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Some of the biggest impacts to a business budget are heating, cooling and lighting. Other forms of electricity use pale in comparison to these three. Utilizing energy modeling a business or facility owner can potentially reduce their monthly electricity budget by as much as half, more in some cases given the right scenario. With this in mind, and with an eye towards continually reducing our impact on the environment, the U.S. Green Building Council's developed LEED, a rating system based on a ten point scale which helps to determine how effective a building's energy saving design aspects actually are. LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, is a relatively new concept in the world of energy modeling which looks at the entire building and can be used even before construction begins to greatly reduce the energy necessary for daily operations. Everything from size, shape, orientation and construction technique can fit into the simulations used for an energy evaluation. Some preliminary energy modeling, prior to even selecting a location, can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. A little extra work really can pay off in these cases, but too often it is used as a means of record keeping rather than a way to tailor the overall design of a building. Every building is a little different, and too often those involved in energy modeling are reluctant to begin the process or build a simulation without knowing all the factors. In this case however, it is often better to trade accuracy for a general comparison of two different designs. Most energy modeling software contains default values which can provide detailed information just based on building location, orientation and building materials, comparing that with an alternative design can often help pinpoint which would make the better choice so that once the design process has begun the focus of the design team can shift to where the energy load is the greatest. Many techniques exist to help minimize the energy used by a building. Windows coated with nano-ceramic film can reduce solar load by up to sixty percent, which reduces the energy used to cool a building. This means that fans are using less energy and thereby creating less heat still, which also lowers the energy used for cooling. Inside any building, every system is linked in a number of different ways and with an accurate simulation it's easy to find the necessary lynch-pin which will have the greatest overall impact on the energy profile. The entire goal of any energy modeling project isn't just to lower the amount of money spent on electricity, but also to reduce the environmental impact of large buildings on the environment. Planning ahead, choosing the right location and design, using the right products and materials, each of these are steps which can have a profound impact on a structure. Making the wrong choice, rushing through the design or construction process, these can also have a profound impact but of a completely different nature. Any building owner would do well to have an energy evaluation performed. With the right software and an experienced professional, energy modeling can potentially pay for itself in less than a year, and start showing net savings shortly afterwards. Though the process is lengthy it's also often very much worth it. In some cases, it even provides a tax incentive for businesses which can show the process and improvements which have been made, but in order to qualify for them the U.S. government first requires an energy modeling evaluation be performed and a redesign completed in order to qualify.
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