GreenSuite

Buildings Worse Than Cars, but Cheaper to Employ Measures to Cut Co2 Emissions

A recent report (below) put out by the tri-national (US, Canada and Mexico) Commission for Environmental Cooperation has determined that building greener buildings would do more for the environment than any other single measure (including transportation!).  -JW

Promote Green Buildings for Biggest, Easiest Cuts in North American CO2 Emissions, says new CEC report

Buildings responsible for over one-third of continent’s CO2 emissions;Report prescribes policies to slash buildings’ energy use

Vancouver, 13/03/2008 – Promoting the green design, construction, renovation and operation of buildings could cut North American greenhouse gas emissions that are fuelling climate change more deeply, quickly and cheaply than any other available measure, according to a new report issued by the trinational Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). North America’s buildings cause the annual release of more than 2,200 megatons of CO2 into the atmosphere, about 35 percent of the continent’s total. The report says rapid market uptake of currently available and emerging advanced energy-saving technologies could result in over 1,700 fewer megatons of CO2 emissions in 2030, compared to projected emissions that year following a business-as-usual approach. A cut of that size would nearly equal the CO2 emitted by the entire US transportation sector in 2000. It is common now for more advanced green buildings to routinely reduce energy usage by 30, 40, or even 50 percent over conventional buildings, with the most efficient buildings now performing more than 70 percent better than conventional properties, according to the report. Despite proven environmental, economic and health benefits, however, green building today accounts for a only small fraction of new home and commercial building construction—just two percent of the new non-residential building market, less than half of one percent of the residential market in the United States and Canada, and less than that in Mexico. The report, Green Building in North America: Opportunities and Challenges, is the result of a two-year study by the CEC Secretariat. It was prepared with advice from an international advisory group of prominent developers and architects, sustainability and energy experts, real estate appraisers and brokers, together with local and national government representatives. “Improving our built environment is probably the single greatest opportunity to protect and enhance the natural environment. This report is a blueprint for dramatic environmental progress throughout North America—mostly using the tools and technology we have on hand today,” says CEC Executive Director Adrián Vázquez. “Green building represents some of the ripest ‘low-hanging fruit’ for achieving significant reductions in climate change emissions.” Even with rapid growth projected in the green building market across all three countries, the report says public and private sectors must embrace substantial changes to the planning, development and financing of commercial and residential buildings to overcome what it says are significant barriers to the widespread adoption of high-performance buildings throughout North America. Jonathan Westeinde, managing partner of The Windmill Development Group in Ottawa and the CEC’s advisory group chair, states “As a developer, I rely on the fact that green building is a proven concept—with construction costs and market benefits that are rapidly improving. This report shows what is needed to scale up and put green building at the heart of a healthy, energy-secure North America.” The report highlights the importance of green building in urban development. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, whose city hosted a CEC symposium on green building in May 2007, states, “Green building is a cornerstone for creating strong, sustainable communities. In Seattle, we are convinced that cities that make the commitment and investment in green development now will have a significant advantage in the long run.” Report authors describe a number of disincentives to green building to be overcome. For example, how to encourage developers to incur the marginal cost of green building features when the long-term energy-saving benefits will be passed on to the new owners or tenants. They recommend ways to accelerate the market uptake of green building and make it the standard practice for all new construction and renovation of existing buildings in North America. Among its recommendations, the report calls upon North American government, industry and nongovernmental leaders to: Create national, multi-stakeholder task forces charged with achieving a vision for green building in North America; Support the creation of a North American set of principles and planning tools for green building; Set clear targets to achieve the most rapid possible adoption of green building in North America, including aggressive targets for carbon-neutral or net zero-energy buildings, together with performance monitoring to track progress towards these targets; Enhance ongoing or new support for green building, including efforts to promote private sector investment and proper valuation methods; and Increase knowledge of green building through research and development, capacity building, and the use of labels and disclosures on green building performance. The recommendations complement ongoing efforts by federal, state/provincial and local governments as well as industry and trade associations and nongovernmental organizations. The CEC study notes several government and industry initiatives that promote aggressive energy performance improvements in the building sector. One study completed for the report signals the potential of green building to yield tremendous energy improvements and greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the building sector by 2030, and suggests a path toward zero net-energy and carbon-neutral buildings. The report was produced by the Secretariat of the CEC, prepared under Article 13 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) and is not intended to reflect the views of the Parties to that agreement. Information for the report came from background reports prepared by independent experts and from two public meetings. The report and associated background reports, along with a portfolio of selected green buildings in Canada, Mexico and the United States, will be available to the public on 13 March 2008, at <www.cec.org/greenbuilding/>. The CEC was established by Canada, Mexico and the United States to build cooperation among the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners in implementing NAAEC, the environmental side accord to NAFTA. The CEC addresses environmental issues of continental concern, with particular attention to the environmental challenges and opportunities presented by continent-wide free trade.

