July–August 1999 Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Rebuild Nevada

Advances With

Major Plans

Rebuild Nevada takes a

project-driven approach in its

efforts to save energy in

communities across the state.

Paul Normandie,partnership

leader with the Nevada State

Energy Office,puts it this way:“We find the project first

and then set up the partnership.” He has helped launch

seven new partnerships since he took over the helm of

Rebuild Nevada last November.

The partnership’s primary goal is to retrofit 16 million

square feet over a 2-year grant period,according to the

provisions of the state’s Rebuild America grant signed

with the U.S.Department of Energy in 1998. By the end

of June,Rebuild Nevada had 4 million square feet in the

pipeline in varying stages,according to Normandie. By

August they will have completed their first energy

retrofit with the help of e-three,a Nevada energy

services company: the 300,000 square-foot Carson Valley

Inn,a hotel/casino in Douglas County.

Normandie brings a number of strengths to his post.

He is an a licensed general contractor with 21 years of

experience,a college professor,a former banker and

commercial loan officer,and a proponent of sustainable

building practices who looks for opportunities to utilize

alternative technologies in Rebuild Nevada projects.

An instructor with Great Basin College and the

University and Community College System of Nevada,

DOE/EE-0194

Powerful Partnerships for

Stronger Communities

Paul Normandie

Tennessee Tackles

Energy Challenge

Everyone knows that two together

can accomplish more than just one

alone,but a network of partnerships

can accomplish even more. As with all

successful partnerships,the Rebuild

Nevada program was created out of a

common desire to strengthen and

enhance communities.Nevada Power

Company understands that successful

partners share not only a common

goal,but common values as well.

“Sharing values for community

betterment is at the core of Rebuild

Nevada’s partnerships,”says Arnold

Lopez,manager of conservation

programs for Nevada Power Company

and one of many champions of the

Rebuild Nevada program.

Early in 1998,Lopez represented

Nevada Power Company on a statewide steering committee —

comprised of state,public,and private

sector representatives — to help

identify needs in southern Nevada that

could be addressed by the Rebuild

America program. The state applied for

a State Energy Program Special Projects

grant and the umbrella partnership,

Rebuild Nevada,was born.

As a key Rebuild Nevada partner,

Nevada Power Company helps

promote Rebuild America and assists

Nevada communities in implementing

energy-saving projects.

“One thing that is unique and

appealing about the Rebuild Nevada

program is that each partnership has

the flexibility to identify,prioritize and

execute energy retrofit projects that

are important to their own

community,”says Lopez. “Nevada

Power Company knows that effective

use of energy resources can enhance

economic development,productivity,

safety,comfort and convenience in the

community. We saw the Rebuild

America program as an opportunity to

leverage our expertise in serving our

community’s needs.”

Several projects underway in the

Rebuild Nevada partnership are

covered in this issue.(See Rebuild

Nevada profile at left.)

Continued on page 5 Continued on page 3

Rebuild Western NY

Boosts Energy Savings

N.Y. Supers Work

With Rebuild America

The Benefits of

Passive Cooling ReEnergize Teams with

Christmas in April

L.A. Buildings

To be Retrofitted
Through the Rebuild

Western New York

Partnership,the New York

State Energy Research and

Development Authority

(NYSERDA) is helping

healthcare facilities become

more energy efficient.

To date,nine healthcare

facilities — representing more than 3

million square feet and $10.8 million in

energy-efficiency improvements —

have benefited from Rebuild Western

New York’s services. The facility

improvements,all of which are

underway or completed,are expected

to collectively achieve annual energy

savings of about $1.8 million. Another

$2 million in energy improvements are

planned for an additional seven

projects totaling 3.5 million square feet.

Rebuild Western New York 

originally targeted New York’s seven

western-most counties,but is now

open to all areas of the state. Plans

include providing similar services to

the municipal and college/

university sectors.

Collaborating with NYSERDA in this

partnership are the Healthcare

Association of New York State,the

Western New York Healthcare

Association,Niagara Mohawk Power

Corporation,New York State Electric

and Gas Corporation,National Fuel

Gas,and the New York State Energy

Efficiency Council. NYSERDA 

has also teamed up with the

Dormitory Authority of the State of

New York (DASNY) to provide the

healthcare sector with low-cost,taxexempt financing of energyefficiency improvements through its

Tax Exempt Leasing Program.

The partnership provides costshared technical assistance services to

healthcare facilities through

NYSERDA’s Flexible Technical

Assistance (FlexTech) program.

Services include technical assistance

with energy performance contracting

or with technical feasibility studies that

investigate the energy and economic

benefits of installing HVAC and lighting

energy conservation measures.

Rebuild Western New York’s services

include assistance with all phases of an

energy performance contracting

project and include:

■ preparing Request for Proposals

seeking energy services

companies (ESCOs) and

reviewing submittals 

■ developing the scope of work for

the ESCO’s Comprehensive

Energy Audit and reviewing audit

results

■ assessing the proposed contract

to ensure that the installed

equipment is capable of achieving

the projected energy savings

■ reconciling achieved savings with

guaranteed savings by reviewing

the ESCO’s annual measurement

and verification reports 2

Rebuild Western New York

Targets Healthcare Facilities

U.S. Department of Energy

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Continued on page 4

View from DC

By Mark Bailey

Thirty-nine states are now directly involved in

Rebuild America,thanks to the latest round of

U.S.Department of Energy State Energy

Program (SEP) Special Projects grants.

