CBRE Chicago – Benjamin Rabe – 2014

Goals 

Benjamin Rabe worked in the management office of the Boeing Building for CBRE for his EDF Climate Corps fellowship. Rabe was asked to identify a number of different projects that could result in both water and energy savings.

Solutions 

Rabe’s main energy projects were LED and induction lighting retrofits, an HVAC direct digital control conversion, a proposal to convert to wireless thermostats, as well as adding sub-metering and demand response technology to the building. 

The two water projects Rabe focused on were recycling chiller condensate to be used in the cooling towers and recycling rain water from the roof to water the plaza garden. 

Finally, Rabe tracked LEED standards for tenant education and participation, purchasing and waste diversion.

Potential Impact 

Rabe’s energy project recommendations could result in an NPV of over $450,000 and a savings of over 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity. This would have an estimated carbon dioxide reduction of 2,000 metric tons.

His water projects could result in a water savings of nearly 1.8 million gallons.