Retrofitting a commercial warehouse has a number of benefits, including reducing the facility’s carbon footprint, increasing the property’s value and lowering the facility’s energy bills. But how can facilities “go green” with minimal investment?
Michael Koploy, manager of the Warehouse Management Systems Guide interviewed architect Sean Canning, supply chain consultant Shawn Casemore, energy consultancy president Dan Gould, and commercial roofing expert Dave Homerding to find just how this could be done. Here are their nine suggestions.
1. Use solar light tubes to increase natural lighting with minimal construction
2. Apply a “cool roof”, a white reflective coating on roofs to reduce heat absorption
3. Upgrade batt insulation to sprayed-foam or loose-fill insulation to increase thermal insulation
4. Replace metal halide lights with fluorescent, induction or LED lighting to cut back on energy costs
5. Shift lighting scheme to focus on natural light & task lighting to reduce usage
6. Program thermostats to minimize cooling and heating cycles
7. Deploy daylight and motion sensors to reduce light usage
8. Deploy destratification fans to circulate air and reduce energy usage for heating
9. Participate in a demand-response energy program to get paid to cut back on energy consumption
For more on these retrofits, check out: 9 Warehouse Retrofits to Go Green and Reduce Energy Consumption.
Photo: USACE Europe District