Wilhelm featured in Business Times - Brokers Go Green Article

Friday, February 1, 2008

Brokers go green: Credential may help leasing pros clean up

San Francisco

Business Times - by J.K. Dineen

Architects and construction managers racing to bolster their green building credentials with LEED accreditation have some new company: commercial real estate brokers.

With tenants placing an increasing premium on eco-friendly space,

San Francisco

brokers are increasingly seeking the blessing of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Three city brokers thus far have passed the LEED exam and become LEED APs -- accredited professionals -- and are hoping to put their new expertise to work guiding tenants toward green work environments.

The first LEED AP broker in

San Francisco

was Studley's Julia Wilhelm, who received accreditation in September. In the past few weeks, NAI BT Commercial's David Klein and Jones Lang LaSalle's Tom Poser have also passed the rigorous 80-question LEED test, which takes several months to study for. The Washington, D.C.-based LEED doesn't have a separate category for LEED-AP brokers, who fall into a broader "real estate" category. Nationwide, 83 LEED-APs fall into the "real estate" category. In total, the number of LEED-APs has skyrocketed from 2,443 in 2002 to 45,162 this year.

Wilhelm said she was inspired to get accredited while working with the client New Resource Bank, which provides financing for sustainable businesses and green construction projects. Wilhelm said brokers are often at ground zero for a new space search, and good advice early on could make the difference for tenants seeking LEED-certified workspaces.

"By not properly preparing for a sustainable project in the initial planning and financial modeling, a tenant risks time, additional costs and the feasibility of a LEED certification entirely," she said.

Wilhelm's LEED-AP designation has already paid off. Shortly after she passed the test, Wilhelm was hired by the Nature Conservancy, which was looking to expand its

San Francisco

office from 15,000 to 20,000 square feet. Nora Seaborn, director of statewide operations for the Nature Conservancy, said it switched to Wilhelm after working with another broker who was not as familiar with green building practices.

"We just really appreciate her knowledge and commitment to green building," Seaborn said.

The different levels of LEED designation for interior spaces -- ranging from basic LEED to platinum LEED -- are earned through an elaborate point system. Points can be earned for being located near public transportation or offering bike storage. An abundance of natural daylight or super energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems can also generate points.

Tenants get points for using rapidly renewable woods or low-emitting paints, carpeting, composite woods or furniture. Tenants can also earn credits by negotiating to have sub-metering equipment that measures and records energy use within their individual space.

Seaborn said Wilhelm "saves me from having an architect with me throughout the process.

"She walks into a space and says we would have to take out that conference room to open up the interiors and get the light in," Seaborn said.

Seaborn said the Studley broker would advise them on its ultimate goal of making all of its eight

California

offices LEED-certified interiors. Eventually, the nonprofit is looking to own or develop two super-green buildings, one in

Sacramento

and one in

San Francisco

.

"Our company is known for conservation work around the globe, but we haven't done a good job internally, at least in

California

," she said.

Poser, who focuses on SoMa tech companies, said the trend toward LEED certification is particularly pronounced among young creative start-ups.

