172,700 kWh
$16,090
Energy Cost Savings:
$18,995*
Go to peco.com/Business and learn how you can make your business more energy efficient, while saving money.
A swath of energy efficiency upgrades helped building owners achieve modern‑day peak performance, with return on investment.
When its construction was completed in 1983, the Jefferson Center office tower in Center City, Philadelphia, was considered top of its class in comfort. In energy efficiency, not so much.
says Operations Manager Bob Iodice, an engineer and Certified Energy Manager for Kennedy Wilson Property Services, which oversees the Jefferson Center.
As a priority for the Jefferson Center today, the property management firm has been investing in the energy efficiency of the high-rise, checking off several boxes in the process. Tenants had their own sustainability goals, not to mention a need for modern comforts. Operational savings were also a key focus. Girard Estate Leasehold, the owner of the Jefferson Center, funds Girard College, a school for children from underserved communities with revenue generated by the Jefferson Center—so any additional savings from energy efficiency upgrades can directly benefit the community.
Finding Ways to Save on Energy Upgrades
By teaming up with PECO Ways to Save, the building’s owners significantly improved the building’s energy efficiency rating (all the way to an 87 out of 100) through three distinct projects:
- LED Lighting Upgrades
- Modernized HVAC Controls
- Heat Pump Water Heaters
These projects helped the owner save money on energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint. PECO Ways to Save incentives helped the upgrades get approved, and the projects have delivered a positive financial return on investment
Looking Toward the Future
The resounding success of energy efficiency upgrades has convinced the building’s owner—and its top-notch team of facility maintenance experts—to continue their investment. Next, they hope to replace the building’s original boilers for even greater savings.
They’re also staying ahead of compliance. Proactive energy efficiency improvements have given the building an ENERGY STAR® rating of 87 out of 100; future upgrades could boost that score to a 92. Though it’s been around for more than four decades, the building now achieves compliance as a certified High Performance Building with Philadelphia’s Building Energy Performance Program. says Iodice.
How Anyone Can Achieve Energy Savings
Kennedy Wilson’s three-pronged approach shows how smaller, incremental changes to energy efficiency can add up. Finding allies is important, too. “Find others that care about energy efficiency, and share your successes with them,” Iodice says. “It’s an easy way to find inspiration for your next project.”