Sustainability and Energy Use

Transcription

1 AIA Provider #: Sustainability and Energy Use AIA Course #: SUS101 Presented by: Jason Borowski, PE LEED AP BD+C, Vice President 1

2 Sustainability and Energy Use Credit(s) earned on completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA and non-aia members are available upon request. This course is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include any content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation. 2

3 Sustainability and Energy Use Course Description The concept of sustainability is often integral to the majority of multi-family housing projects. By helping you to better understand the concept of sustainability and the role the MEP designer plays in sustainability, it is our intent to help improve coordination between project team members. Sustainability and the various rating systems will be reviewed with a focus on energy use in multi-family housing applications. 3

4 Sustainability and Energy Use Learning Objectives: At the end of this course, participants will: 1. Differentiate between the various green rating systems. 2. Understand the impact of code requirements on energy usage. 3. Understand the typical sources of energy use and emerging trends related to energy use. 4. Become familiar with the various ways of projecting and verifying energy usage, such as energy modeling and commissioning. 4

5 Sustainability Rating Systems Typical rating systems encountered in multi-family housing: Enterprise Green Communities Energy Star Earthcraft LEED for Homes LEED Building Design & Construction National Green Building Standard (NGBS) 5

6 Ideal Sustainable Design Process The first step in the process should be to determine which rating system will be followed. This should be done as early in the project as possible, but before the end of the SD phase at the latest. The decision is typically made by the Owner/Developer with input from the design team, and if necessary, input from a sustainability consultant. The benefit of using a sustainability consultant is they typically stay up to date on the latest interpretations for each rating system and are able to advise which rating system will be most appropriate for a particular project. 6

7 Ideal Sustainable Design Process After the rating system is decided upon, a separate sustainability meeting should be held. During the meeting, a complete review of the requirements should be done. Additionally, task and responsibilities should be assigned to the appropriate members. Additional sustainability meetings should be held with every milestone submission to ensure the requirements of the selected rating system are being met, with a final meeting being held just prior to the issue of 100% contract documents. If verification/testing is required by the selected rating system, these duties should be assigned along with the other responsibilities at the first sustainability meeting. 7

8 Why is it Important to Select the Rating System Early? LEED FOR HOMES ENERGY STAR Percentage Percentage Energy Water Energy Resources Emissions Indoor Environment Project Management Site Selection 7% 5% 12% 20% 10% 37% 9% 100% 8

9 Sustainable Codes Since its introduction, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has sought to ensure that buildings are constructed and operated in a sustainable way. Address minimum requirements for envelope construction, HVAC and water heating equipment efficiency, lighting power density, etc. The 2012 version of the IECC is 30% more stringent than the 2006 version of the IECC. The 2015 version of the IECC is 20% more stringent than the 2012 version of the IECC. The International Green Construction Code (lgcc) was first introduced in This is the first code of its kind to include sustainability measures for the overall project and its associated site. Several local jurisdictions are debating whether to adopt the lgcc upon adopting the 2015 versions from the IECC. 9

10 Energy Trends As utility costs increase and more emphasis is put on energy by codes and green rating systems, an overall trend is to look for ways that reduce energy consumption. HVAC equipment Improved envelope construction can allow for smaller equipment capacities which leads to reduced energy consumption. The industry has made significant improvements in efficiency in a short amount of time. As an example, 13 SEER AC equipment was standard about 5 years ago, with 15 SEER being about the top of the line. Today we rarely do projects below 15 SEER and there are units available up to 21 SEER. 10

11 Energy Trends Water Heating Equipment Recent regulations have required improved water heater performance (mandatory Energy Factor (EF) requirements). Different technologies have emerged to compete with traditional tank type water heaters, such as instantaneous water heaters and heat pump type water heaters. The introduction and popularity of low flow plumbing fixtures. Drain water heat recovery. 11

12 Energy Trends Lighting Introduction of energy star rated fixtures. The use of CFLs and LEDs to replace incandescent lamps. As an example, 5 60w incandescent lamps operating for 5 hours uses the same amount of kwh as 37 8w LED lamps operating for 5 hours. Increase in the use of automatic controls such as occupancy sensors. Increase in the use of day lighting controls. Appliances The use of energy star appliances. A typical electric clothes dryer uses about 750 kwh while a typical energy star dryer uses around 300 kwh and typically includes things like sensor operation. 12

