Grubb Properties – Lindsay McCombs – 2009

Goals

Lindsay McCombs spent her summer as an EDF Climate Corps fellow at Grubb Properties, a fully integrated real estate company, focused on the Charlotte and Triangle markets of North Carolina. McCombs, a MBA student at University of North Carolina, worked with Grubb Properties to identify and evaluate energy efficiency improvements for their portfolio of commercial and multi-family real estate in Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.

Solutions

McCombs investigated opportunities at four properties. She analyzed a variety of projects including the installation of vending machine sensors, LED lighting retrofits and use of window film. In addition to working with existing buildings, McCombs worked with the development team to create efficiency guidelines for new construction. She also helped internal committees establish company sustainability practices and evaluate the feasibility of using renewable energy to light buildings.

Potential Impact

In total, McCombs identified opportunities that could reduce annual energy costs by approximately $53,000, cut approximately 590,000 kWh of electricity and avoid 380 tons of CO2 emissions.