flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings

Office Buildings

Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings

The document explains storage technologies already in market and those under development.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | September 6, 2024
Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

A U.S. Dept. of Energy document discusses the benefits and challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings.

The document explains how the various types of thermal energy storage technologies work, where their installation is most beneficial, and some practical considerations around installations. Among the benefits are:

  • Can integrate with on-site renewable energy 
  • Can function as a buffer for variable energy generation 
  • Allows for optimal use of renewable energy 
  • Adds resiliency for temperature control and occupant comfort 
  • Allows for integration with other distributed energy resources

Technologies currently available include:

  • Ice storage with central chiller 
  • Ice storage in rooftop unit (RTU) 
  • Chilled or hot water storage 
  • Ceramic brick heating storage system 
  • Phase change storage for commercial refrigeration systems 
  • PCM ceiling panels/passive storage 
  • Heat pump water heater (HPWH)

The document also discusses tax incentives for implementation of this technology.

Related Stories

Sustainable Design and Construction | Oct 10, 2024

Northglenn, a Denver suburb, opens a net zero, all-electric city hall with a mass timber structure

Northglenn, Colo., a Denver suburb, has opened the new Northglenn City Hall—a net zero, fully electric building with a mass timber structure. The 32,600-sf, $33.7 million building houses 60 city staffers. Designed by Anderson Mason Dale Architects, Northglenn City Hall is set to become the first municipal building in Colorado, and one of the first in the country, to achieve the Core certification: a green building rating system overseen by the International Living Future Institute.

MFPRO+ News | Oct 9, 2024

San Francisco unveils guidelines to streamline office-to-residential conversions

The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection announced a series of new building code guidelines clarifying adaptive reuse code provisions and exceptions for converting office-to-residential buildings. Developed in response to the Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse program established in July 2023, the guidelines aim to increase the viability of converting underutilized office buildings into housing by reducing regulatory barriers in specific zoning districts downtown. 

The Changing Built Environment | Sep 23, 2024

Half-century real estate data shows top cities for multifamily housing, self-storage, and more

Research platform StorageCafe has conducted an analysis of U.S. real estate activity from 1980 to 2023, focusing on six major sectors: single-family, multifamily, industrial, office, retail, and self-storage.

Government Buildings | Sep 17, 2024

OSHA’s proposed heat standard published in Federal Register

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a proposed standard addressing heat illness in outdoor and indoor settings in the Federal Register. The proposed rule would require employers to evaluate workplaces and implement controls to mitigate exposure to heat through engineering and administrative controls, training, effective communication, and other measures.

Mass Timber | Sep 17, 2024

Marina del Rey mixed-use development is L.A.’s largest mass timber project

An office-retail project in Marina del Rey is Los Angeles’ largest mass timber project to date. Encompassing about 3 acres, the 42XX campus consists of three low-rise buildings that seamlessly connect with exterior walkways and stairways. The development provides 151,000 sf of office space and 1,500 sf of retail space.

Office Buildings | Sep 16, 2024

Maximizing office square footage through ‘agile planning’

Lauren Elliott, RID, NCIDQ, Director of Interior Design, Design Collaborative, shares tips for a designing with a popular and flexible workspace model: Agile planning.

Adaptive Reuse | Sep 12, 2024

White paper on office-to-residential conversions released by IAPMO

IAPMO has published a new white paper titled “Adaptive Reuse: Converting Offices to Multi-Residential Family,” a comprehensive analysis of addressing housing shortages through the conversion of office spaces into residential units.

Office Buildings | Sep 5, 2024

Office space downsizing trend appears to be past peak

The office downsizing trend may be past its peak, according to a CBRE survey of 225 companies with offices in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Just 37% of companies plan to shrink their office space this year compared to 57% last year, the survey found.

Codes and Standards | Sep 3, 2024

Atlanta aims to crack down on blighted properties with new tax

A new Atlanta law is intended to crack down on absentee landlords including commercial property owners and clean up neglected properties. The “Blight Tax” allows city officials to put levies on blighted property owners up to 25 times higher than current millage rates.

Resiliency | Sep 3, 2024

Phius introduces retrofit standard for more resilient buildings

Phius recently released, REVIVE 2024, a retrofit standard for more resilient buildings. The standard focuses on resilience against grid outages by ensuring structures remain habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Sustainable Design and Construction

Northglenn, a Denver suburb, opens a net zero, all-electric city hall with a mass timber structure

Northglenn, Colo., a Denver suburb, has opened the new Northglenn City Hall—a net zero, fully electric building with a mass timber structure. The 32,600-sf, $33.7 million building houses 60 city staffers. Designed by Anderson Mason Dale Architects, Northglenn City Hall is set to become the first municipal building in Colorado, and one of the first in the country, to achieve the Core certification: a green building rating system overseen by the International Living Future Institute.


MFPRO+ News

San Francisco unveils guidelines to streamline office-to-residential conversions

The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection announced a series of new building code guidelines clarifying adaptive reuse code provisions and exceptions for converting office-to-residential buildings. Developed in response to the Commercial to Residential Adaptive Reuse program established in July 2023, the guidelines aim to increase the viability of converting underutilized office buildings into housing by reducing regulatory barriers in specific zoning districts downtown. 



Government Buildings

OSHA’s proposed heat standard published in Federal Register

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a proposed standard addressing heat illness in outdoor and indoor settings in the Federal Register. The proposed rule would require employers to evaluate workplaces and implement controls to mitigate exposure to heat through engineering and administrative controls, training, effective communication, and other measures.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021