Twenty-four grants,collectively worth about

$2 million,were recently awarded to 23 states

and the District of Columbia. Seven states

received awards for the first time: Alabama,

Alaska,Florida,Georgia,New Jersey,New

Mexico and Wyoming.

Joining these new award winners with the

33 states and three territories already involved

means Rebuild America is hard at work in

hundreds of communities across the country

and in three U.S.territories. Our partnerships

— from Rural Alaskans Conserve Energy to

Rebuild Guam to Rebuild Florida — are

improving the quality of life by making

buildings operate more efficiently.

In the process,they’re keeping us on track to

meet our goals for 2003:

■ Save $650 million a year in energy costs.

■ Generate $3 billion in private investment.

■ Create 26,000 new jobs.

■ Reduce air pollution by 1.6 million tons of

carbon dioxide a year.

We welcome our new partners and look

forward to an energy-wise future together.

The National Forum

Also on track is our 1999 National Forum —

the chance for partnerships and the program

team to share their successes,renew — and

make new — friendships,and learn from the

best and brightest in the industry.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the

Forum, August 9-11,in Las Vegas.

Mark Bailey is the national program

manager of Rebuild America.
Meet Our National Forum Speakers

U.S. Department of Energy

Speakers addressing Rebuild America’s

1999 National Forum include leaders in

the effort to move the nation to a more

sustainable future. Their work and areas of

interest are in line with Rebuild America’s.

We have no doubt they will enhance the

exchange of ideas and information that is

the hallmark of our annual Forum.

Denis Hayes 

Earth Day 2000

Denis Hayes is president of the Bullitt

Foundation,a $100 million environmental

philanthropic organization located in Seattle.

In 1970,he was national coordinator of the

first Earth Day and he is now international

chairman of Earth Day 2000. During the

Carter administration,Hayes was director of

the federal Solar Energy Research Institute.

He served as adjunct professor of

engineering at Stanford University for seven

years and is also an environmental lawyer.

Hayes has received the highest honors

awarded by the Sierra Club,the National

Wildlife Federation,the American Solar

Energy Society,and the Humane Society. He

was selected by Look magazine as one of the

100 most influential Americans of the 20th

century,and by Time magazine as one of its

“Heroes of the Planet.” He has been profiled

as “Newsmaker of the Week”by ABC News

and as “Today’s Person in the News”by The

New York Times.

John Schaeffer 

Real Goods Trading Co.

John Schaeffer is founder and chief

executive officer of Real Goods,a retailer

specializing in energy-efficient and renewable

goods that encourage “sustainable living

practices.” Real Goods and Rebuild America

have mutual concerns and goals in several

areas including:

■ a desire to implement energy-efficiency

technologies and practices using

renewable energy systems for a more

sustainable future

■ a focus on advanced technologies,such

as photovoltaics,to achieve

environmentally low-impact energy

consumption

■ green design of buildings to take

advantage of clean energy 

Real Goods consultants have helped design

innovative projects involving energy

efficiency and renewables including

"Greening of the White House”energyefficiency measures;two resorts using

photovoltaics and wind energy;and the Real

Goods Sustainable Living Center,which is

able to sell excess power back to the grid

through utility tie-ins.

Huey Johnson 

The Resource Renewal

Institute 

Huey Johnson is president of The

Resource Renewal Institute (RRI),a nonprofit

organization founded in 1983 to support

innovative environmental management in the

U.S.and worldwide.RRI's main role is to

promote the implementation of “green plans.”

This approach to solving environmental

problems calls for cooperation among

industry,government and nongovernmental

organizations,among other things.

Johnson is author of Green Plans for

Sustainability,a book that explores national

environmental strategies and paths that

nations and regions should take to protect

their ecosystems.

Powerful Partnerships

Continued from page 1

3

To help promote Rebuild Nevada,

Nevada Power launched a web site

(www.nevadapower.com/rebuildnv) in

July 1999 dedicated to Nevada

partnerships and showcasing their

projects. As this year’s premier host

sponsor of the Rebuild America National

Forum,Nevada Power is pleased to

welcome community leaders and energy

professionals to Nevada.

A Salute to our

1999 National

Forum Sponsors

Rebuild America extends a special

thanks to the following sponsors

who have helped make this year’s

Forum possible:

Premier Host Sponsor

Nevada Power Company 

Innovative Sponsors

NORESCO

ONSITE SYCOM

Energy Corporation

Resourceful Sponsors

Lithonia Lighting

Sempra Energy Services

SLi Lighting

Sunpark Electronics
U.S. Department of Energy

Other technical services may be custom-tailored to the facility’s

needs,such as feasibility studies for energy-efficiency measures that

facility managers will implement outside of an energy performance

contract. The following are examples of how Rebuild Western

New York customizes its services to meet the building energy

needs of the healthcare sector.

Lake Shore Health Care Center 

The Lake Shore Health Care Center,a 120,000 square-foot skilled

nursing and hospital facility in rural Irving,NY,tapped Rebuild

Western New York’s services to enter into an energy performance

contract for cogeneration and other energy conservation measures.

