At an estimated cost of $38 billion a year, lighting represents the largest source of electricity consumption in U.S. commercial buildings. A new breakthrough by the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Lab could help commercial buildings save on lighting and ventilation costs by improving the accuracy of motion detection.
Commercial buildings have high energy needs and can put great strain on the nation's power grids during peak periods. Developing more efficient buildings helps ensure a steady supply of affordable power and significantly lowers operating costs for business.
The Department of Energy works to develop and deploy cost-effective solutions that help increase efficiency and reduce the cost of powering commercial buildings. Through research, best practices and the Better Buildings Initiative, the Department is working with businesses to create a cleaner, more sustainable future.
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During a recent visit to Pittsburgh, Secretary Moniz met with some of the all-union workers who are building a super-efficient office building downtown.
How a focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy is helping one Massachusetts city prosper.
As a researcher at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Dr. Michael Brambley is working to improve the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings. In this "10 Questions," learn how he is marrying engineering and computer technology to cut energy waste in commercial buildings.