"In the tech world there is a lot of pressure to be green. It's like if you are not doing it, why not? It's full-blown," he said. "These people want to work with brokers who understand their concerns. You can't just pretend -- you better be completely informed."

jkdineen@bizjournals.com / (415) 288-4971

American Bar Association & EPA Law Office Climate Challenge

This is a "get started" type of program, designed for law firms (perhaps because of their average use of 100,000 sheets of paper per attorney per year!), though applicable for any company wanting to make more eco-conscious office purchasing and utilization decisions.  Below is an overview of the program, while more specific information on participation and guidelines can be found here.  http://www.abanet.org/environ/climatechallenge/overview.shtml 

Thank you to the ABA for taking a leadership role in guiding American Law firms to be better eco-citizens!-JW

The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to present the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge (Climate Challenge). The Climate Challenge is designed to encourage law offices to take specific steps to conserve energy and resources, as well as reduce emissions of greenhouse gases - which cause global climate change - and other pollutants. The ABA Law Practice Management Section (LPM) is co-sponsoring this initiative.

Law offices may meet the Climate Challenge by participating in one or more of three EPA partnership (i.e., voluntary) programs, or by simply undertaking certain office management "best practices:"

1) Adopt "best practices" for office paper management by reducing paper usage, increasing recycled content, or increasing recycling. Alternatively, implement these actions by participating in EPA's WasteWise program, which encourages organizations to save energy by reducing waste

2) Participate in EPA's Green Power Partnership (Green Power) program by purchasing energy from renewable sources to cover at least a portion of electricity usage

3) Participate in EPA's ENERGY STAR program, which encourages law offices to reduce energy use by at least 10% through, among other things, the purchase of ENERGY STAR-designated equipment and implementation of better energy management practices. This program has features that recognize the issues associated with tenant law offices

Application procedures are streamlined for participation in these EPA programs and for participation in the Law Office Climate Challenge. Participating law offices will receive recognition from EPA, in accordance with those programs' requirements. In addition, participating law offices will receive recognition from the ABA. Specifically, a law office that meets the minimum requirements for participation in at least one of the EPA programs, or simply adopts best practices for office paper management, qualifies for recognition as a Law Office Climate Challenge Partner. A law office that achieves a higher level of participation in at least one of the EPA programs qualifies as a Law Office Climate Challenge Leader. Qualifying law offices will be recognized, and, for those that participate in EPA programs, the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions avoided by their actions will be posted on the ABA's Law Office Climate Challenge Website.

The Climate Challenge is a two-year pilot project initiated in March 2007.

Q&A: Studley's Wilhelm on the Benefits of Going Green

From today's Commercial Property News:                                                        

Q&A: Studley's Wilhelm on the Benefits of Going Green

Oct 4, 2007

Julia Wilhelm, associate director in Studley’s San Francisco office, was recently awarded LEED accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. CPN Executive Editor Russ Colchamiro spoke with Wilhelm (pictured) about being one of the first brokers nationwide with the designation, and what changes she would like to see industry-wide in regard to green building and sustainable development.

CPN: What is the significance of the LEED accreditation?

Wilhelm: It signifies that I have a thorough understanding of the LEED system, (which) really covers all sorts of options ... for companies who want to make their space (healthier) for their employees and be more ecologically friendly. Even if a company doesn’t want LEED certification, there are still a lot of things they can do in terms of improving their space.

CPN: What does it mean to you to be one of the first brokers certified with LEED accreditation?

Wilhelm: I am the only real estate professional in San Francisco with the designation, and there are only 10 in the state ... I believe only four are brokers. There are only about 60 real estate professionals in the country with the designation.

I truly care about the idea of helping companies make their workspace healthier for their employees. It’s shocking to me just how big of an impact office buildings have on resource use and waste output, and how much it does impact workers’ health, as well as the environmental impact.

CPN: What do you expect to see over the next year in regard to other brokers becoming certified?

Wilhelm: There definitely will be more brokers who do it, driven, I would imagine, by client demand. A lot of big companies ... have created sustainability departments that influence real estate decisions, and they’ll want to work with brokers who understand this as well.

CPN: On a practical level, how does the accreditation help you serve your clients?

Wilhelm: On a basic level, just in educating clients. Many companies hear about going green, but don’t know a lot about it, or why they should do it. And if they want to go forward, they don’t know how to do it. I’ve outlined certain benefits and the return on investment of those benefits for clients who don’t understand (them).