13 Energy Modeling Each sustainable rating system has some kind of requirement for estimating energy use or utility cost through some form of energy modeling. Energy modeling is a reasonable way to estimate a buildings energy use or utility cost (key word being estimate), or to determine a specific building metric, such as a HERS score. It is also an effective way to evaluate different Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) impact on the overall building energy usage. This is done by modeling the building as designed, then changing one parameter at a time and evaluating the impact. For this type of analysis to be effective, it is important to engage the energy modeler early in the design process before big picture decisions are made. There are multiple software platforms available to perform energy modeling, but certain rating systems require the modeling to be performed using certain software platforms. 13

14 Energy Modeling While each rating system has slightly different requirements, the basic approach to performing the model is the same. A baseline energy model is performed using a set of standard minimum requirements for items such as the envelope construction, mechanical equipment efficiencies, water heater efficiency, lighting power density, etc. The design building model is then performed using the actual components intended to be installed in the building, including any ECMs such as an improved envelope, higher efficiency mechanical system, automatic lighting controls, etc. The design model is then compared to the baseline model to determine the impact of the ECMs in the design model and to determine the amount of improvement over the baseline model. 14

15 Verification and Testing A recent development in sustainability has been an increase in the requirements for verification and testing. This is a welcome addition as previously there was no accountability related to construction. While the design may have included several ECMs, there wasn t a way to ensure that they were installed as indicated outside of typical construction period observation. Verification and testing put accountability on the installing contractor. Examples of verification and testing requirements are: Pre-close in inspections Blower door testing Duct blaster testing Commissioning 15

16 Verification and Testing Pre-close in inspection As the name implies, this inspection takes place prior to the dry wall being installed so that all of the concealed components are visible. This inspection is intended to evaluate the quality of the installation of such things as the insulation, as well as confirming that the air sealing measures that were specified are being installed. This is an important item as the quality of the installation of these items can have a major impact on the performance of the building. As an example, say a 1000 SF attic has been provided with insulation that has an R-value of 30, but the attic access (approximately 10 SF) has not been insulated. The resulting overall R- value of the attic drops down to an R due to the un-insulated area. 16

17 Verification and Testing Fans & Vents 4% Windows 10% Doors 11% Air Leakage Floors, Walls, Ceilings 31% Electrical Outlets 2% Plumbing Penetrations 13% Fireplace 14% Ducts 15% 17

18 Verification and Testing Blower Door Testing Used to determine the overall leakage through all surfaces to the exterior of the thermal envelope. Procedure Install blower door apron and fan in the main entrance to the unit. Open all interior doors within the thermal envelope to maximize the interior area. Connect the manometer to reference the exterior pressure and the fan. Energize the fan until the manometer reads 50 Pa and record the CFM which indicates the overall building leakage. 18

19 Verification and Testing Duct Blaster Testing Depressurizes the ductwork system to determine the amount of leakage present in the system. Procedure Install blower fan at the return air device closest to the unit. Tape off all remaining air devices. Connect the manometer to reference the duct system pressure and the fan. Energize the fan until the manometer reads 25 Pa and record the CFM which indicates the overall duct leakage. 19

20 Verification and Testing Commissioning Some level of commissioning takes place on every job. Basic level of commissioning includes: Manufacturer s start-up check lists Testing and balancing The need arose for more detailed/3 rd party commissioning due to building owners being left with buildings that weren t functioning as intended after the contractors ended their work. Commissioning can be a fluid item, encompassing any number of requirements depending on the rating system that is pursued. 20

21 Verification and Testing Typical commissioning activities begin during the SD phase and can include: Aid the owner in developing the Owners Project Requirements (OPR). Review the Basis Of Design (BOD) for compliance with the OPR. Perform reviews of the contract documents at various stages of development to identify any potential ECMs. Develop the commissioning specification and commissioning plan outlining the requirements and responsibilities in the contract documents. Review of shop drawings for compliance with the OPR and BOD, as well as energy characteristics. Develop the System Verification Checklists for completion by the contractor. Develop the Functional Performance Tests and observe the testing on site. 21

22 Verification and Testing Commissioning activities (continued): Ensure that owner training occurs and record training for future employees. Ensure that the O&M manual is complete and distributed to the appropriate parties for proper maintenance of the facility. Return several months after completion to evaluate the operation of the building and determine if the current operation is in line with the OPR and BOD. Perform retro commissioning if requested. Commissioning can be performed to comply with a specific green rating system or can be owner-driven as a way to ensure that the building they are paying for is performing as designed. 22

23 AIA Provider #: Sustainability and Energy Use AIA Course #: SUS101 Questions? 23