The partnership assisted in the development of an energy

performance contract providing $184,000 in annual energy and

operational savings through a $935,000 investment. The energyefficiency improvements,which are nearing completion,included:

■ installing a cogeneration plant and an energy management

system to provide efficient heating and cooling

■ retrofitting the food cooler refrigerant

■ eliminating a chiller by repiping air handling unit to another

existing chiller

■ replacing existing burner (boiler) with modulating burner

This project was the pilot for DASNY tax-exempt financing

which made the project more economically attractive for the

center. The FlexTech energy performance contracting consultant

was Wendel of Buffalo,NY.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center 

Rebuild Western New York helped the Jamaica Hospital Medical

Center,a 600,000 square-foot facility in urban Jamaica,NY,save

$115,000 in annual energy and operational costs by replacing a

main chiller during a cooling season failure. The chiller

replacement is underway and other measures – including

interconnecting segregated heating and cooling plants,upgrading

an energy management system,and evaluating the boiler plant --

are to follow. The facility is self-funding these measures. The

construction costs for the chiller and energy management system

were $607,000. The project’s FlexTech energy consultant was

Parsons Brinkerhoff of New York,NY.

For more information, contact NYSERDA Project Manager Lee

Smith at (518) 862-1090 ext.3312 or e-mail

lls@nyserda.org.

1999 may prove to be the year

Rebuild America profoundly

impacts the way the state of

Tennessee approaches energy

efficiency. This impetus for change

finds its roots in the Fall of 1997,

when Governor Don Sundquist

issued a challenge to the wardens

responsible for the success of the

recycling program in the Tennessee

Department of Corrections (TDOC).

If TDOC could carry out a highly effective recycling program,

could it reduce energy and water costs in the state’s prison system by

30 percent over a 3-year period? TDOC has jurisdiction over 12 state

prisons and a training academy representing 4.6 million square feet.

The results for fiscal year 1998-99 are expected to show annual

energy savings of $1.8 million and $440,000 in savings from the

recycling program for the same period. This performance has been a

springboard for developing a plan to save energy and dollars by

improving state-owned buildings across Tennessee. Rebuild America

helped guide state officials in preparing their state-wide Action Plan by

providing crucial information on performance contracting and

soliciting partnerships and service providers to ensure successful

implementation and start-up. The Action Plan represents a coordinated

effort by Tennessee's Department of Finance and Administration,

a Rebuild America partnership,and state agencies with assistance from

the ENERGY STAR® Buildings Program as well as Rebuild America.

The Action Plan seeks to introduce performance contracting to

achieve a net 30 percent reduction in actual energy costs over 5 years

in approximately 20 million square feet of state-owned property and is

expected to generate over $44 million in guaranteed savings.

Qualified energy service companies would implement the plan and

use local engineers and contractors to guarantee the savings. The goal

is to have performance contracts underway in state office buildings by

January 2000.

Tennessee is on the threshold of a brighter,more sustainable future,

using proven methods presented by Rebuild America,to ensure that

the state not only meets the governor’s challenge,but sets an example

for other state and local governments.

For more information, contact Dave Edmunds, program

manager for the Tennessee Department of Finance and

Administration, State Building Energy Management Program at

(615) 741-9357 or e-mail dedmunds@mail.state.tn.us.

Tennessee Expands

Energy-Saving Initiatives

Rebuild Western New York

Continued from page 2

Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist

4
Profile

Continued from page 1

Normandie developed an Associates degree

program in construction management which

will evolve into a 4-year program. He believes

that schools need to be energy efficient and

that administrators,facilities staff,faculty and

students need to be taught energy efficiency.

“I have two goals with Rebuild Nevada,”

Normandie says. “One is to energy retrofit as

many buildings as possible. The other is to

develop training,education and degree

programs that address energy efficiency in

construction.”

His background serves him well when it

comes to getting “buy in”to shepherd a

project through the retrofitting process.

“With Rebuild America,you work for the

state and are an independent third party,”

Normandie says. “You become part of the

building owner’s development team but have

no vested interest. This works well in

bringing a project on line.”

“He's got a very high energy level and drive

— he's absolutely committed to bringing in

partnerships that will bring in significant

results,”notes Paul Johnson,team leader of

the Seattle Regional Office. “His strong

background in construction and project

management helps him identify partnerships

and projects likely to result in success.”

In the Works

Rebuild Nevada is setting its sights on

projects that will have the greatest impact.

One involves energy improvements to

400,000 square feet of National Guard

properties under the auspices of the Federal

Energy Management Program.Rebuild

Nevada is also working with the City of Reno

to retrofit 660,000 square feet of municipal

buildings. Other highlights:

Rosewood Lakes

Rebuild Nevada has set up a partnership with

Rosewood Lakes,a municipal golf course now

in design that will serve as a demonstration

project for introducing young people to the

game of golf. Alternative technologies the golf

course is introducing include:

❚ photovoltaic golf carts and a solar cart recharging barn 

❚ a watering and irrigation system

designed to reduce water consumption

by 50 percent – the cost of watering

being the greatest expense for golf

courses in the Western states.

❚ a 3,000 square-foot alternative

technology clubhouse and 

conference center 

The Professional Golf Association (PGA) has

awarded the golf course its prestigious First

Tee Award and will fund the construction

cost of the first hole for the course.

University of Nevada, Reno

Rebuild Nevada is also working with

Nevada’s university and community college

system to develop a sustainable campus on a

160-acre geothermal field near Reno. The

Redfield Foundation donated the land with

the provision that construction begin by

2000. The state responded by appropriating

$12.5 million to build the University of

Nevada,Reno Redfield campus. The design of

the campus is underway and construction is

slated to begin by early next year.

“We would like to develop the geothermal

capabilities and develop a plant on-site to

power the facilities,”he says.

