Notes from the field: Energy Savings Performance Contracts

Over the past few decades, energy savings performance contracts (ESPC) have become increasingly popular for financing energy efficiency projects. An ESPC enables building owners to install cost savings measures and related improvements, without dipping into capital budgets. An ESPC is developed and implemented with the assistance of an energy service company (ESCO), whose service costs are wrapped into the overall project financing package. A SEDAC Tech Note describes ESPCs in more detail.
 
ESPCs come with financial and energy performance risks. At the Illinois Chief Engineers and Facility Managers Training Conference, on March 6-7 in Champaign, facility managers in the audience discussed their experiences with ESPCs and shared opinions about common pitfalls and best management practices. 

One important theme from the discussion was: "Don't let the ESCO run wild!"  In practice, this means evaluating the ESCO's recommendations and energy savings claims. 
  • Can you determine whether the recommended measures make sense for your facility? 
  • Can you evaluate the ESCO's energy cost savings calculations? 
  • Do you know how to independently monitor and compare energy performance after installation, compared to the baseline condition? 
If you do not have the expertise to answer these questions in house, you may need to consult with an independent 3rd party expert like SEDAC to help with ESPC oversight and monitoring. Call SEDAC at 800.214.7954 or email info@sedac.org for more information. 

sedac.org / 800.214.7954 / info@sedac.org
Providing effective energy efficiency strategies for buildings and communities