In terms of (implementation), it would be everything from outlining goals, to modeling likely costs based on those goals, getting LEED certification, remodeling existing space or finding new space.

The reality is that you can probably get LEED certification in almost any space, but it may cost you more time--and almost certainly more money--if you don’t have a knowledgeable broker involved from the beginning. Most brokers, up until this point, have left the LEED certification up to the architects. But if you use LEED certification as your guide in site selection from the beginning, the chances of it costing more and taking more time are reduced because you have found a space that is more appropriate for your client’s needs and goals.

And there are a lot of things you can ask the landlord to do (in regard to greening the space), but if you wait until after the lease is signed, in many cases it’s too late.

CPN: What are the toughest challenges you face in regard to the green building initiatives? What type of changes would you like to see industry-wide?

Wilhelm: No. 1, a lack of education among real estate decision-makers throughout the industry, and equally on that level, the perception that LEED certification means added time and added cost for a process that is already seen as burdensome and bothersome. ... I would love to see a transformation in (this) perception ... into being an opportunity to enhance recruiting, boost productivity, employee satisfaction and just make a positive statement.

Oct 4, 2007

Julia Wilhelm, associate director in Studley’s San Francisco office, was recently awarded LEED accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. CPN Executive Editor Russ Colchamiro spoke with Wilhelm (pictured) about being one of the first brokers nationwide with the designation, and what changes she would like to see industry-wide in regard to green building and sustainable development.

CPN: What is the significance of the LEED accreditation?

Wilhelm: It signifies that I have a thorough understanding of the LEED system, (which) really covers all sorts of options ... for companies who want to make their space (healthier) for their employees and be more ecologically friendly. Even if a company doesn’t want LEED certification, there are still a lot of things they can do in terms of improving their space.

CPN: What does it mean to you to be one of the first brokers certified with LEED accreditation?

Wilhelm: I am the only real estate professional in San Francisco with the designation, and there are only 10 in the state ... I believe only four are brokers. There are only about 60 real estate professionals in the country with the designation.

I truly care about the idea of helping companies make their workspace healthier for their employees. It’s shocking to me just how big of an impact office buildings have on resource use and waste output, and how much it does impact workers’ health, as well as the environmental impact.

CPN: What do you expect to see over the next year in regard to other brokers becoming certified?

Wilhelm: There definitely will be more brokers who do it, driven, I would imagine, by client demand. A lot of big companies ... have created sustainability departments that influence real estate decisions, and they’ll want to work with brokers who understand this as well.

CPN: On a practical level, how does the accreditation help you serve your clients?

Wilhelm: On a basic level, just in educating clients. Many companies hear about going green, but don’t know a lot about it, or why they should do it. And if they want to go forward, they don’t know how to do it. I’ve outlined certain benefits and the return on investment of those benefits for clients who don’t understand (them).

In terms of (implementation), it would be everything from outlining goals, to modeling likely costs based on those goals, getting LEED certification, remodeling existing space or finding new space.

The reality is that you can probably get LEED certification in almost any space, but it may cost you more time--and almost certainly more money--if you don’t have a knowledgeable broker involved from the beginning. Most brokers, up until this point, have left the LEED certification up to the architects. But if you use LEED certification as your guide in site selection from the beginning, the chances of it costing more and taking more time are reduced because you have found a space that is more appropriate for your client’s needs and goals.

And there are a lot of things you can ask the landlord to do (in regard to greening the space), but if you wait until after the lease is signed, in many cases it’s too late.

CPN: What are the toughest challenges you face in regard to the green building initiatives? What type of changes would you like to see industry-wide?

Wilhelm: No. 1, a lack of education among real estate decision-makers throughout the industry, and equally on that level, the perception that LEED certification means added time and added cost for a process that is already seen as burdensome and bothersome. ... I would love to see a transformation in (this) perception ... into being an opportunity to enhance recruiting, boost productivity, employee satisfaction and just make a positive statement.