Challenges

Normandie says the biggest challenge facing

Rebuild Nevada is how to fund smaller retrofit

projects in rural communities. In rural

northern Nevada,for example,the need for

energy improvements to schools is great,

Normandie notes. “In one Pershing County

school,there are no thermal-pane windows on

the eastern and western sides of the building,

causing tremendous heat gains in the warm

months and heat loss during winter,”he says.

“And schools used year-round are without air

conditioning,despite summer temperatures

that climb to the high 90s.”

“A small project can’t be done with the

typical financing approach,”Normandie says.

So he drew upon his banking expertise to

introduce a new type of funder — one

willing to extend credit in “marginal”markets

in exchange for charging a slightly higher

interest rate. The building owner is “ecstatic”

to get the financing — despite the higher

rate,he notes.

A native of southern California who retired

his surfboard when he moved to Nevada in

1993,Normandie looks after his two

daughters, Ashley,4,and Helena,5,and

pursues alternative development technology

as an avocation. He says he has a personal

commitment to building a 20-unit office

complex he designed that uses passive solar

strategies and is 80 percent self sustaining.

“You create a culture change when you get

people to look at energy alternatives in new

construction,”he notes. “If we take the steps

today to make energy efficiency a part of new

construction practices,we won’t have to

rebuild these buildings tomorrow.”

For more information, contact Paul

Normandie at (775) 684-8735 or e-mail

pnormand@govmail.state.nv.us.

5

U.S. Department of Energy

“You create a culture

change when you get

people to look at

energy alternatives in

new construction” 

– Paul Normandie
Municipal and state governments

throughout the U.S.present enormous

opportunities and challenges for Rebuild

America. A look at the numbers tells why.

With 10,000 local governments (cities,

counties,towns and townships) and more

than 70,000 special districts and

unincorporated entities operating under

them,local and state governments own,lease,

and maintain buildings that represent over 16

billion square feet. These buildings consume

approximately 1,500 trillion Btus each year.

Energy costs — for operating offices,

schools,libraries,colleges,medical facilities,

police stations,fire stations,correctional

facilities,airports and other facilities — are in

the billions and represent 5 percent to 7

percent of local and state government annual

expenditures.Local governments are also

responsible for water supply and wastewater

treatment facilities and outdoor lighting for

streets and recreational facilities. The

potential for energy savings is substantial:

■ Improved energy efficiency can 

achieve conservative savings of $3

billion annually.

■ Total investment required to realize

those savings is between $13 billion and

$20 billion.

■ Fixed-site energy costs in state and 

local governments total about $30

billion annually.

■ Electricity costs account for nearly 

75 percent of these total annual 

energy expenses.

Rebuild America has made some significant

inroads in establishing partnerships at the

local and state levels. Fifty-five percent of

Rebuild America’s 229 partnerships are led

by municipal and state

governments. Eighty-seven

partnerships are headed by

municipalities and 38 are run by

the states. There is ample room for a great

many more. A look at the factors that drive

government decisions about energy

efficiency helps to identify some of the

obstacles and opportunities that have an

impact on growth in these two key Rebuild

America market sectors.

Barriers to Implementation

A recent survey conducted by Public

Technology,Inc.(PTI) found that while most

state governments interviewed had installed

energy-efficient equipment in the previous 5

years,only about half of the responding local

governments had made such installations.

Respondents indicated that:

■ Short payback periods and maintenance

needs are often more important

deciding factors for energy management

than are lifecycle cost analyses.

■ Lack of funds and low priorities for

energy-efficiency projects were the two

most significant barriers to installing

energy-efficient equipment.

■ Inadequate in-house expertise,

difficulties in the procurement process,

and risks associated with performance

were other important constraints.

The findings of a California Energy

Commission survey of local governments

sheds more light on the subject:

■ Lighting and HVAC system

improvements were most often

implemented,although fewer than 40

percent of all respondents made lighting

improvements and less than 25 percent

installed HVAC equipment.

■ Respondents rated three factors as

influential in reaching a project decision:

❚ a performance or savings guarantee

❚ the ability to obtain project

financing

❚ resources and guidance for project

identification and installation

■ Funding from “operating funds”led

projects financed through capital

budgets or bonds by a wide margin.

Partnerships Overcome

Obstacles 

The Rebuild America partnership model is

ideal for local and state governments.

Rebuild America can help customize a plan

to fit specific partnership needs and provide

technical assistance and marketing support.

State governments can benefit through the

State Energy Program (SEP) Special Project

Awards granted annually by the U.S.

Department of Energy. They can use the

funds to implement projects in state-owned

buildings or to benefit local communities.

Rebuild America can provide:

■ information on performance contracting

and workshops on financing geared to

meet specific needs as well as a

Sourcebook available on-line

■ access to colleagues facing similar

challenges and a forum for peer

exchange and mentoring

Rebuilding Locally and 

State-wide

Rebuild Cheshire (CT) has drafted a

comprehensive Action Plan with a goal of

achieving economic prosperity through

Partnerships Tap Local And State Governments

The energy retrofit of the Northeast Regional

Library serves as a model for the Free Library of

Philadelphia system.

Continued on page 8

Market Sector

U.S. Department of Energy

6
Doug Avery

lights up the

country as a

Rebuild

America

program

representative.

Vital statistics:

Lives in Redondo Beach,CA. Married and 

has five children,three boys and two girls.

Enjoys walking on the beach,reading 

(three to four books a week),and working

with computers.

