Sustainability
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Jillian Cain via Getty Images
How campus investments in digital buildings can fund future sustainability projects
Smart building and campus energy management systems helped the University of Wyoming move past its “spreadsheet from hell” and Georgia Institute of Technology qualify for a $214,000 utility rebate.
By Brian Martucci • May 7, 2025 -
Retrieved from Ohio University on May 06, 2025
Composting program turns cafeteria scraps to brown gold
Ohio University processes more than five tons of food waste every day into soil amendments it uses on campus. But it’s had to rethink parts of the program, the school’s sustainability director says.
By Joe Burns • May 6, 2025 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineLeveraging energy efficiency to create asset value
By optimizing building and systems efficiency, facilities managers can move beyond saving money to become value creators.
By Facilities Dive staff -
Courtesy of Extra Space Storage
How Extra Space Storage is using solar to make money from its rooftops
The company’s solar project manager walks through what factors determine if a roof is suited to solar panels, whether for the building’s own energy or for a leasing opportunity.
By Robert Freedman • May 5, 2025 -
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Energy-as-a-service agreements and energy savings performance contracts: What’s the difference?
Both models can provide energy efficiency upgrades with no upfront costs, but asset ownership is one point on which they diverge.
By Joe Burns • May 1, 2025 -
DDurrich via Getty Images
How to get HVAC replacement to pay for itself
A champion of energy service companies offers a reminder of their role in making large-scale retrofits cost-effective.
By Robert Freedman • April 29, 2025 -
Robert Nickelsberg via Getty Images
Connecticut prisons complete solar project, $11M in energy savings projected
The 8.3-MW system is privately owned, so the state prison agency had to put up no money and is taking none of the financial risk, the Connecticut Green Bank says.
By Robert Freedman • April 28, 2025 -
Retrieved from Nissan Stadium on April 23, 2025
New Titans stadium brings electrical, mechanical systems into a single command center
By pulling electrical and mechanical systems data into a centralized control center and seeing power consumption in real-time, operators will be able to improve energy efficiency before the stadium opens, Schneider Electric says.
By Joe Burns • April 23, 2025 -
Permission granted by LeFrak
Q&AHow LeFrak used a rooftop solar array to reduce CO2
Community relations head Charles Burton explains how 450 solar panels at a property in Jersey City, New Jersey, offset the property’s common area emissions by 13%
By Mary Salmonsen • April 15, 2025 -
Fahroni via Getty Images
Organizations prioritize sustainability, but they’re slowed by manual data processes
A slowdown in federal sustainability mandates is pushing building operators to focus on reduction initiatives, Atrius says.
By Joe Burns • April 14, 2025 -
"City Hall" [Photograph]. Retrieved from City of Brockton, Massachusetts.
Brockton, Mass., leverages energy savings contract to preserve, improve two historic buildings
New window, lighting and HVAC systems aim to reduce energy and improve air quality, including in one building that has been unusable in extreme weather.
By Joe Burns • April 11, 2025 -
RoschetzkyIstockPhoto via Getty Images
Denver adds flexibility to building performance guidelines
Following public input, including some backlash from building owners, the new rules will push back compliance deadlines, remove electrification report requirements and reduce penalty rates, the city says.
By Joe Burns • April 9, 2025 -
N-sky via Getty Images
Daikin, Poppy partner to accelerate building ventilation rate testing
Adding Poppy’s real-time air-tracing and ventilation solutions to Daikin products and services can help buildings reduce energy costs and meet IAQ standards, the companies say.
By Joe Burns • March 27, 2025 -
4nadia via Getty Images
ACEEE scorecard shows nationwide improvement in state energy efficiency programs
Looking at emissions reduction goals far in advance can help align building capital planning budgets and deep energy retrofits, experts say.
By Joe Burns • March 26, 2025 -
urfinguss via Getty Images
Schools earn a ‘D+’ for infrastructure
Many public school buildings are hitting their 50-year design life, requiring “comprehensive” upgrades and replacements to key facility systems.
By Naaz Modan • March 26, 2025 -
Building performance standards set to proliferate, evolve in 2025
State and local governments continue to develop building standards that draw on existing frameworks and implement new metrics for measuring performance.
By Joe Burns • March 25, 2025 -
UAlbany decarbonization project to cut fossil fuel consumption 16%
With geothermal wells, heat recovery and chiller replacements, the university will be able to shut off its gas-fired boilers during the summer, it says.
By Joe Burns • March 24, 2025 -
LSOphoto via Getty Images
Routine HVAC cleaning can lower energy use and help meet ventilation standards, study says
Cleaning can be a cost-effective tool for increasing occupant comfort and health and building energy efficiency, researchers from two universities found.
By Joe Burns • March 20, 2025 -
Denis Tangney Jr. via Getty Images
New York state offers $5M for existing building energy innovations
Providers that have already received federal, state, local or other incentive funds can receive up to $1 million to accelerate development of their energy efficiency solutions, the state energy research authority says.
By Joe Burns • March 17, 2025 -
AlenaMozhjer via Getty Images
Madison, Wis., benchmarking program to phase in smaller buildings
Continuous benchmarking and system tune-ups can help owners and operators reduce annual energy use and provide cities with necessary information for setting performance targets, experts say.
By Joe Burns • March 14, 2025 -
Onurdongel via Getty Images
Occupancy-based controls found to cut energy use 22%
Implementing ceiling- and wall-mounted sensors connected to a building management system could pay for themselves in two years, a Schneider Electric paper says.
By Joe Burns • March 12, 2025 -
georgeclerk via Getty Images
Amazon to expand its use of in-house AI tools to conserve water, reduce energy use
The tools have helped identify underground water leaks, faulty energy meters and malfunctioning refrigeration equipment at its facilities, the company says.
By Brian Martucci • March 11, 2025 -
Art Wager via Getty Images
May 4 is St. Louis’ first building performance compliance deadline
The city’s BEPS requires the top 65% of energy users for each building type to reduce energy use by the deadline. The standards get stricter over time.
By Joe Burns • March 11, 2025 -
imantsu via Getty Images
Gas appliances suffer setback in Washington state
A federal court ruling in Seattle will make it more expensive for builders who prefer to install or support natural gas appliances, critics say.
By David Weisenfeld • March 5, 2025 -
Serhii Hryshchyshen via Getty Images
Researchers take a new look at passive ways to cool buildings
A new type of liner can cool a room by more than 8 degrees, one study shows. Another shows that the old ways of creating cross ventilation still make sense today.
By Robert Freedman • March 3, 2025 -
Adobe Stock/Vladyslav
Sponsored by Mantis InnovationOptimizing facility energy solutions: HVAC and exhaust
Optimize HVAC and exhaust systems to cut energy costs, boost efficiency and enhance sustainability.
March 3, 2025
