by Shane Henson — January 13, 2012—Building owners in the planning stages of constructing retail centers can ensure they are on the right track toward making them energy efficient through a new guide released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The guide is the third installment in a series of four 50% Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs).
According to the DOE, the 50% AEDG series provides a practical approach for designers and builders of retail stores, as well as other major commercial building types, to achieve 50% energy savings compared to the building energy code used in many parts of the nation. These commercial building guides support President Barack Obama’s goal to reduce energy use in commercial buildings 20% by 2020.
Beyond helping builders achieve efficiency exceeding the current energy code, the AEDGs also provide climate-specific recommendations to incorporate today’s off-the-shelf energy-efficient building products. These recommendations help designers and builders choose advanced building assemblies and highly efficient heating and cooling systems, and incorporate other energy-saving measures such as daylighting and associated control systems. Additionally, efficiency measures found in the guides can be used in the development of future commercial building energy codes, notes DOE.