Current role with Rebuild America:

Program representative for the Seattle and

Denver regions. Also serves as technical

resource on lighting and works with Native

American tribes and partnerships across the

country. Travels extensively to meet with

current and potential partnerships.

Most rewarding aspect of your work:

We provide a catalyst that results in

communities improving the quality of life for

their residents. Rebuild America is part of the

galvanization of communities to get things

done. I’ve also had the privilege of meeting

wonderful people representing all aspects of

American society.

Your favorite Rebuild America moment:

In Rapid City,SD,I was honored with a Star

Quilt for my efforts on behalf of the Rosebud

and Lower Brule Sioux tribes.

Plans for the Rebuild America 

National Forum:

Seeing the whole team and hearing what’s

been happening around the country. It’s a

chance to learn,grow and renew friendships.

Your greatest challenge:

Keeping up with all the work we have to do

and delivering all we promise

on time.

Snapshot

New York Supers Tune In To Rebuild America

In New York City,the Rebuild America

message is starting to reach those on the

front line of building maintenance: the

building superintendents or “supers.” Rebuild

America has partnered with the

Superintendent’s Club of New York to

provide club members with expertise on

energy-efficiency technologies and creative

ways to market and sell the concept of

retrofits and upgrades to building owners.

Improving building energy efficiency is

especially beneficial in a city like New York

with rental rates that are among the nation’s

highest and a preponderance of aging

residential buildings. New York City tenants

could get relief from sharp rental increases if

energy savings were passed onto them,notes

Greg Davoren,team leader of the Boston

Regional Office (BRO).

The Super’s Club joined Rebuild America in

September 1998 and its partnership has been

evolving ever since. The Club is a nonprofit

organization that acts as a technical society for

multifamily building maintenance personnel.

It was started one year ago and is sponsored

by the Apartment House Institute of New York

City Technical College in Brooklyn. Members

include porters,superintendents,maintenance

directors,co-op board members,building

owners and management. It has 65 members

presently and plans to expand to 500

members by year’s end,according to 

Richard L. Koral,a professor at the Technical

College who organized the Super’s Club.

Koral is the college’s resident energyefficiency expert and “mentor”in the

multifamily housing sector.

The Club’s objectives are to provide its

members with a chance to exchange ideas,

share technical information and act as a

networking association. Monthly meetings

feature guest speakers who address such

issues as boiler maintenance,locksmithing,

and lighting. In June,the New York Chapter

of Association of Energy Engineers presented

an award to the Super’s Club for "Energy

Program of the Year.”

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and

the BRO have supported the Club by

presenting workshops and demonstrations of

the latest in energy-efficiency technology and

building retrofit practices. Davoren and Jim

Cavallo of ANL have shared their expertise

regarding window maintenance and

replacement,energy-efficient heating system

maintenance,computerized heating control

systems,and reflective roof surfaces.

Club organizers plan to explore

developing sister clubs in other major cities

which will present additional opportunities

for assistance from Rebuild America. The

Superintendent’s Club is excited about the

many opportunities they can access through

Rebuild America,that in turn,will benefit

New York City and their trade.

For more information, contact Greg

Davoren at (617) 565-9706 or e-mail

greg.davoren@hq.doe.gov;or Jim Cavallo at

(630) 252-8688 or e-mail cavallo@anl.gov.

Greg Davoren, left, and Richard Koral

7

U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Energy

How To Passively Cool An Existing Building

energy efficiency. The partnership used state

funds to develop a municipal energy

conservation strategy. It audited all

municipal and school buildings to ascertain

the best approach to a long-term energy

management plan.

The upgrades are expected to help cut

energy consumption by 10 percent to 15

percent annually. As part of an outreach

campaign to local building and business

owners,the partnership presented a “Power

Expo”to demonstrate how Rebuild America

and related programs could help the town

stimulate economic development.

Rebuild Nebraska shows how a state

partnership can balance a state-wide

approach with community-based action.The

partnership’s umbrella covers more than 110

partners including local governments,

businesses,housing

authorities,utilities,and

schools among others. Rebuild Nebraska

provides building owners with options,

technical information and financing. The

partnership’s flexibility has eased its

transition from large-scale efforts to a

community-based approach. Its efforts in

Otoe County,one of the oldest counties in

the state,are focused on county-wide

sustainability and historic preservation.

Thirty to 40 buildings representing an

estimated 525,000 square feet are under

consideration for retrofitting,with a goal of

reducing energy use by 25 percent in 

each building.

Nationwide Partnering

At the national level,Rebuild America is

working with local and state government

constituencies to promote energy efficiency

and knock down barriers. Rebuild America

has established strong working relationships

with the National Association of State Energy

Officials and the National Conference of

State Legislatures. In the coming months,

Rebuild America looks forward to building

similarly supportive national partnerships

with other leading associations that

represent elected officials and the technical

and professional managers of cities 

and counties.

Sources for information in this article

include reports published by the U.S.

Department of Energy, Energy Information

Administration and the U.S.Department of

Commerce. For more information contact

Richard W.Zelinski, Rebuild America

Financial Services, at (703) 551-0250 or 

e-mail richzel@ibm.net.

While it may be easier and more cost-effective to incorporate

energy-efficient cooling strategies into new construction, there are

still some effective ways to reduce the cooling load in existing

buildings during the summer months. Bill Bobenhausen, director

of sustainable design for Steven Winter Associates, Inc.of Norwalk,

CT, shares some insights about passive cooling techniques that

work in existing buildings.

