Renewable energy is a wonderful asset in today’s commercial industry, which can unfortunately be guilty of over-consumption and wastefulness. Renewable energy is an innovative method of producing energy without burning fossil fuels whose emissions pollute the environment. Basically, it is energy provided by a resource that replenishes itself naturally within a human time-scale. There are several types of renewable energy, including plants, wind, rain, sun, tides, and more. But when it comes to today’s advanced uses of renewable energy for a commercial building, four in particular take the lead. These are solar, geothermal, wind power, and hydroelectric renewable energy sources.
Continue reading to learn about these categories of renewable energy and how they can be incorporated into your commercial building or business.
➀ Solar Power
There are several ways to apply renewable solar power in the commercial real estate industry. For instance, water heaters now come with solar-powered models. These units use the sun’s energy to heat water in a storage tank, allowing the unit to deliver heated water on demand. Additionally, solar roof panels are a common renewable energy asset for commercial proprietors. When exposed to sunlight, solar paneling uses the photovoltaic effect (solar cells converting sunlight into energy) to produce electricity for a building. A few years ago, it was a larger initial investment that paid off over time, but nowadays, the price for solar paneling has dropped substantially, so it is now more affordable than ever.
➁ Wind Power
Our atmosphere is powerfully swirling and churning above us without fail, so it is no surprise that we have taken an interest in learning how to harness that energy for ourselves! Wind power is extraordinary because it carries an abundant amount of force, force that can be used to power our commercial properties and office buildings. The instrument used to harness the wind is called a wind turbine. Wind turbines and are usually white, and stand tall with large defined blades. They generate power as their swift blades turn in the wind. The spinning blades send force to a generator, which then produces electricity for a building.
➂ Hydro-Electric Power
Hydroelectric power works in a very similar way to wind power, minus the wind. Instead, it uses the force of moving water to produce and harness energy. In order to utilize hydroelectric power, you must have access to a flowing water source. Ideally this would be a dam or river, but can also come in other forms. You must also have permission from local authorities to install hydro-electric renewable energy operations, like a micro-hydropower system.
➃ Geothermal Power
Although an uncommon source of renewable energy, geothermal power can still be harness and used to produce energy for a commercial building. It uses the internal heat of the ground below, which interestingly remains at a steady 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit all year long. A geothermal heat pump is the apparatus used to harness internal ground heat as a means to heat and cool a property. It circulates fluid in a loop-like fashion, through a system of underground pipes, then to the building’s heat exchanger where the heat is removed from the fluid and used to heat (or cool) the inside. This process is simply reversed for cooling purposes.
✨ Interested in learning how to incorporate renewable energy applications into your commercial building or business? Talk to a local commercial construction manager about the best options for your energy efficiency and cost-saving objectives.
Where to Get Expert Commercial Construction Management in Indiana
Contact BAF Corporation at 317-253-0531 for trusted commercial construction management services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our commercial general contracting team provides commercial construction services from the ground, up. We offer everything from space planning and design, to preconstruction, design build (DB), facility maintenance, and more. If you are interested in learning more about renewable energy applications for your business, we’ll be happy to schedule a consultation to review all your options. We serve all corporate, commercial, and industrial industries in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding districts. Call today to request free information or to schedule a consultation.
