{"id":1004370083,"date":"2019-11-21T09:52:24","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T17:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/?p=1004370083"},"modified":"2019-11-21T09:52:24","modified_gmt":"2019-11-21T17:52:24","slug":"are-utilities-ready-for-smart-buildings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/are-utilities-ready-for-smart-buildings\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Utilities Ready for Smart Buildings?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image courtesy of San Diego Gas & Electric<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

One of today\u2019s highly promising innovations in energy operations is grid-interactive efficient buildings. Referred to as GEBs, these structures are connected to the grid<\/a> and draw on distributed energy sources. Among other benefits, GEBs offer hold the potential to lower property operations costs.<\/p>\n

But are utilities keeping up? A new study from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy tackles that question.<\/p>\n

Deep Roots<\/h2>\n

The roots of today\u2019s GEBs go back to the 1970s, said Dan York, an ACEEE senior fellow and co-author of the report along with Chris Perry, research manager for  the organization’s buildings program and Hannah Bastian, an ACEEE researcher. A utility needing to shed load could send a remote signal to cycle off a building\u2019s air conditioning equipment, he said. \u201cIn exchange for cycling it off, the customer would get a bill credit, but the interruption would be so small the customer wouldn\u2019t notice,<\/em>\u201d York noted.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s smart technologies take this concept considerably further. Solar energy, electric vehicles and battery storage combine to create a far more dynamic connection with utilities, at a time when power providers are seeking more flexible loads.<\/p>\n