Implementing Energy Efficiency Improvements in High-Technology Facilities With Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)— Opportunities and Challenges
Michael Holda, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Geoffrey Bell, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
This presentation includes success stories, supported by case studies, with a progression of lessons learned and experiences applicable to ESPC projects in high-tech buildings. These buildings include laboratories and data centers that are part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) TEAM-initiative sites, as well as other federal agencies.
Implementing ESPC projects in high-tech facilities such as laboratories presents both opportunities and challenges. Laboratories usually have great opportunities for realizing energy savings that have potential ancillary benefits, particularly enhanced safety capability for the facility's occupants. Obtaining funding to implement the energy-saving features usually presents a challenge that can end an otherwise sound project prematurely.
This presentation will highlight several federal agencies that have successfully partnered with an energy service company (ESCO) to develop an ESPC project. The ESCO provides design expertise, implementation services, and financing assistance to install the proposed improvements in high-tech facilities. It is important to note that ESPC projects can have a long development cycle. Consequently, a variety of factors can change during the ESPC project development and implementation cycle. Changes in personnel, priorities, risk assessments, and planned equipment use all affect the potential success of a project. The presenters will highlight several case studies and discuss practical lessons learned to productively resolve these factors to capitalize on the opportunities while avoiding some of the difficulties.
Biographies:
Mike Holda is a program manager for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). For the past 12 years, Mr. Holda has been supporting DOE's Federal Energy Management Program's Alternative Financing Program, assisting federal agencies in developing alternatively financed projects. He has over 25 years experience in facility design, engineering, project, and program management at DOE National Laboratories including tritium, plutonium and laser research facilities. Mr. Holda was the energy management program leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for seven years. He is also a part time employee at LBNL, assisting in the deployment of emerging technologies in ESPC projects.
Mr. Holda has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois and a Masters in business administration from Golden Gate University. He is a registered professional electrical engineer in the State of California, Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional (CLEP), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED® AP) and past Chairman of the Energy Efficiency Working Group (EEWG) for DOE facilities.
Geoffrey Bell is an energy engineer in the environmental energy technology division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is credited with a number of publications, including serving as a principal author of the Design Guide for Energy Efficient Laboratories. This publication is intended to assist facility owners, architects, engineers, designers, facility managers, and utility energy-management specialists in identifying and applying advanced energy-efficiency features in laboratory-type environments. Mr. Bell is a Certified State Energy Auditor in New Mexico and a Registered Professional Engineer in both New Mexico and California. He has served as an investigator for DOE, a teacher at the University of New Mexico, and an energy engineer contractor to Sandia Corporation in addition to various other mechanical engineering consulting positions. Mr. Bell received his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Newark College of Engineering and a Master of Architecture in environmental design from the University of New Mexico.