Reducing energy use in buildings has long been the target of green contractors and owners alike. The U.S. Dept. of Energy reports that buildings account for 40% of U.S. energy consumption and building owners spend $40 billion annually on energy. Despite this expenditure, building occupants are often uncomfortable in their work spaces.
Now a study by McGraw Hill Construction (MHC) suggests that high-performance building system technologies already on the market can offer substantial savings in energy use over traditional systems. Working in partnership with Siemens Building Technologies, MHC surveyed practicing engineers and contractors and delved deeper into 10 energy-efficiency technologies to understand those with the most market success.