 Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) consume approximately 40% of a building’s electricity. In fact, it’s one of the most significant factors in the operating expenses of a business. That’s why it pays to pinpoint HVAC energy waste and reduce it. Here are three common HVAC waste areas and proven ways to help your business become more energy-efficient and control costs. 1. Blocked vents require up to 25% more energy to distribute air. Take a close look around your business. Are vents blocked by furniture, paper, tools or equipment? Those blocked vents prevent vital airflow and make your system work harder to heat or cool your business. That’s unnecessary waste and it costs your business every month. Solution: Clear air distribution is essential to energy efficiency. It’s also important for maintaining a good comfort level for your employees and customers. Carefully assess the area around each vent for proper ventilation. Is air flowing from the vent, circulating freely throughout the room? If there are obstructions that prevent adequate airflow, such as cabinetry or drapes, move them to allow for clear circulation. Don't keep vents closed to save energy; doing this can change how air is distributed and causes an imbalance in the HVAC system's operation. Remember to also check any vents on the floor. It can be more difficult to keep these areas clear of obstructions. 2. Up to 80% of energy can be recovered from exhaust air. Exhaust air from inefficient HVAC systems wastes a major opportunity for more efficient heating and cooling. That’s because more energy is required to heat or cool incoming outside air. But there are smart ways to prevent that waste. Solution: Heat-recovery technology transfers energy from exhaust air to incoming outside air. This greatly reduces the energy that’s required to heat or cool incoming air. As a result, businesses can recover 50% to 80% of energy waste. It’s important to note the percentage of outside air that can be used for efficient ventilation is based on a few factors, including project scope, technology selection and design. A qualified contractor can educate customers on available recovery technologies. For example, an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) can be a suitable solution for maintaining a comfortable temperature, depending on area location and climate. Businesses can turn to their HVAC contractor to decide if an ERV is appropriate. Heat-recovery technologies can include heat exchangers, recuperators, regenerators, passive air pre-heaters and waste heat boilers. 3. Advanced controls can reduce energy use by 40%. Ever feel cold when you’re in a big conference room or eating in the cafeteria with just a few other people? That may be because the ventilation system runs at maximum operating power, as if the room was filled. It’s a huge waste of energy. Solution: Installing advanced control sensors can improve a ventilation system’s operating power for energy efficiency. These controls can count the number of people in a room and then adjust the heat and air conditioning accordingly. When the sensors are integrated into a building’s HVAC system, the advanced controls can reduce energy use by almost 40%. For more ideas on how to save energy in your business, visit sdge.com/business.
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 Does your business need to upgrade its HVAC? SDG&E offers rebates on many types of energy-efficient equipment for businesses – which can help save energy and lower bills. Now, there are more ways you can save energy and earn rebates on your HVAC unit. Upgrading your HVAC components can help lower your monthly energy bill and save energy.
Newly added rebates include:
You can also visit sdge.com/BES to schedule a complimentary energy assessment to find out if your business qualifies for no- or low-cost energy efficiency upgrades.  If you own a small business and are finding it hard to keep up with your energy costs this summer, SDG&E has ways to help you save. It’s no surprise that summertime is often coupled with higher temperatures, which means running the AC for more hours than usual. What’s more, if businesses aren’t maintained and fit with energy-saving equipment, energy costs can continue to rise, affecting their bottom line. If you’d like to promote energy conservation at work and save on energy, here are some tips:
 As a valued member of our extended Mission Hospital family, I am pleased to share some exciting news. Over the past few weeks, despite the immense challenges associated with COVID-19, Mission Hospital has earned a multitude of distinctions. In July, Modern Healthcare selected Mission Hospital as one of the top 150 Best Places to Work in Health Care. Only 150 health care organizations across the country were honored with this distinction, and Mission is one of only two hospitals to be recognized in Orange County. The other hospital is St. Jude Regional Medical Center in Fullerton, also a member of Providence St. Joseph Health. Last week, for the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report recognized Mission for outstanding patient care. In the 2020-21 Best Hospital Rankings, U.S. News & World Report named Mission the No.1 hospital in South Orange County and No.15 in the state of California. Mission is one of the few community hospitals to receive statewide recognition and we are thrilled that the depth and range of our outstanding care has been publicly celebrated. And, just a few days ago, Mission Hospital received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, and also qualified for the following recognitions:
One of the reasons these recognitions are so meaningful is that they validate our ongoing commitment to high quality care, patient safety and experience, as well as physician and caregiver engagement. We know that when our physicians and caregivers are engaged and happy with the work they do, our patients feel it. When they feel disengaged and unsatisfied, our patients feel that too. We are proud of our unwavering focus to ensure our patients have exceptional experiences at Mission Hospital. We couldn’t have achieved these honors without the support of community leaders like you. We sincerely thank you for your ongoing partnership and collaboration. Warmly,  Seth Teigen, FACHE
Chief Executive, Mission Hospital  If you own a small business and are finding it hard to keep up with your energy costs this summer, SDG&E has ways to help you save. It’s no surprise that summertime is often coupled with higher temperatures, which means running the AC for more hours than usual. What’s more, if businesses aren’t maintained and fit with energy-saving equipment, energy costs can continue to rise, affecting their bottom line. If you’d like to promote energy conservation at work and save on energy, here are some tips:
Making these changes can make a big difference on your energy bill every month and ensure that you’re not only saving but also contributing to a cleaner environment. Visit sdge.com/EEBRcatalog for a list of our rebates. Free service, remote support and discounted laptops arm students for a successful new year of virtual learning
