This discussion will examine multifamily and commercial commissioning and retro-commissioning projects with an emphasis on: code compliance; increasing energy savings; preventing building system failures; resolving operations and maintenance issues; and improving indoor environmental quality (IAQ). The session presentations will describe some of the most common aspects of buildings, such as ventilation, to lesser-known measures, like user tools and resources available in the marketplace to start commissioning buildings for compliance, efficiency, and health.

If a building owner feels they can’t afford to internally finance a retrofit job, they drop the ball, the associated savings, and the business for our sector. To avoid these business losses, practitioners need to understand local and regional incentives, traditional financing methods, and cutting edge ways to get your projects done. These three knowledgeable and highly experienced financial gurus will walk you through many ways to help close the deal.

This session will explore the incorporation of techniques to increase performance in utility-based energy programs and to draw insights from current Demand Response (DR) uses in New York City. Speakers will review the benefits, concerns, and solutions encountered in actual DR projects, successful DR integration at one of the City’s well-known landmark buildings, going beyond traditional building efficiency initiatives during design and construction, and including backup power sources to ensure grid reliability.

Solar electric (PV) and hot water (DHW) generation systems are visible throughout the metropolitan area, yet some view solar in NYC as obstacle. New York has a thriving market with some of the best incentives and among the highest electricity rates in the country. During this session, experts will discuss successful installations, community solar projects, Building Integrated Solar PV (BIPV), and what the changes in government incentives will mean to the industry.

Microgrids are sophisticated backup power systems, both energy supply and demand, to strengthen overall grid resilience. Ranging from single buildings, to neighborhoods, and then to regions, they are able to operate if the main grid is down. This session will highlight a bold NY statewide initiative encouraging microgrid development, and describe both a citywide and regional example of proposed microgrids, their functions, and the institutional concerns to get these systems running.

Lighting efficiency has increased substantially with technology inherent in LED’s, yet few buildings have come on board. Codes will drive changes in lighting down the road that should be addressed today. Daylighting is very important to use, insuring that its inherent heat gain does not negatively impact the building load. Listen to three leaders in the field discuss the newest technologies in existing lighting, lighting controls and code requirements, and effectively using daylighting.

Large multifamily buildings in New York City are required to conduct benchmarking and ASHRAE II audits of their buildings by law. Learn from leading property managers how to use these mandates to net real returns for your building. Property managers will discuss the use of benchmarking in routine building operations. Case studies of retrofit projects that resulted from audit recommendations will also be explored.

From Brownsville to Woodhaven, new policies and practices that are changing how we identify, finance, and implement energy conservation projects. This session will provide an overview of Con Edison’s Brooklyn Queens Demand Management (BQDM) program then dive into the innovative strategies that are improving grid reliability and savings dollars. From big to small, commercial to residential, we’re covering it all.

The electric industry is in transition. Innovation and increasing competitiveness of renewable energy resources, combined with aging infrastructure, extreme weather events, and system security and resiliency needs, are all leading to significant changes in how electricity is generated, distributed, managed and consumed. This session will describe how New York State’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy will lead to regulatory changes that promote more efficient use of energy, deeper penetration of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar, and wider deployment of “distributed” energy resources.