Page 8 - New England Condominium September 2021

8 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -SEPTEMBER 2021 NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM tain percentage of energy. The best a solar panel can do, he says, is to harness 24% of available energy from the sun, and today’s panels are approaching that limit. But new technologies promise a higher energy har- vest. His company is developing a tandem module, which has the ability to increase the energy output of a solar panel by 35%. Using two semiconductors, tandem pan- els can capture energy from both low- and high-wavelength photons. When they be- come commercially available in the near fu- ture, it is expected that tandems will reduce the kilowatt-hour cost of a solar panel to 2¢. An additional technological advance- ment is the actual material being used to make solar panels. The traditional poly- silicon is already fairly thin and versatile, but a new material called perovskite is on its way to commercial use. Thinner and more transparent than crystalline silicon, perovskite has the potential to be layered on top of existing solar panels to boost ef- ficiency, or be integrated with glass to make building windows that also generate power. Mierlo’s 1366 Technologies has announced a merger with Hunt Perovskite Technolo- gies LLC, according to Bloomberg, which will combine the two technologies to create an even more efficient solar panel. There is an uptake component that can potentially reduce costs even further—and that, says Mierlo, is the biggest challenge. It’s a major transition, in both physical compo- nents of a building or community and men- tal adjustments to a new way of accessing utilities. In the bigger picture, there has to be a political will to shift resources and in- frastructure away from the entrenched fos- sil fuel industry and into a cleaner, greener energy economy. “But the solutions are there,” Mierlo said. “We just have to decide that we want to do it.” If You Build It ... So the technology exists and it’s cost- effective … but what can a multifamily building or community do if it doesn’t have a solar farm or available roof space to house solar panels? That’s where companies like Green Stream Holdings Inc. come in. The tech, finance, and solar utility firm recently announced that it is partnering with gov- ernmental agencies to facilitate community solar programs, which use one property’s solar array to offset the utility bills of ten or more “subscribers” that connect to it virtu- ally. The company has offices in New York and is licensed there as well as in Nevada, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, among oth- er states. Through its subsidiary, Green Rain So- lar, LLC, based in Nevada, the company is offering this arrangement not only to in- dividual buildings, but also to individual households. In New York State, it has part- nered with Community Solar—a shared so- lar program that offers all utility customers the opportunity to switch to solar at no cost, tant as making sure that the data is right.” cesses for reaching them. Thinking about with nothing on their roof or property, and Several U.S. cities, including New York City any upcoming projects or capital needs with receive immediate savings on their elec- tric bill. CEO James DiPrima says that “the standards for large residential buildings as allow boards and managers to integrate effi- program is available to all New York util- ity customers—residential, business, non- profit, and renters. ... A solar farm is built requires buildings over 25,000 square feet to think about interdependencies of systems on a ‘Host Site’ rooftop or ground mount, submit professional energy assessments and and components, and how projects might be a remote location within a Utility Zone; the achieve energy reduction benchmarks at completed simultaneously or in sequence to system is tied directly to the utility grid, by- passing any on-site meters. All of the power the city intends to reach its carbon-neutral of both overall costs and long-term savings. produced by the system can then be credit- ed to any individual utility customer, at zero your building,” continues Zuluaga, “make cost—instant savings, and the savings will that ‘smart’ equipment—that means it’s re- be credited to the individual customer’s bill sponsive to the needs of the residents and dress moving to a new system. If they don’t for 20-plus years.” Another new technology taking hold in ing you how the building’s doing, how the heating and cooling might be the way to go. Europe and the Middle East is smart glass, equipment’s doing—and you can get more While likely a huge undertaking, the move also known as electrochromic glass or dy- namic glass. Using a tiny burst of electric- ity to charge ions on a window layer, smart submission in Local Law 97 isn’t until 2024, pumps”—the technology that distributes glass can change the amount of light it re- flects. This goes beyond the low-emittance now—regardless of where you live. For one and where to put the units themselves. And windows that block some of the sun’s radia- tion—an existing technology already in use to research, analyze, estimate, and install. with the costs associated with doing that in some multifamily buildings in the U.S. Even if you start examining your building’s conversion. There are