Glenstar Asset Management – Olin Berger – 2014

Goals

Olin Berger worked with GlenStar Asset Management to identify energy conservation measures (ECMs) for its 1.6 million square-foot office building in downtown Chicago.

Solutions

Berger’s assessment of ECM potential involved parking garage, stairwell and elevator occupancy sensors, LED lighting retrofits for exit signs and outdoor canopies and efficiency drives for escalators and water pumps. Berger also analyzed the potential financial benefits of GlenStar’s participation in demand response programs, monitoring-based commissioning services and restructuring the standard lease agreement to exclude Saturdays from the range of standard operating hours for the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC).

Berger also created a model of energy utility costs comparing GlenStar’s flat rate charges and potential standalone tenant payments to assist the conversion of all building tenants to sub-metered electricity billing.

Potential Impact

Although the building recently underwent an HVAC retro-commissioning project and a lighting retrofit, Berger’s projects have the potential to save over 1,150,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and over 1,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually, leading to projected yearly savings of over $89,000 in net operating costs.