MetLife Recognized For Energy Efficiency Leadership

MetLife Investment Management's 910,000-square-foot building in Washington, DC is a Better Buildings showcase project and saves 31% annually on energy costs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognized Better Buildings Challenge partner MetLife Investment Management for energy efficiency advances made in its District Center. The 910,000-square-foot building in Washington, D.C. is a Better Buildings showcase project and saves 31% annually on energy costs, which equates to more than $500,000 per year, a 33% energy reduction compared to a 2014 baseline.

Better Buildings Challenge
Yann Palmore, Senior Director, JLL Technology Solutions, demonstrates a mobile app used for room reservations lighting and temperature control, wayfinding within the building, and responding to tenant requests.

As a Better Buildings Challenge partner, MetLife Investment Management has committed to reducing its energy intensity by 20% by 2026 over its 53 million-square-foot portfolio. The efficiency progress made at District Center is a key milestone as MetLife works toward this goal and showcases its work.

MetLife purchased District Center in 2014. In 2017, the company created one of the country’s first investor-driven, multi-tenant smart buildings. MetLife committed to a holistic systems integration approach to maximize return on investment and save on energy and operational costs.

MetLife Investment Management
Yann Palmore presents real-time energy data capabilities in District Center spec suite. Building temperature map displayed onscreen.

District Center’s efficiency upgrades included converting the pneumatic HVAC system to direct digital controls, and updating building-wide lighting and installing 32 submeters. The team also implemented a Supervisory Control Management System, which uses real-time energy data to (1) report building performance and sustainability, (2) diagnose faults and trigger maintenance items to increase efficiency and save on operational costs, and (3) conserve energy and water through occupancy-based lighting, heating, and cooling.

MetLife leveraged efficiency leaders throughout the planning and construction process of District Center to work through technical challenges and make it a model for full systems integration. Together, the building’s efficiency systems reduce operations and maintenance expenses, facilitate easy reporting of sustainability and metrics, and increase tenant experience, convenience and productivity.

Better Buildings Challenge
MetLife, JLL and DOE teams in spec suite as Yann Palmore presents on the sustainability features at District Center.

Through the Better Buildings Initiative, DOE partners with public and private sector organizations to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings more efficient, thereby saving energy and money while creating thousands of jobs. To this date, more than 900 Better Buildings Partners have shared their innovative approaches and strategies for adopting energy efficient technologies. Discover more than 2,500 of these solutions in the Better Buildings Solution Center.

Want to learn more about facility management and energy efficiency?

Are you committed to energy efficiency at your facility? Check out all the latest news related to facility management, energy efficiency, and lighting.