Contractors, trade professionals, business owners and employees can take SDG&E energy-related webinars at little or no cost. Topics include Codes & Standards, Zero Net Energy Design for Residential, HVAC, Title 24 Requirements and MORE! Check out the list of webinars and register at seminars.sdge.com.   All lanes of Oso Parkway now open, construction activities – including direct connection under the new bridge – continue until October 2020 IRVINE, Calif. (July 20, 2020) – All six lanes – three in each direction – of Oso Parkway at the 241 Toll Road are open to drivers, marking a significant construction milestone for the Oso Parkway Bridge Project. Sidewalks and dedicated bike lanes on both sides are also open. Crews constructed the Oso Parkway Bridge overcrossing one half at a time, while maintaining drive-through access for commuters and residents. Intermittent daytime lane closures may be necessary over the next few weeks to install traffic detection loops, create permanent striping and relocate traffic signals at each end of the project area. “With the state’s stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19, our construction crews continued to work diligently to minimize traffic impacts to the community and ensure all lanes on Oso Parkway were opened in a timely manner, providing an essential service for drivers in South Orange County,” said Dave Speirs, the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) Chief Engineer. “Once crews open the roadway under the newly constructed bridge, this direct connection between Los Patrones Parkway and State Route 241 will improve traffic flow, enhance safety and support regional mobility.” When complete, the Oso Parkway Bridge Project and new roadway will allow northbound Los Patrones Parkway drivers to directly access the 241 Toll Road instead of having to use an off-ramp, wait at a signalized intersection and, then, use an on-ramp to access the 241 Toll Road. The final project will improve traffic flow and enhance safety for drivers traveling to and from the 241 Toll Road and Rancho Mission Viejo and surrounding areas. It will also improve access, enhance traffic flow and safety and improve pedestrian access to and from Tesoro High School. “I am proud that TCA has continued its efforts to improve regional mobility by funding this project and partnering with the County of Orange to oversee its construction. The enhanced mobility in terms of driving, walking and biking, along with access to Tesoro High School, is a big win for the community,” said Christina Shea, Mayor of Irvine and Chairwoman of TCA’s Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. Project construction began in August 2018 and completion is expected in October 2020. Remaining construction activities include final preparations of on- and off-ramps, overhead signs, grading slopes, completing draining, relocating utilities and miscellaneous electrical work. Orange County Public Works, in partnership with Caltrans, is overseeing the construction contract led by Ortiz Enterprises. The nearly $40-million project is funded by TCA’s Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA). For more information on the project, visit OCPublicWorks.com/OsoBridge. For construction updates, follow The Toll Roads on Facebook and Twitter. The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are two joint powers authorities formed by the California legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct and operate Orange County’s public toll road system comprised of the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads. # # # Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett is partnering with Saddleback Church to host a South County Grocery Distribution event on Wednesday, July 29th, from 9am-11:30am, at the Outlets At San Clemente to help provide sustenance to residents experiencing food insecurity as a result of impacts from COVID-19. For more information, please visit: saddleback.com/getfood.   Now that summer is here, it’s a great time to make sure your building’s energy performance is in top shape. The actions below have the potential to help your business save energy, while maintaining or improving occupant comfort.
1. HVAC temperature setbacks. HVAC systems consume nearly 30% of a business’ electricity use. Adjusting temperature settings can provide substantial savings. A simple 1° to 2° Fahrenheit change in temperature will frequently go unnoticed by occupants but can amount to considerable savings. Remotely turn temperature settings up after business hours or on weekends when you install programmable thermostats. Right now, if you purchase up to 4 qualifying smart thermostats and enroll in SDG&E’s Smart Thermostat Program for Business, you can get up to $50 for every thermostat you register. SDG&E will can remotely adjust your thermostat(s) when an event day is called when demand for energy is high. Learn more at sdge.com/business-thermostat. 2. Daylighting controls. Daylighting control systems use sensors to adjust electric lighting levels in response to available daylight. These controls can reduce your lighting energy consumption by 20% to 80% and lower cooling costs. If you have areas where natural daylight is prevalent, consider installing such controls. Or, if you already have a daylighting control system, check it to make sure they are properly calibrated and working as expected. 3. Cool down at night. If your building has an automation system, consider cooling the building at night with outside air. This strategy lowers the temperature of the overall building, resulting in a smaller cooling load during the day. Studies have shown that this strategy can save between 5% and 20% of overall cooling energy, depending on the climate. It can also result in improved occupant comfort by improving air quality. 4. Clean the condenser coils. When the condenser coils in your air-conditioning equipment get dirty, their ability to effectively transfer heat decreases. Check your condenser coils for any natural or artificial debris that has accumulated to make sure they’re working as efficiently as possible. Thoroughly wash the coils twice a year for preventive maintenance. 5. Change the filters. Filters should be changed on a regular basis, especially during summer months, to make sure the air-conditioner fan isn’t using more energy than necessary and trying to push air through clogged filters. If your building is located next to a highway, construction site or other location where the air is dirtier than usual, consider changing filters several times each month. 6. Check the economizer. Many air-conditioning systems use an economizer that draws in cool outside air, when it is available, to reduce the need for air conditioning. However, if not regularly checked, the linkage that opens and shuts the economizer damper can seize up or break, potentially resulting in large energy waste. An economizer that is stuck in the fully open position can increase a building’s annual energy bill by as much as 50%. Get information on SDG&E energy-saving programs, tips and pricing plans at sdge.com/business-summer. |
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