Retail
Retailers use vast amounts of energy to create inviting spaces for their customers. Eye-catching signage and merchandise displays, plus heating and cooling needs, all contribute to high energy costs in retail buildings. Lighting is the biggest energy expense for retailers—37 percent of total energy use—and it is not an area where retailers can scrimp. Attractively lit displays promote sales.
New high-performance retail buildings can consume up to 50 percent less energy than comparable buildings, with designs that integrate energy-efficient lighting fixtures with daylighting systems to substantially reduce electric lighting and cooling loads. Additional energy-smart choices about the building site, envelope, and mechanical systems are factored into the design and contribute to the savings.
The best news is that the same energy improvements that lower utility bills also foster a more comfortable retail space, with better lighting, temperature control, and indoor air quality. That means employee morale and retention improve, and customers are more likely to return often.
An excellent source for constructing energy-efficient, small retail buildings (under 20,000 sq. ft.) has been developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Their Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Retail Buildings offers recommendations to achieve energy savings of 30 percent over standard code requirements. The recommendations are organized around eight specific climate zones to ensure the energy savings are achieved in any geographic location in the United States. The ASHRAE Design Guide can be ordered from their Web site.
Energy-Saving Tips:
- Reduce lighting loads by installing efficient, or replacing inefficient, fixtures
- Install energy management systems to monitor and control energy use throughout the building
- Control air infiltration in heavily trafficked areas with energy-efficient doors and windows
- Improve comfort and indoor air quality with proper maintenance and cleaning of heating, cooling, and ventilation systems
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has facilitated the creation of the Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEAs), which are designed to minimize the energy and environmental impact of commercial buildings and reduce energy costs for these buildings. The Retailer Energy Alliance is the first of three alliances that will be created in the near future.
Success Stories:
Bighorn Retail Center (PDF 750 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
People's Food Co-op (overview from the High Performance Buildings Case Studies Database)