GBA Architects and Engineers: Not ‘Tilting at Windmills’ but Making a Sound Commitment to Our Energy Future

By Jennifer Gunby, PE, LEED AP, GBA Energy Studio

While most agree on the goal of reducing dependence on fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas – just how to accomplish that goal is not as certain. Implementing energy conservation tactics and technologies can be relatively simple and straightforward. Investing in renewable energy sources isn’t always clear-cut and usually involves selecting the right technology, financing, permitting, interconnection agreements, and site evaluation, to name just a few of the ingredients necessary for success.

GBA Energy Studio: A Collaboration of Multidiscipline Engineers and Architects

GBA Architects and Engineers, a leading firm with headquarters in the Kansas City Metro Area and projects throughout the region, is addressing these issues in our Energy Studio, a collaboration of multidiscipline engineers and architects committed to helping clients find the energy solutions that best meet their needs. That may mean conducting an energy audit to identify energy efficiency and energy conservation improvements and practices that begin to save energy and money immediately. Or it may mean looking to community-scale renewable energy projects that realize immediate environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

Energy Audits Aimed at Increasing Building Energy Efficiency and Minimizing Waste

An energy audit (also known as an energy study or retro-commissioning) is a review and analysis of energy use in a facility, followed by an analysis of opportunities to increase energy efficiency and minimize waste without negatively impacting the facility’s purpose, human comfort, health, and safety. A building’s existing electrical, mechanical, and control systems, building envelope, and operation and maintenance policies are included in the review and analysis. Details on facility improvements and upgrades, as well as staff behavioral modifications required to realize the energy savings, are included.

Tailored for each building owner’s needs, the results of the audit provide the owner or operator with critical information required to decide on a course of action, including anticipated costs and expected energy savings. Energy audits can be simple or comprehensive, depending on the owner’s requirements. GBA conducts energy audits, provides professional engineering and architectural services for improvements, and acts as an owner’s representative throughout the improvement process. Whether an organization is concerned about cost savings related to improving energy efficiency, improving sustainable practices, increasing social responsibility, or investigating LEED certification, conducting an energy audit is a logical starting point.

Community-Scale Renewable Energy Projects Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels, Generate Clean Power

Community-scale renewable energy projects, also referred to as on-site generation or behind-the-meter projects, also reduce dependence on fossil fuels, generating clean power at the location where it will be used. Generally in the 10kW to 500kW range, renewable energy technologies include wind turbines, photovoltaics, geothermal, solar hot water, biomass systems, and waste oil boilers. The technologies are located “behind-the-meter” on a property, with 100 percent of the power generated used on that property. Compared with the more prevalent utility-scale energy generators, community-scale technologies are aligned more closely with the surroundings. For example, wind turbines at community-scale are less than half the size of the turbines that generate power for a wind farm.

Community-scale applications include municipalities, schools and universities, businesses, light industry, and commercial farms. In 2009, GBA began to offer turn-key community-scale renewable energy solutions. GBA and its wholly-owned subsidiary, GBA Builders, LLC, will provide engineering design, permitting, and construction services for the turn-key installation of community-scale renewable energy systems. This turn-key approach streamlines the design, construction, and installation process, providing cost and time savings.

Net Metering/Financial Incentives Encourage Growth of Community-Scale Renewables

Net metering and financial incentives have accelerated the growth of community-scale renewable energy over the last few years. Net metering allows an owner to use the electric grid as a bank. When power generated exceeds energy use, it can be ‘stored’ and used later, when need exceeds capacity. Financial incentives include grants, low-interest loans, tax credits, power purchase agreements, accelerated depreciation, and renewable energy credits or ‘green tags.’ Incentives are offered by federal agencies, state programs, and even private utilities and are available to both public and private entities.

In our region, renewable energy system regulations vary across state lines and city limits. Kansas and Missouri have different system capacity limits within their Interconnection Standards and Net Metering policies that restrict the size of an installed renewable energy system. It is important to understand these restrictions, as well as the disposition of net excess generation and ownership of renewable energy credits. These regulations usually do not prohibit renewable energy projects and actually encourage community-scale projects. When followed, they can provide additional benefits to the owner. Just as the utility regulations and policies vary by location, municipal permitting processes vary. Each city, county, and state has a different set of regulations, from encouraging to restrictive, some even banning certain technologies. It is important to understand all regulations when selecting and sizing a renewable energy system.

Research Local Incentives and Policies for Energy Efficiency Improvements/Renewable Energy

For energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems, the best place to start researching federal, state, and local incentives and policies is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency, www.dsireusa.org. In Kansas, additional financial programs and incentives can be found on the State Energy Office website www.kcc.state.ks.us/energy. In Missouri, additional information and funding opportunities can be found on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources website, www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/renewables.

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