some new technolo- Rather, smart glass allows users to choose energy data today, it could take until 2024 to gies that are coming, and there are some how much light they want to block. And, as actually implement the modifications that demonstration projects that are happening the name suggests, smart window controls will bring your building to required carbon in New York City right now through NY- can be linked to a building’s management emission limits, which only get more strin- system, allowing for remote and automatic gent over time. And another important fac- tint adjustment depending on time of day, tor that Zuluaga indicates is that once these other agencies that are looking at convert- year, weather, etc. This convenience and modifications are online, they will deliver ing multifamily buildings to heat pumps. So aesthetic enhancement can save a building savings in costs, usage, and efficiency, no I am hopeful that we’ll have more data on or community in both HVAC costs and car- bon emissions, as the U.S. Department of not reap those benefits as soon as possible? Energy estimates that energy lost through conventional windows accounts for approx- imately 30% of heating and cooling energy. Decisions, Decisions With all of these options, how does a dential, points out that buildings and com- board decide which one or ones to imple- ment in their building or association and output should focus first on their heating centives, because there’s going to be a ton when? This is definitely an area where one and domestic hot water systems—because starting in 2020 and through 2025 that you size does not fit all, say the experts. Marc that’s where carbon mainly comes from. want to capture. But you need to have a plan Zuluaga, PE, CEO of Steven Winter As- sociates—an architecture and engineering boiler,” she gives as an example, “you’re firm specializing in energy optimization getting ready to replace it—what are your You will be saving headaches, money, and— for commercial and residential buildings options for the rooftop unit that runs on oh, yeah—the planet. with offices in New York, Connecticut, and gas?” Doherty echoes other experts in that Massachusetts—tells New England Condo- minium that existing multifamily buildings building is going to have to create their own would do best to “start with what you have.” master plan of how they’re going to get to “There’s lots of sophisticated systems that threshold,” she continues. out there,” continues Zuluaga, “but at a minimum, looking at your annual bills and their professional managers need to be stra- understanding the implications is as impor- and Chicago, have adopted benchmarking one eye on carbon reduction solutions will part of a larger climate compliance initia- tive. New York’s Local Law 97, for example, holistic approach is also key. Boards should five-year intervals leading up to 2050, when achieve the best bang for the buck in terms goal. “Then as new equipment goes into the people in the building, and includes tell- sophisticated over time.” While the first year for accurate data are headed, and Doherty is “a big fan of heat there is no reason not to start the process buildings as to where to put the condensers thing, these types of projects take a while other buildings are gonna just have issues matter where your building is located. Why how well those buildings are doing.” Kelly Doherty, vice president of FirstSer- vice Energy, the energy management and building you are in, or which sustainability advisory subsidiary of national property projects are on the list, “don’t wait ‘til the management company FirstService Resi- munities looking to reduce their carbon you also might have problems getting in- “So at the end of the useful life of your first.” it is not a one-size-fits-all approach. “Every This is an important point. Boards and tegic as they map out their goals and pro- ciency and savings as they move forward. A Pumping It Up Doherty notes that older buildings that still run on oil are really going to have to ad- have access to gas, a transition to electric to electric systems in general is where we heating and cooling from a non-fossil-burn- ing ground or roof source. An added benefit of such a system is that buildings that lacked central cooling will now be able to provide it. Additionally, it will make it easier to charge back individual unit owners or tenants for their usage—which could be a motivator for usage reduction, which in turn reduces car- bon emissions, as well as costs. It’s not necessarily an easy transition however. Says Doherty: “Some buildings are going to have issues with power, and have to bring power to the building and then to the apartments. There’s going to be issues with SERDA”—the New York State Energy Re- search and Development Authority—“and The Time Is Nigh No matter where you are, what type of last minute,” warns Doherty. “That is when you’re going to run into problems—and Follow the Scout motto and be prepared. n Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and Staff Writer for New England Condominium. NEW GREEN... continued from page 1 “As new equipment goes into your building, make that ‘smart’ equipment—it’s responsive to the needs of the residents and the people in the building, and includes telling you how the building’s doing, how the equipment’s doing.” —Marc Zuluaga