Buildings constructed of brick,concrete and other heavy materials

can reduce the need for cooling energy use during the afternoon

hours. In addition,such mass should be taken into account when the

capacity of cooling equipment is being determined.

Many small commercial buildings (such as offices,restaurants,

recreation buildings and warehouses) can use natural ventilation to

cool spaces and improve the comfort of building occupants. Cooling

a building with natural ventilation involves controlled manipulation of

positive wind pressures to allow for controlled entry,distribution and

exiting of the moving air stream. This approach favors an

arrangement of inlets and outlets -— usually some type of window or

transom — for efficiently moving air in and out of the building. In

hot,dry climates the ventilation strategy of "night flushing" massive

buildings with relatively cool night-time air can cool down the mass

of the building overnight and reduce the need for cooling energy the

following day

Particular attention should be given to windows and glazing.

South-facing glazing can be shaded by simple overhangs. Exposed

west-facing glazing is more problematic,especially at the latitudes of

the southern United States,although vertical fins can provide some

benefits.Tinting of glass to reduce solar heat gains is often a good

strategy,particularly the use of green and blue-green tinted glasses

that let a large amount of the visible solar spectrum to pass through.

And when buildings are abundantly illuminated by sun-controlled

daylight,electric lighting can be dimmed or turned off,resulting in

cooling energy savings.

Bill Bobenhausen (billbob@swinter.com) presents workshops on

designing low-energy buildings for the Passive Solar Industries

Council (PSIC). For information about the workshop series, contact

PSIC at (202) 628-7400 ext.210 or visit www.psic.org.

Partnerships Tap

Continued from page 6

8

Workbench
U.S. Department of Energy

Douglas,Emmett and Company,one of the

Los Angeles area’s largest property

management firms,is planning for big energy

savings at two Class A high-rise buildings in

West Los Angeles. The firm targeted its

Landmark II and Executive Tower projects for

approximately $1 million worth of energy

retrofit projects. Based on engineering

analysis done by Servidyne Systems,Inc.,they

stand to cut energy costs by as much as

$270,000 per year in the two buildings

which total 665,000 square feet. The work is

expected to begin by next summer and will

take a year to complete.

The retrofit of these buildings is part of a

program by Douglas,Emmett and Company

to perform energy audits and retrofit all of its

properties acquired in the past several years.

The firm did its first comprehensive retrofit

project in the early 1990s with mixed results.

It took some time to get all systems installed

and operating properly,but ultimately the

project realized significant savings.

In early 1997,Daniel W. Emmett of

Environment Now,a nonprofit group

involved in local issues,contacted Bill Knox,

the state’s Rebuild America representative at

the California Energy Commission,to find out

more about energy options under California’s

electricity restructuring. He was also seeking

recommendations for qualified energy

auditors for Douglas,Emmett and Company.

Knox recommended a number of qualified

energy engineering firms based on his

retrofitting experience through Rebuild

America and state energy programs. Douglas,

Emmett and Company selected Servidyne

Systems,Inc.,whose engineers completed

the audits last December.

Towers to Yield Big Savings

The two buildings differ in their HVAC

systems and in the opportunities each

presents for cutting costs. Recommendations

for the 278,000 square-foot Executive Tower

on Olympic Boulevard will save an estimated

$91,000 per year,or about 15 percent of total

energy costs. The improvements will pay for

themselves in energy savings in about three

years.A large share of the savings comes from

restoring lockout control for the electric

reheat system. Servidyne found that controls

were not functioning properly — the cooling

and heating systems were fighting each other

— and the building was being heated

needlessly at night. Fixing existing controls

and installing new components should save

an additional $30,000 with a payback of less

than two years. Lighting projects,including

electronic ballasts for both T-8 and T-5

fixtures,will also result in big savings.

The 387,000 square-foot Landmark II on

Wilshire Boulevard stands to save an even

higher 22 percent of energy costs. The

simple payback is between four and five

years.Measures with large savings at

Landmark II include lighting retrofits with T-8

tubes and electronic ballasts in the parking

garage,common areas and tenant space,and

sensor control of lighting in the parking lot.

The biggest share of the savings from HVAC

improvements will come from installing

variable frequency drives on air handling

units. Premium efficiency motors will cut the

cost of pump and fan operation.

Benefits for Both Landlord

and Tenants

Because of the structure of leases in both

buildings,a significant portion of the direct

savings will go to tenants. Douglas,Emmett

and Company points out the value in the

retrofits beyond near-term electrical savings:

■ Tenants look closely at all costs

associated with their lease in Los

Angeles’competitive real estate market.

Lower energy costs contribute to lower

total cost per square foot.

■ The retrofits will improve comfort and

lighting quality,benefits that businesses

are beginning to recognize,especially in

terms of increased productivity -- which

is beginning to be documented.

■ A growing number of tenants are

sensitive to the environmental effects of

reducing energy consumption.

■ Improving the mechanical and electrical

systems increases the value of the

buildings upon sale.

Environment Now plans to build on

Douglas,Emmett and Company’s success by

developing energy savings Road Maps for

commercial property managers that will

address different paths to energy retrofits that

improve the bottom line. Environment Now

plans to introduce the Road Maps through

the Building Owners and Managers

Association (BOMA) to promote increased

energy retrofits in the greater Los Angeles

region.

For more information, contact Bill Knox

at (916) 654-4048 or e-mail

bknox@energy.state.ca.us.

