New White Paper: Managing Plug Load is the Next Challenge for Energy Efficient Buildings

Take a quick look at a typical office and you see machines like computers and copiers that are essential to operating a business. Then look at individual work spaces and note the task lights, cell phone chargers, and portable electric heaters under the desk. What these and many other everyday items have in common is that they plug directly into the building's electrical system. They constitute a building's plug load. The actual plug load of a building depends on numerous factors and no two buildings are exactly alike. Estimates of the contribution of plug load to overall building energy usage vary widely. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that plug load represents 26% of energy use in commercial offices. As building managers become more adept at reducing the energy required for HVAC and lighting, the need to control plug load becomes greater. Access the white paper here.