San Francisco #2 on Sustainlane US City Rankings

San Francisco came in #2 after Portland, but before #3 Seattle, #4 Chicago and #5 Oakland.  For the complete list click here: http://www.sustainlane.com/us-city-rankings/ -JW

San Francisco: Still a Shining Example

Long admired for its innovative sustainability efforts, San Francisco has had particular success in the development of solar energy, recycling and large-scale composting, integrated pest management, bike transportation, green buildings, and local food systems.

Now that the city's sustainability plan is almost a decade old, new challenges are evident. Housing affordability (#49 out of the 50 cities) has become the most pressing issue. Since the dot-com boom drove up prices during the late 1990s, many lower-income and middle-class residents have been priced out of the housing market, and prices have not yet stabilized. Many Bay Area workers are forced by high home prices and rents to drive in from locations as far-flung as the Sierra Nevada foothills, three hours away.

The city's strong public transportation system has been slowly losing ridership. Traffic is getting bad again, with congestion ranking #47 on a metro area basis. Finally, San Francisco's earthquake risk poses a threat to the city's transportation system as well as its power and water supplies.

Despite such challenges, San Francisco remains a standard-bearer for turning ambitious sustainability plans into reality.

Determine Your Company's Potential for More Sustainable Technology Utilization Here

Federal Electronics Challenge: Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator
Source: The University of Tennessee, with support from Abt Associates and Dillon Environmental Associates under agreement with the EPA.

This complex calculator, developed by the University of Tennessee, Abt Associates and Dillon Environmental Associates, assists organizations in estimating the environmental benefits of greening their purchase, use and disposal of electronics.

Users can input their organization's data to determine savings in energy use; changes in recycled materials use; potential savings in CO2 and reduction greenhouse gas emissions; savings in air and water emissions; reduction in toxic materials use; savings in municipal solid waste generation and hazardous waste generation; and savings in cost.

    Download Now (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

LEED Point Break Down

Below is a breakdown of the various compontents of the LEED point system and the credits awarded for each.  LEED NC is for New Construction and CI is for Commercial Interiors.-JW

LEED credit categories and point system

                                                 LEED-NC        LEED-CI

sustainable sites SS	14pts	7pts
water efficiency WE	5pts	2pts
energy & atmosphere EA	17pts	12pts
materials & resources MR	13pts	14pts
indoor environmental quality EQ	15pts	17pts
innovation & design process ID	5pts	5pts
total	69pts	57pts

LEED certification levels

LEED-NC

certified 26-32pts

silver 33-38pts

gold 39-51pts

platinum 52+pts

LEED-CI

certified 21-26pts

silver 27-31pts

gold 32-41pts

platinum 42+pts

Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes

I just discovered the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes--which apparently has been around since 1999.  I am researching the holdings of the index but believe it is comprise of European companies for now. -JW

Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are the first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. Based on the cooperation of Dow Jones Indexes, STOXX Limited and SAM they provide asset managers with reliable and objective benchmarks to manage sustainability portfolios.

Currently 60 DJSI licenses are held by asset managers in 14 countries to manage a variety of financial products including active and passive funds, certificates and segregated accounts. In total, these licensees presently manage over 5 billion USD based on the DJSI.

	QUICK LINKS
	DJSI World Members
	DJSI STOXX Members
	DJSI Licensees
	Press Releases
	DJSI Monthly Update
	Index Factsheets
	DJSI Timeline 2007
	DJSI NEWS
	Banca IMI licenses Dow Jones EURO STOXX Sustainability 40 Index
	SAM Group announces results of DJSI Review 2006
	First ETF to track the Dow Jones EURO STOXX Sustainability 40 Index
	STOXX Limited and SAM Group launch European Blue Chip Sustainability Indexes

Fantastic Recycling Resource for Businesses (and more)

I am really excited about iReuse and their services for tenants who are relocating, remodeling their space or replacing furniture, fixtures and equipment.  See the description below of their services for businesses.-JW

For more visit www.ireuse.com

About iReuse for Businesses

iReuse Saves You Money

iReuse is often able to reuse more than 80% of business-related materials, significantly reducing expensive moving, hauling, and dumping Every time We Reuse, You Save! iReuse will provide you with complete reporting and tax receipts for all donations.  Your sustainability efforts will be properly recognized, if you wish,   to ensure that the public and your employees are aware of your efforts.