Energy Retrofits Planned For

L.A. Office Towers

Landmark II in Los Angeles

9
U.S. Department of Energy

Southeast 

Rebuilding for the Future...Rebuild

Asheville, NC held a ribbon-cutting and

building dedication ceremony on June 10 for

their newly renovated Lonnie D.Burton Head

Start Child Development Center. The

renovated facility,originally a school building

built in the 1930s,serves 90 children and

their families. Head Start is a national

program that provides comprehensive

developmental services for low-income,preschool children ages 3 to 5 and social

services for their families.

Energy-saving measures installed at the

center include HVAC improvements such as

an efficient reverse-cycle heat pump and

timer;window replacement to enhance

daylighting;and the addition of occupancy

sensors and new lighting fixtures. Asheville’s

Head Start center improvement project was a

collaboration among Rebuild America,The

Opportunity Corporation,the City of

Asheville,and the Administration for Children

and Families at the Atlanta Department of

Health and Human Services.Jim Powell,

director of the Department of Energy's Atlanta

Regional Office,was the featured speaker.

Asheville Mayor Leni Sitnick was on hand to

cut the ribbon. Contact David Jones for

more information at (828) 258-1222.

Midwest

Rebuild Pella Financing

Options...Rebuild Pella coordinator Jenise

Dahlin has found a unique approach to help

participants finance energy-efficiency

improvements. A recent change in Iowa law

allows businesses to avoid paying sales tax on

energy used to manufacture items sold for

retail. In applying for this exemption,business

owners can also request a refund on past sales

tax paid for this purpose. In addition to

completing audits for Rebuild America

participants,Dahlin will

help business owners apply for the

exemption and refund. Owners are

encouraged to use the refund to pay for

identified improvements. "We are currently

filing seven refund applications totaling more

than $6,500 for these businesses,three of

which already have plans to make efficiency

improvements,”Dahlin said. “Tying the refund

process to Rebuild is a good way to go in the

door with a positive approach and come out

of the process with a better chance of

implementation." Additionally,Dahlin has

worked with four local financing institutions

to offer reduced rates on loans for Rebuild

Pella projects. For more information, contact

Jenise Dahlin at (515) 628-2581.

Rebuild Kewanee (IL) signs on Illinois

Power...The Rebuild Kewanee Partnership,

formed in February 1998,has signed on

Illinois Power as a new partner. Illinois

Power is currently working with the

partnership to define their Rebuild America

activities and has committed to helping local

communities through performance

contracting efforts and training workshops.

Kewanee has approximately 13,000

residents.Other Rebuild Kewanee partners

include Daisy’s Bed & Breakfast and Henry

County Public Housing. For more

information, contact Juli Pollitt, Chicago

Regional Office at (312) 886-8571 or e-mail

juli.pollit@hq.doe.gov.

Rebuild Iowa Receives National

Recognition...Rebuild Iowa has been

selected to receive a 1999 Certificate of

Environmental Achievement from Renew

America and will be included in the

Environmental Success Index. Renew

America is a network of community and

environmental groups,businesses,

government leaders,and civic activists who

exchange ideas for improving the

environment. The certificate is awarded to

projects that measurably protect,restore or

enhance the environment.The

Environmental Success Index provides

brief descriptions of over 1,400 successful

environmental programs. The Index serves as

a database of innovative solutions used to

locate effective,replicable models of action.

Contact Kimberly Baxter at (515) 281-6486

or e-mail kbaxter@max.state.ia.us

West

The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest

Indians (ATNI),representing 52 Native

American tribes,has joined the Seattle

Region's Rebuild America program. ATNI,

which represents about 10 percent of the

554 federally recognized tribes,is dedicated

to promoting tribal self-determination and

sovereignty.Program representatives Doug

Avery and Scott Wolf and Seattle regional

team leader Paul Johnson have met with

Sonya Tetnowski,tribal energy coordinator

for ATNI,in Seattle to define the scope of

work under this partnership and to shape

the partnership's Action Plan. Tetnowski is

well versed on how economic development

and national energy issues such as electricity

competition affect tribes.

For more information, contact ATNI at

(425) 774-5419.

Regional Roundup

10

Rebuild America has a new identity in

cyberspace. The new Rebuild America

web site was launched in May with upto-date information on over 220

community partnerships. From the web

site, you can download our Technical

Guide Series, Information Kit, and

partnership success stories. The

benefits of participating in Rebuild

America, program achievements, and

the schedule for upcoming national and

regional workshops and events are also

featured. Log on at

www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/rebuild.
ReEnergize East Bay has found a way

to encourage the installation of energysaving measures in Christmas in April

projects undertaken in Northern

California. Christmas in April is the leading

national volunteer organization that

provides home repair and improvement

services to low-income senior and disabled

homeowners. (See Partner Update,

January-February 1999.)

ReEnergize and its parent organization,

Community Energy Services,Inc.(CESC),

jointly coordinate volunteer projects 

year-round with the Albany-BerkeleyEmeryville chapter of Christmas in April to

augment their other home repair activities

on behalf of low-income seniors and those

with disabilities.

Recognizing the potential for increasing

expendable income for this population

through reducing utility costs,ReEnergize

East Bay has developed the Home Energy

Guide for Volunteer Workers,a simple

guidebook that details 15 residential

energy and water conservation

opportunities. The improvements can be

performed by semi-skilled and unskilled

volunteers working with Christmas in April

or other similar assistance programs.Dr.

