Thought Leadership from Sieben Energy Associates

In a March 22nd article in The New York Times, three science writers—Mike McPhate, Derek Watkins, and Jim Wilson—described how this winter's accumulated snowpack in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range may prove to be an antidote to the state's drought crisis.

High-tech airborne mapping and other specialized instruments, they wrote, have provided scientists with an unprecedented understanding of the amount of water present in the snow, and the rate at which the snow is expected to melt.

On the afternoon of February 15, I led a presentation in front of 40 members of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA Chicago) about best (and worst) practices relative to successful retro-commissioning projects. First, I set the context for retro-commissioning, including its historical origins and relationship to the commissioning of new buildings. Next, I explained why BOMA Chicago members should care about the ComEd retro-commissioning incentive program.

For almost ten years, all member buildings have been paying into the funding pool for the utility's energy efficiency programs. Participating in retro-commissioning represents an opportunity to get back some of that money. Retro-commissioning also plays an important role in supporting credits for LEED Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M) certification or re-certification.

We will host a brown bag lunch seminar entitled "What Makes a Successful Retro-Commissioning Project" later this month. The seminar will commence at 12 noon on Wednesday, February 15, in the Harris Bank Building, 115 South LaSalle Street, Chicago. Sieben Energy Associates has to date performed over 80 retro-commissioning projects, comprising over 55 million square feet of building space.

During this seminar, we will draw upon our leadership and expertise in retro-commissioning to advise members of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA Chicago) on the project attributes that lead to a positive outcome. This event is listed on the BOMA Chicago website.

Jerry Burin, vice president and partner at Sieben Energy Associates, recently authored an article on the value of long-term energy planning. ​In his article, Jerry provides sound rationale for "the orderly execution of an energy plan aligning with the organization's other long-term planning objectives."

Rather than approaching energy management as a series of ad hoc tactical initiatives, adopting a strategic approach can achieve greater success and a stronger return on investment. The article was published in the January 2017 issue of Building Operating Management magazine and appears in three parts online.

On the evening of Tuesday, December 6, Sieben Energy Associates attended the Illinois Chapter of ASHRAE's annual holiday party. For the second year in a row, we left with brand new hardware recognizing our energy efficiency work. We were honored by our industry peers with two Excellence in Engineering Awards for projects completed in 2016. The Chapter hosted the party at the Metropolitan Club on the 66^th and 67^th floors of Willis Tower in downtown Chicago.

Joining us at the ceremony were representatives from the client organizations with whom we worked on the award-winning projects. Thanks to the esteemed judges for recognizing the innovative and cost-effective approaches to energy efficiency our engineers demonstrated in their work.