BPA - Energy Efficiency | Commercial Sector

Commercial Sector

The commercial sector team develops a wide range of conservation programs that empower customer utilities to meet their commercial conservation goals. The programs are characterized by extensive, economically attractive opportunities in lighting efficiency, complemented by a broad array of measures ranging from refrigeration and appliances to HVAC and building design. Below are a few of the commercial sector priorities.

Lighting
For several years BPA has managed a large efficiency program in Commercial and Industrial Lighting. In 2008 customer utilities successfully achieved more than 6 aMW in energy savings. BPA continues to invest in improving the lighting program as a critical component to achieving regional conservation targets. BPA also sponsors the Northwest Trade Ally Network for Commercial and Industrial Lighting (NW TAN), a regional resource providing training and support to facilitate utilities and contractors working together to deliver lighting efficiency projects. Ongoing sector improvements in commercial sector team include a redesign of the lighting calculator spreadsheet, the addition of new measures and an expansion of the support services provided by the NW TAN.

Commercial and Industrial Lighting

Refrigeration
BPA targets commercial refrigeration conservation potential by sponsoring the Energy Smart Grocer program for its customer utilities. Delivered by program partner Portland Energy Conservation Inc., the program offers more than 50 measures to grocers and others with commercial refrigeration load in 89 utility territories.

EnergySmart Grocery Program

Commercial Kitchen
As of Oct. 1, 2009, BPA offers incentive reimbursements to customer utilities for installation of an expanded suite of high efficiency kitchen and food service measures to commercial customers in their territories. Measures include refrigerators, freezers, ice makers, steamers, hot food holding cabinets and pre-rinse spray wash valves.

Commercial Kitchen and Food Service Equipment

HVAC
Commercial HVAC conservation opportunities are currently available through the BPA custom project incentive process. Recognizing the critical role of these measures in achieving regional efficiency targets, BPA is working on improved processes and program structures that will support utilities in capturing higher volumes of HVAC savings.

Commercial Shell Measures
BPA is working to develop a more robust commercial shell measure offering. Currently BPA offers reimbursement for retrofit insulation and one new BPA Qualified measure for small commercial window retrofits. BPA is working on improved program structures that will support utilities in capturing commercial building shell opportunities.

Small Commercial Window Retrofits

Plug Load
BPA targets commercial office plug load (aka vampire loads) from idle equipment such as scanners, computer monitors, printers and desk lighting with a simple measure called Smart Power Strips. Smart Power Strips are power strips that monitor and actively manage plug load usage from electrical equipment, turning off the power supply to devices that are not in use. Currently, this measure is provisionally deemed cost-effective by the Regional Technical Forum at a rate of 100 kWh per installed unit. BPA has established a reimbursement for qualified commercial installations, and will work with regional utilities to collect data to support full deeming of this measure.

Smart Power Strips

Commercial New Construction and Building Design
BPA supports energy efficient new construction through the Energy Smart Design® Office incentive program and custom projects. The commercial sector team is working to streamline the custom project approach to ensure that the region captures design-related efficiency opportunities in new construction.

In addition to the opportunities described above, BPA offers incentive reimbursements in several other commercial areas. The commercial sector priority is to expand the number of deemed conservation measures available to utility customers to support their expansion of commercial programs. The BPA commercial sector team also works to streamline and simplify the custom project process while continuing to sponsor efficiency opportunities delivered by program partners to meet select regional commercial conservation goals.