Lisa Gartland of Positive Energy wrote

the guidebook,which includes a

description of the energy-efficiency

measures and how they work,a list of

materials and estimated costs,installation

instructions,expected cost savings (annual

and lifetime),and other benefits of each

measure. The measures include:

■ Weatherization of doors,windows,

and other leaks

■ Water heater and pipe insulation

■ Compact fluorescent lamps

■ Low-flow water devices

■ Appliance cleaning and adjustments

National Rebuilding Day is observed

each year on April 24 and the AlbanyBerkeley-Emeryville (CA) chapter of

Christmas in April rose to the occasion this

year by providing home repairs to 39 Bay

area homes. Dr.Gartland organized an

energy-efficiency team to install energy

and water conservation measures in

addition to the safety and repair work

typically performed by Christmas in April

volunteers. Twenty-six volunteers (nine of

them from Lawrence Berkeley National

Laboratory’s Energy & Environmental

Technology Division) comprised six teams

that traveled from site to site,installing

energy-saving measures at 30 locations in a

single day. Team members collected over

$4,000 in donations to assist the effort.

In addition to Christmas in April,

ReEnergize East Bay’s Richard Flood

says he expects the guidebook to be used

year-round by construction groups

installing energy-efficiency measures in

Community Development Block 

Grant projects.

“CESC provides construction services in

about 200 homes per year,”Flood notes.

“We will also extend the project through

the Alameda County Housing Department

which serves about 800 homes per year in

Oakland,Alameda,Hayward,Fremont,and

other East Bay municipalities.”

ReEnergize plans to revise the

guidebook based on this year’s

experiences and post it on the Rebuild

America website so it is accessible to

Rebuild America and Christmas in April

participants across the country. For more

information, contact Richard Flood at

(510) 644-8546 or e-mail

richflood@aol.com.

U.S. Department of Energy

11

Reenergize Teams With

Christmas In April Upcoming Events

1999 Rebuild America National Forum.

August 9-11 in Las Vegas, NV. 

Visit www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/

rebuild.

Energy ’99. August 23-25 in Orlando,

FL. Visit www.tainc.com.

National Association of State Energy

Offices Annual Meeting. September 

19-22 in Indianapolis, IN. 

Visit www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/

state_and_community/sep.html.

International City/County Managers

Association Annual Conference.

September 26-29 in Portland, OR.

Visit www.icma.org.

American Consulting Engineers Council

Fall Conference. September 

30-October 2 in Traverse City, MI. 

Visit www.acec.org.

Rebuild America Financial Services

Workshop for Partnerships. October

5-6 in Rhode Island and Connecticut.

E-mail Julia Kelley at j4u@ornl.gov.

Rebuild America Financial Services

Workshop on Project Development and

Financing Options. October 6-8 in 

Salt Lake City, UT. To be presented at

the Energy Management for the New

Millennium National APEM/ASTE

Conference. E-mail Julia Kelley at

j4u@ornl.gov.

National Rural Education Association

Annual Conference. October 13-17 

in Colorado Springs, CO. Visit

www.colostate.edu/Orgs/NREA/1999Con

vention/call.htm.

Council of the Great City Schools.

October 14-18 in San Francisco, CA.

Visit www.cgcs.org or contact Terry

Tabort at tabor@cgcs.org or 

202-393-2427, ext. 213.

National Association of Housing and

Redevelopment Officials Annual

Conference. October 17-19 in

Philadelphia, PA. Visit www.nahro.org.

National Council of State Housing

Agencies Annual Conference. 

October 24-26 in Chicago, IL. 

Visit www.ncsha.org.
Rebuild America is a network of community

partnerships – made up of local governments

and businesses – that save money by saving

energy. These voluntary partnerships, working

with the U.S. Department of Energy, choose the

best ways to improve the energy efficiency of

commercial, government and apartment

buildings. Rebuild America supports them

with business and technical tools and 

customized assistance.

By the year 2003, 250 Rebuild America 

partnerships will be involved in over 

2 billion square feet of building renovations,

which will save $650 million every year in

energy costs, generate $3 billion in private

community investment, create 26,000 new

private sector jobs, and reduce air pollution by

1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Rebuild America 

Office of Building Technology,

State and Community Programs

U.S.Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue,SW

Washington,DC 20585-0121

Address Correction Requested

Share Your Success

To submit news or story ideas, contact: 

• Elise G. Rand, (202) 466-7391, or e-mail 

erand@pcgpr.com

• Alex Zartman, (301) 588-9387, or e-mail 

alexz@drintl.com

Learn More

Rebuild America is part of DOE’s Buildings for the 21st

Century. If you would like information about Rebuild

America or the other energy efficiency and renewable

energy programs and resources, call 1-800-DOE-EREC or

visit www.eren.doe.gov.

To be placed on the mailing list for Rebuild America

Partner Update, e-mail rebuildamerica@drintl.com.

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, WA

City of Santa Fe, NM

Lamar County Schools, GA

Rebuild Santa Fe, NM

Rebuild the District of Columbia, Washington, DC

Sierra Assisted Living Foundation, NV

Town of Taos, NM 

Wausau School District, WI

Rebuild America Welcomes

8 New Partnerships

Rebuild America is helping

municipalities like the town of

Cheshire, CT, improve energy

efficiency in municipal

buildings such as the waste

control facility, pictured at left.

See Market Sector column on

page 6.