Serious Energy takes another step toward integrating smart grid with smart buildings

By Jesse Berst

When it comes to integrating buildings and the grid, it's not about technology, it's about hearts and minds. As Doug Peeples told us recently, when it comes to energy efficiency, building owners just don't care.

The participation of smart buildings in energy efficiency and demand response is not hostage to any significant technical blockers. Instead, its progress depends on removing the non-technical barriers. I've been an optimistic, predicting a big wave of adoption starting in 2012. Others think that is at least two years too soon.

My prediction just got a boost from Serious Energy, which announced programs that address two of the most significant blockers -- finding the right person and finding a way to pay for it. For the first, Serious is partnering with Grubb & Ellis, one of the country's leading real estate service and investment firms. For the second, Serious is formally introducing SeriousCapital, a service that lets owners install energy efficiency improvements at zero upfront cost.

Some details:

·         Grubb & Ellis will introduce Serious Energy’s building upgrade service at zero cost to building owners. As Claire Broido Johnson, General Manager at Serious put it:  “We must make it simple for building owners to make improvements to their buildings and eliminate the roadblocks that have traditionally stood in the way of creating more comfortable, efficient, valuable properties.”

·         The financial concepts behind SeriousCapital- building upgrades at no upfront cost - were in part adopted from the successful solar power purchase agreements which have proliferated in the past few years. Claire Broido Johnson pioneered the solar power purchase agreement as a co-founder of SunEdison.

·         “Just give us your utility bill. We will do the rest,” said Kevin Surace, CEO of Serious Energy. “We’re changing the way people think about upgrading buildings. Now, with no out-of-pocket costs, building owners, cities, states, and schools can upgrade the efficiency and comfort of their buildings immediately. No reason to wait. The upgrades will be cheaper, better, and easier than anyone else. This is the breakthrough in delivering efficiency upgrades that building owners have been waiting for.”

What do you think? Is this a watershed? Use the Talk Back form below to share your thoughts.

Jesse Berst is the founder and chief analyst of Smart Grid News.com. He consults to smart grid companies seeking market entry advice and M&A advisory. A frequent keynoter at industry events in the US and abroad, he also serves on the Advisory Council of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Energy & Environment directorate.