Jeremy McDiarmid

When Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corp. was looking to upgrade its energy systems, it turned to green technologies to cut costs.

With clean energy upgrades to its hot water heating system, Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corp. expects to save 44 percent on its hot water costs in its 12,000-square-foot Columbia Road buildings. Coupled with other upgrades like energy-efficient lighting, the organization estimates it will save $20,000 in energy costs this year alone, while being able to track energy use and savings with the help of Boston-based Wegowise.

For commercial building operators, it’s a great time to be looking cut energy costs. But today that doesn’t require making a choice between saving money and going green. Energy efficiency and clean heating and cooling technology advancements are moving quickly and becoming mainstream.

At the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), we’re focused on bringing cost-saving and innovative, renewable technologies to large buildings. These technologies dramatically reduce heating and cooling energy use, which often represent 50 percent or more of a building’s energy costs.

Just a few short years ago, solar electricity was seen as too expensive to work in Massachusetts. But advances in technology, coupled with supportive policies, have led to a steep decline in prices, making solar electricity more affordable than ever. All across the commonwealth, we’re seeing businesses and commercial property owners install solar electric systems to save money on their monthly energy bills.

Clean heating and cooling technologies have been around for a while, but advances in recent years have made systems more affordable and more efficient. Today, these new technologies are bringing important new options to commercial property owners.

Unlike most solar panels you see, which produce electrical energy, clean heating and cooling technologies produce thermal energy for heating and cooling. Clean heating and cooling derives energy from sources such as the sun, wood or heat from the ground or air.

More Energy Options
So before we go any further, a primer on clean heating and cooling technologies.

Clean, efficient biomass boilers connect to a building’s central heating system, but instead of using a traditional fossil fuel energy source such as oil or natural gas, they burn wood or wood pellets to produce heat. That heat is then circulated through the building, and has proven to be an effective heating source in large buildings like schools or commercial and government buildings.

Solar hot water panels look similar to solar electric panels, but generate hot water instead. Unlike traditional solar panel systems, solar hot water panels can work well in shady areas too. The panels connect to a building’s water heater or heating system and are ideal for buildings that use a lot of water, such as apartment buildings, hotels and Laundromats.

Geothermal technologies source heat by drilling into the ground to use the nearly constant temperature of the earth to heat and cool a building.

The beauty of these technologies is that they can be easy retrofits for existing systems or can be part of a new construction project.

As these nascent markets grow, we at MassCEC are bullish about the positive impact these clean heating and cooling technologies will have on the bottom lines of commercial entities across the state but also on our economy. Nearly 100,000 people work in the $10 billion Massachusetts clean energy sector, a field that includes those working in energy efficiency and solar technology fields.

There have never been more clean energy options available to heat, cool and power commercial buildings in Massachusetts. Together, we can help cut monthly energy bills and boost our local economy.

Jeremy McDiarmid is senior director of innovation and industry support for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.