The Path to Net Zero
Energy Buildings
Arkansas Chapter ASHRAE
February 2008
Bill Harrison
Total Energy Consumption
United States
Industrial
32%
Transportation
28%
Buildings
40%
World Marketed Energy
Consumption
Quadrillion Btu
History
Projections
Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA), International Energy Annual Report 2004
Global Energy Consumption
5
4.52
4
2.96
2.7
3
TW
2
1.21
0.828
1
0.286
0.286
0
Oil
Coal
Gas
Total: 12.8 TW
Biomass
Hydro
Nuclear
Renew
U.S.: 3.3 TW (99 Quads)
The Rising Cost of Oil
100
80
60
40
20
0
$ Per Barrel
1960
1991
2005
1970
1996
2007
1974
2000
2008
World Energy Consumption
Net-Zero-Energy
Buildings
Buildings which, on
an annual basis, use
no more energy than
is provided by on-site
renewable energy
sources.
Energy Terms

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Energy Use Intensity: BTU/Sq.
Ft./Year
CBECS: Commercial Building Energy
Consumption Survey
DOE Determination: Modeled
predicted performance of a building
designed in compliance with ASHRAE
Std. 90.1
Site versus Source
CBECS
Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey



Snapshot of entire commercial sector as
of a certain date (done every 4 years—
1999, 2003, 2007)
Data masked to protect privacy—no
real locations, no real areas, skewed
number of floors
Lots of detail about building
composition (but it is self-reported)
Relative EUI Values
All are “site” values in BTU / Square Foot / Year



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91,000: 2003 CBECS data
47,000 - 50,000: Probable 90.12004 Determination Number
36,000: Target for 90.1-2010
25,000: Energy Efficient Building
0: Net Zero Energy Building Requires renewable energy (PV,
Wind)
Energy Reduction Proposal
Energy (kBtu/yr)
36000
Standard 90.1
AEDG
ASHRAE BOD Goal
Standard 189
2010
2015
2020
Year
2025
2030
Implications for Building
Designers




Absolute requirement to incorporate
energy efficiency into all of our
designs
Better use of tools to predict energy
use in buildings
Use of life cycle costing
Learning to communicate the
message to owners and their agents
Architecture 2030 Challenge
 Architecture 2030 Challenge target:
in 2007 all new buildings and major
renovations shall be designed to use
50% of the regional average for that
building type, on fossil fuel reduction
basis (2030 is on carbon basis)
Target increases to 60% in 2010 and by 10% for each
5 years thereafter until in 2030 all new and renovated
building designs will be carbon neutral (using no net
fossil fuel energy to operate)
AIA Green Building Coalition
100
Adopted the Architecture
2030 Challenge
 AIA
 U.S. Green Building
Council
 ASHRAE
Adopted CBECS Baseline
80
60
40
20
0
CBECS
2015
EUI
2030
Practical Energy Measures

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Building orientation
Daylighting
Improved envelope thermal
performance
Cool roof
External overhang or shading
Continuous air barrier
Integrated Design




Architect, HVAC, lighting and
electrical, interior design, landscape
architecture
Establish energy budget during
conceptual design phase of project
Monitor energy impact of building
decisions
Future: Building Information
Modeling
Energy Modeling


Manufacturers’ programs
Energy Plus
• www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ener
gyplus

eQuest
• www.doe2.com/equest/

DOE-2.1E
• www.gundog.lbl.gov/dirsoft/d2whatis.html
Reference Sources

US Department of Energy
• www.energy.gov

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Great case studies
• www.nrel.gov

EPA
• www.epa.gov

ASHRAE
• www.engineeringforsustainability.org
Case Study Buildings
• Oberlin College Lewis Center
 Oberlin, Ohio
 goal: zero net site energy use (79%)
• Zion Visitor Center
 Springdale, UT
 goal: 70% energy cost savings (65%)
• Cambria Office Building
 Ebensburg, PA
 goal: 66% energy cost savings (43%)
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)
 Annapolis, MD
 goal: LEED 1.0 Platinum Rating (25%)
• Thermal Test Facility (TTF)
 Golden, CO
 goal: 70% energy savings (51%)
• BigHorn Home Improvement
 Silverthorne, CO
 goal: 60% energy cost savings (53%)
• Science House, Science Museum of Minnesota
 St. Paul, Minnesota
 goal: zero net site energy use (139%)
The Path to a Net Zero Building
cash flow
Lease Costs (or Finance Costs)
Total Annual Costs ($/year)
utility bills
1
2
0
0%
100%
Source Energy Savings (%)
Sustainability Standards




90.1-2010 – Prescriptive and Performance
189.1P – High Performance Green
Buildings
189.2P – High Performance Green
Healthcare Facilities
191P - Water Conservation Standard
Advanced Energy Design
Guides
AEDG for K-12 School
Buildings



30% savings over 90.11999
Distributed to 14,000 school
administrators
All AEDG available for free
download
www.ashrae.org
ASHRAE GreenGuide






Second Edition
Step-by-step manual for the
entire building lifecycle
Construction, operation,
maintenance, and eventual
demolition
Techniques applicable to
related technical disciplines
29 "Green Tips"
Case studies, checklists, and
other practical information
High Performing Buildings
 Launched November 2007
 Case Studies
 Lessons Learned
Hot and Humid Design
Guide
 Published January 2008
 First Edition
Summary




Energy Efficiency is imperative – set a
target energy budget, talk about EUI
Make energy modeling a standard step in
design process – track EUI changes
Communicate with owners and agents
Document efficiency measures to transmit
to building operators