iReuse Saves You Time

All you need to do is identify what items need to be removed and we take care of everything else! iReuse manages: Resale Donation Reuse Recycling Disposal (only as a last resort) ...saving time, money, and the environment.

iReuse helps the Environment & Community

Reuse benefits the environment by decreasing: Waste Greenhouse gas emissions Demand for natural resources required to produce new products Need for energy-intensive recycling and disposal iReuse has already facilitated the reuse of over 230 tons of material and we are just getting started!  Reuse helps the community by: Getting reusable items placed where they can be most beneficial Supporting sustainable communities and collaborations Reducing the financial burden on nonprofits and schools iReuse has already helped over 230 non-profits get almost $800,000 worth of the in-kind donations they need to better serve the community. Click to see a list of some of the nonprofits we have helped Request More Information

100 Tons of material donated and sold to date by iReuse Business.

$500,000 saved by iReuse Business clients.

"Due to our remodel, some of the old furniture and fixtures were not going to fit with the new design. We hated the idea of throwing perfectly good items in the trash so the iReuse service was the perfect solution."

-Mark McCullum
General Manager, Toyota of Marin

Sustainable Defined

From nutralexistence.com I thought this short piece does a good job of defining some of the key terms involved with sustainability. -JW

To be an environmentalist, it all starts with educating yourself on the ideas and techniques associated with carbon neutrality, green building  and sustainability. You will soon find out that there is a lot more to ”being green” than just supporting alternative energies, in fact true sustainability deals much more with low tech applications that harmonize with nature and the natural order of things.

So, in order to help you understand the depth of this field, I decided to put together a small list of terms and their respective definitions.

1. Bioremediation: The use of living organisms (eg, bacteria &  plants) to clean up oil spills or remove other pollutants from soil, water, and wastewater, use of organisms such as non-harmful insects to remove agricultural pests or counteract diseases of trees, plants, and garden soil.
2. Black Water: Waste water generated by toilets, kitchen sinks, and dishwashers.
3. Carbon Neutrality: The state of being carbon neutral where an effective means of offsetting greenhouse gases has been implemented. It establishes that the claimed reductions in emissions, or carbon sequestration, has actually occurred and is stable.
4. Carbon Offsets: The process of reducing the net carbon emissions of an individual or organization, either by their own actions, or through arrangements with a carbon offset provider.
5. Climate Change: The variation in the Earth’s global climate or in regional climates over time. It describes changes in the average state of the atmosphere over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. These changes can be caused by processes internal to the Earth, external forces or, more recently, human activities.
6. Global Warming: The observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.
7. Gray Water: Wastewater produced from baths and showers, clothes washers, and lavatories: In Green buildings, it can be used for irrigation and flushing toilets.
8. Green Building: The practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation and maintenance.
9. Hydro-Electricity: The production of electricity by harnessing the power of flowing water, usually through the use of a waterwheel
10. Hydronic Heating: In-floor hot water heating system where hot water is pumped through a thermal mass floor which absorbs the heat and evenly radiates the over an extended period of time.
11. Passive Solar: The technology of heating and cooling a building naturally, through the use of energy efficient materials, and proper site placement of the structure.
12. Permaculture: The design of sustainable human habitats. It is based on the observation of natural systems and uses ecological principles to increase diversity and productivity of local human ecosystems. Permaculture designs incorporate food, energy, and shelter for people and animals while linking the needs and outputs of each element of the system. The result is a dynamic yet stable system that sustains itself.
13. Photovoltaics: The solar panels used to harness the suns energy, and turn it electricity that can be stored in batteries and used to power a homes electrical systems.
14. Rainwater Harvesting: The act of  capturing and using rainwater for indoor needs, irrigation, or both.
15. Renewable: When a resource comes into being through a relatively fast-acting natural processes (rain is an example).
16. Sustainable:  Land management practices that provide goods and services from an ecosystem without degradation of the site quality, and without a decline in the yield of goods and services over time.
17. Wind Turbine: A tower mounted alternator that collects wind energy and converts it to electricity which is transferred to your houses breaker panel, allowing you to rely on your existing utility power supply as only a backup.