Green Washington 2011: Technology

Winner (Large Company): Itron
Maker of metering, data collection and utility software systems to optimize delivery and use of energy and water.

GREEN ACTIONS Itron creates products designed to increase conservation efforts, manage resources better and make utility operations more efficient. For example, its water solutions products detect and repair hidden leaks in aging pipes, helping curb the estimated seven billion gallons of water lost each day to unidentified leaks nationwide.

RESULTS Itrons technology has helped Reunion, a small island east of Madagascar, to precisely monitor the amount of energy being produced by renewable resources across the island. In Bolivia, Itrons technical assistance and standard metering technology have helped make better use of rich supplies of natural gas, a resource that the country had previously been unable to use efficiently because of its lack of infrastructure.

Winner (Small Company): Transformative Wave Technologies
TWT retrofits existing HVAC systems to increase their energy and cost efficiency.

TWT managing principal Danny Miller, center, with senior VP Justin Sipe, left, and CEO Darrin Erdahl. Photo by Hayley Young

GREEN ACTIONS TWT is attempting to create market transformation through energy savings by developing an entirely new product and a market for it. Its two main products are the Catalyst and the eIQ Platform. The Catalyst is a hardware upgrade that reduces HVAC energy consumption by 25 to 40 percent and is applicable to half of the HVAC systems serving Americas commercial buildings. The eIQ Platform is web-based companion software that monitors energy consumption in real-time.

RESULTS A typical application of the Catalyst system can reduce HVAC energy consumption by 30 to 40 percent and dramatically reduce the energy costs associated with the HVAC system. In addition, the eIQ platform can reduce operational costs for the system.