Retail buildings tend to provide good opportunities for participation in commercial and industrial demand-response programs. Chain retail stores, in particular, can provide significant aggregate load reduction if a number of stores in the chain participate in the program.

Proper ventilation is essential for maintaining good indoor air quality, yet it places an additional burden on heating and cooling equipment, which must condition air that will soon be exhausted from the building. Fortunately, energy recovery ventilation systems can help ameliorate this problem.