Buildings—with a carbon footprint even greater than that of the transportation sector—account for a significant portion of the total energy consumption in the United States. The American Architecture 20301 standard recently issued a challenge for all existing buildings to cut energy use by 50% compared with 2005 levels, and for all new buildings to be completely carbon neutral by 2030. In other words, they should supply most of their energy needs using renewable sources.
Many large- and medium-sized cities already require commercial building owners to disclose actual green building performance2 to tenants, buyers, and, in some cases, the public. By utilizing modern control and automation techniques, smart buildings can have significant energy savings, protect the environment, improve the health and safety of their occupants, and enhance quality of life.