Insights & Articles

For any organization striving to reduce energy costs, cut carbon emissions, or modernize aging infrastructure, the journey often starts with a single question: “Where do we begin?”
The answer typically lies in two powerful tools—Energy Audits and Engineering Assessments. Though they’re closely related, each plays a distinct role in uncovering and implementing high-value efficiency solutions.

Sustainability isn’t a passing trend. It’s not a buzzword or a side initiative. It’s the foundation for how companies build long-term value—and the ones who understand that are already ahead.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing our world: redefining how we work, live, and solve problems. But behind the progress lies a growing cost: massive and accelerating energy consumption.

In the hospitality industry, timing is everything. Summer marks the peak season for guest bookings, vacation travel, weddings, conferences, and events. It’s also when HVAC systems work overtime to maintain comfort and keep operations smooth. Ironically, it’s during this critical period that many hospitality facilities adopt a risky and outdated maintenance approach: run-to-fail.

In today’s industrial and commercial landscape, energy efficiency isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic imperative. For large facilities, the path to meaningful cost savings, greater operational control, and measurable ESG progress increasingly runs through onsite renewable energy systems, particularly solar. But size alone doesn’t guarantee results. To maximize impact, you need the right balance of load, space, and smart system design.

Earth Day offers us an important moment to reflect on the choices we make every day and the impact those choices have on the world around us. This year at Crete Untied, we turned reflection into meaningful action by launching a sustainability initiative focused on clean water access, community connection, and lasting impact.

As governments and industry leaders push toward net zero targets (typically by 2040 or 2050), hotel and resort operators are under pressure to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency. While full electrification of HVAC systems is a key part of this transition, immediate electrification isn’t always the most practical or cost-effective solution. And because most equipment installed today will be ready for replacement before the net zero deadline, high-efficiency natural gas systems that reduce energy and maintenance costs can support a phased-in approach to achieving net zero.

Preparing HVAC systems for spring startup is essential to ensure reliable performance during the peak cooling loads of summer. Depending on geography, cooling equipment may have sat idle for quite some time, while air-handling equipment has likely been working hard all winter.

When most people think of HVAC maintenance, they picture technicians changing filters, checking refrigerant levels, and cleaning coils to keep the system operational and to prevent expensive failures. While these are basic and essential goals of effective HVAC maintenance, additional diligence and expertise is required to sustain a healthy, comfortable indoor environment for building occupants.

We are proud to recognize our CEO, Mike Cox, for being named one of Charlotte Business Journal’s 2025 Most Admired CEOs in the Energy category!

Crete United is pleased to announce that our Charlotte-based headquarters has relocated to a new address.

Understand what sick building syndrome is and how to discover if your building might be causing it to keep yourself, coworkers, and tenants healthy.

Air pollution is not just an outdoor concern—it also affects the air we breathe indoors. For commercial property owners and facility managers, indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical issue that impacts the health and productivity of everyone in the building. Whether you manage a warehouse, data center, hospital, school, or office building, poor air quality can lead to health problems, decreased efficiency, and increased absenteeism.

Solar parking canopies have emerged as an innovative and practical way to combine clean energy
generation with efficient use of parking spaces. These structures can be configured to serve multiple
purposes while providing shade and protection for vehicles and acting as a visible promotion of
environmental responsibility. The solar energy captured can be used to offset building consumption,
support EV charging, or reduce utility expenses by sending energy back to the grid. The adoption of
solar parking canopies is growing in urban areas, corporate campuses, universities, and even
residential complexes. Below, we explore the key benefits that make these solar structures a smart
investment for both the environment and property owners.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is reshaping American industries with its historic investment in clean energy and climate action. However, slow adoption could jeopardize our 2030 environmental goals. At Crete United, we advocate for proactive planning and swift action to stay ahead.

A Maintenance Budget Plan helps save money and keeps your property in top shape.

What is the key to maintaining a successful and resilient business when serious interruptions occur?

Greywater recycling plays a major role in water conservation. Greywater recycling promotes sustainable water usage and reduces reliance on fresh water.

Security lighting is critical in helping property owners have peace of mind.

In a world that often emphasizes traditional college paths, the skilled trades industry can go overlooked.

The recent tragic events in Baltimore Harbor remind us of the importance of workplace safety and the potential risks each of us takes working in the commercial mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC fields.

Since the SEC’s new Climate Disclosure rule was announced in early March, the debate about the value of emissions reporting – and exactly how it should be done – has intensified significantly

If you are a commercial building owner or are considering investing in one, you know that there are many things to manage in order to keep the building running at its peak performance. One of the most important things to consider is the electrical status — or lack thereof — of the building.

Students of all ages spend significant time (potentially one-quarter of each day) inside the classroom.

Ductless heating and cooling continues to rise in popularity as a high-value, flexible solution for both commercial and residential HVAC needs.

Seems like a funny question. Well, turns out there’s a lot. Because
the future of both lies in the world of augmented reality (AR) and
virtual reality (VR).

Cooling towers are used in many commercial and industrial buildings to remove heat from processes or spaces.

Carbon credits are a tradable financial instrument that represent a reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

Commercial and Industrial (C&I) businesses have been going solar at a rapid rate… but why?

The CATALYST Stand-Alone was applied to 10 packaged rooftop HVAC units serving a multi-use campus in Greenlawn, NY during September of 2023.

An air-cooled condenser is the equipment located outside the building that uses fans to reject the heat absorbed in the refrigeration system.

Fluorescent light bulbs have been the most common lamp type available to consumers for many years.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law in August 2022, has had a transformative impact on the U.S. economy and global clean technology markets since being enacted.

This week, the U.S. Federal Reserve (“Fed”) increased the Federal Funds Rate to a 22-year high, bringing its key rate to 5.25% – 5.50%.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are transforming the way we transport goods.

On June 14th, the IRS released new guidance on the expanded tax credit market, offering clarity on various aspects, including:

Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we ALL work. The MEP and energy efficiency categories are benefiting from AI-assisted design leading to more effective and economical MEP distribution plans.

On Wednesday, 2/15/2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new standards and updates aimed at creating a more reliable electric vehicle (EV) charging network across the USA, through the deployment of 500,000 EV chargers along U.S. highways throughout the nation.

In recent weeks, the federal government has come out with a variety of new rules in an effort to reduce the impact the buildings have on the climate. The Department of Energy (DOE) laid out building-sector decarbonization plans, created new lightbulb standards, and finalized new appliance energy efficiency rules in the month of April alone.

In design-build mechanical projects, the significance of code compliance cannot be overstated. Ensuring that mechanical systems comply with the necessary regulatory standards and codes is not just a matter of fulfilling legal requirements; it is about guaranteeing safety, reliability, and quality in construction projects.

One of the most important pieces to effective energy management is your energy procurement strategy. Particularly crucial for energy-intensive businesses seeking to mitigate risks and secure competitive pricing, a well-crafted procurement strategy ensures that your chosen suppliers and services align seamlessly with your budget, enhance operational efficiency, and resonate with your overarching vision.

ANSI/ASHRAE’s Publication Standard 228-2023, Standard Method of Evaluating Zero Net Energy and Zero Carbon Building Evaluation Performance, marks a significant step forward in the global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.