ENERGY STAR® Certification
Blue Ocean Energy can help your building become ENERGY STAR certified. As an ENERGY STAR Partner, we are recognized and committed to promoting energy efficiency.Become An ENERGY STAR Certified Building
ENERGY STAR certified buildings are awarded to facilities that are in the top 25% from an energy efficiency point of view.
Qualifying for the ENERGY STAR certification is a process that occurs each year, and requires third-party verification. Once a commercial building has become ENERGY STAR certified, the property can publicly display the ENERGY STAR plaque. The ENERGY STAR certification is a strong signal to current and potential tenants that a building owner / manager is proactively managing energy costs. According to ENERGY STAR, “an ENERGY STAR certified office building, on average, uses 35% less energy, and costs $0.54 less per square foot to operate, and has higher rental and occupancy rates.” Many Fortune 500 companies, as well as the federal government, require buildings in which they lease space to be ENERGY STAR certified. Energy cost savings have positive impacts for building owners, managers and tenants alike. Other benefits include lower operating costs, better cash flow, higher rental rates and increased value of the asset. Blue Ocean can help you commit to the ENERGY STAR process, and if so, how to maximize your benefits by the effort.
Call us today to learn how we can help you become ENERGY STAR certified at 512-600-7060 or email us at info@blueoceanenergy.net.
Our ENERGY STAR Certification Service
To assess a building’s eligibility, Blue Ocean collects multiple years of utility data for all energy sources. In addition, building parameters and occupancy rates for the most recent 24-month period are utilized. Blue Ocean will analyze and input the data into Portfolio Manager to determine eligibility.
If a building is rated in the top 25% of peer buildings and eligibility is confirmed, Blue Ocean will conduct a site visit with a Texas licensed Professional Engineer. During the site visit, indoor air quality will be assessed, and light measurements will be taken to ensure that the building is in compliance with ASHRAE Standard 55 and 62.1 as well as the IESNA Lighting Handbook.
For further information regarding ENERGY STAR requirements and verification.
When the building passes the site inspection, the final application is submitted to ENERGY STAR.
Blue Ocean is a certified ENERGY STAR partner. To date, all of Blue Ocean’s ENERGY STAR applications have successfully been awarded.
Office Building, Austin, TX
During the final ENERGY STAR site visit, one floor in a six-story office building had CO2 levels above the ENERGY STAR guideline. Blue Ocean observed that the fresh air vents’ actuators had become inoperable and that no fresh air was supplied to the floor. Subsequently, it became apparent that some of the building’s tenants had been complaining of discomfort on that particular floor. The actuators were fixed and on our subsequent visit the CO2 levels on that floor were in an acceptable range. Indoor air quality was restored to healthy levels, tenant complaints were eliminated, and the building qualified for the ENERGY STAR certification.
Office Building, Houston, TX
The owner of this office building retained Blue Ocean for our Comprehensive Energy Audit service. During several years of improving the operational parameters of the building with little to no capital expenditure, Blue Ocean’s services were instrumental in improving this office building (built in 1986) from ranking in the 40th percentile (below average) to the top 15% of office buildings in the U.S.