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Ask Grant Grable about the 3-30-300 rule, and he'll share some helpful insight about ways businesses can optimize their building operation costs.
Much of it focuses on passive solar such as daylighting — the use of windows and skylights to bring sunlight into classrooms, offices, retail and warehousing applications.
What percentage increase in productivity would you say would need to be achieved by all the individuals in a building in order to pay for ALL The energy used by that building?
5%? 20%?
Would you believe it if I told you only 1%? Yes, a mere 1% increase in productivity.
Curious about how the math works?
Well, in a recent conversation with Grant, we dig into how Daylighting can actually bring just as much ROI to your business as the other way we capture the sun!
Grant Grable is the Vice President of Operations and Business Development for Sunoptics, and a true daylighting OG. He helped bring SunOptics to market, and was instrumental in helping Sunoptics become the leader in prismatic skylights and daylighting.
It should be noted that since we recorded with Grant, AES Industries actually acquired Sunoptics from Acuity Brands. But in this episode, Grant refers to Acuity Brands as the parent company.
Grant maintains that active solar power, which is about energy generation, and passive solar, which leads to reduced consumption, can co-exist in commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses.
The key is to combine skylights and solar arrays instead of looking at them as an either/or proposition. He said that using both benefits the building owner or operator in multiple ways.
So how does that affect the 3-30-300 rule?
The 3-30-300 rule means C&I buildings, on average, spend about $3 per square foot for energy use, $30 per square foot for their rent or mortgage and approximately $300 per square foot for the human capital or the people that inhabit that building.
NEMA, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, found facility managers typically focus on the 3 and 30 portion — utilities and rent — as the areas where they can make the most substantial impact. However, when engaging in conversations with executives, NEMA said it's vital to highlight energy efficiency measures that improve how employees work and affect the 300.
"Businesses that focus on productivity-based energy efficiency measures have a unique competitive advantage," Grant said. Daylighting has the potential to provide significant cost savings, he added.
Grant is a LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — Accredited Professional with extensive experience in the green building industry and optimizing how buildings work. I hope you'll join us for today's podcast if you want to learn more about energy efficiency and building envelope management.
Grant deeply understands how integrated skylight solutions can aid productivity, noting that they provide the ultimate human-performance, net-zero lighting with all-day exposure to sunlight.
Grant is a superstar in daylighting and has experience with passive solar lighting, high-performance ambient daylighting and high-efficiency prismatic skylights for efficient energy solutions.
"We only need a small percentage of that roof to daylight a space properly for as many hours per day as your primary illumination source," he said. It's a great thing that enhances productivity while enabling the building owner to turn off the lights for seven to 10 hours daily.
NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:
“And there’s so many reports that are out there in publication that really kind of show that if you take a student, and you place them in a daylit space versus a non daylit space, on average, they can be as much as 20% better in math, 26% better in reading, have less absenteeism.”
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ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 16-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.