June 29th, 2011, By Dana Haugh
Feel like you’re paying too much for your utilities? Wish there was a cost-effective way to make your industrial or commercial space more affordable to run? LIPA provides some helpful tips to make running your business cheaper and greener. LIPA’s Commercial Efficiency Program is currently offering rebates to qualifying commercial, industrial and other buildings who are looking to install energy efficient equipment. And by implementing some of these techniques, you can become a LEED certified building. To learn more about LEED and its various certifications, check out this article.
Cool Roofs:
Essentially how it sounds, this roof will lower your cooling load by deflecting solar heat and radiation from your building’s interior, saving you substantial money on energy costs. Because of the cool roof’s reflective surface, normal patterns of deterioration aren’t experienced, resulting in a longer life and lower maintenance level for your energy saving roof. And to top it off, cool roofs are highly beneficial to the environment. They help considerably in alleviating the “urban heat island effect,” ultimately resulting in less smog and CO2 emissions.
Lighting Retrofit Approach:
This program is specifically designed for companies looking to refit their buildings with more energy-efficient lighting—Check it out and see what type of program suits you and your space. Discover how much you can save (monetarily and environmentally) by filling out an application on their website.
Prescriptive Approach:
If you are looking to change more than just lighting or want to change specific equipment
within your building, this would be a more beneficial program for you. Chillers, compressed air, general lighting, HVAC, LPD, kitchen equipment, vending machines and VFD’s all qualify for rebates. If you’re looking to save money on any of these energy devourers, consider LIPA—Annual rebates can go up to $300,000 per customer.
Custom Approach:
Still not satisfied with the options? Or you have something particular you wish to change that has not been mentioned? Try the custom approach—this allows you to choose “unique” measures not provided anywhere else. In order to qualify, you must present an energy-saving proponent that “has the potential to be cost effective and is not on the Prescriptive equipment rebate list.” If chosen, LIPA will provide you with $10,000 in technical assistance as well as consultants that can aid you in choosing the right energy-efficient techniques and equipment.
New Construction (Whole Building Design):
This is the full body approach, for those of you ambitious builders out there looking to create an entirely ecologically sound building from the ground up. The incentives for this one are rather large, annually allotting up to $400,000 a year per building or $500,000 if you choose to be a LEED Certified Green Building. A total of $800,000 in annual incentives is up for grabs for Whole Building Design applications, so I suggest you get started on a proposal. (For this one, you’re also provided with up to $10,000 in technical assistance services. Pretty awesome.)
All information gathered from LIPA