Ocean Discovery Institute: Designing for Zero Net Energy

Transcription

1 CASE STUDY Ocean Discovery Institute: Designing for Zero Net Energy How one client used targeted energy analysis to navigate a limited budget and a tight schedule to join the ranks of San Diego s Zero Net Energy class.

2 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION...3 THE CLIENT: THE OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE...4 THE CHALLENGE...5 THE PROCESS...6 THE RESULTS...9 ONGOING ANALYSIS FOR VERIFICATION BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 2

3 INTRODUCTION Zero Net Energy Buildings There is a lot of buzz about Zero Net Energy buildings and also a lot of confusion. How low can the energy use of a comfortable building go? What strategies are most important and how do they interact? What do they cost? How do you measure it? High-performance buildings are more comfortable, cost less to operate, and support a sustainably-built environment. The path to high performance and to Zero Net Energy is the same: the difference is in how far down the path you go. Zero Net Energy is achieved when a project s annual energy consumption is less than its renewable energy production. The first step begins with an idea or a goal. Integrated energy modeling during early design helps to confirm or refine the goal and continues through design. While we have been hired to do modeling triage late in design and even construction, the cost savings, design options and overall opportunity are greatest when evaluated early in the process. Fans 5.0 Receptacle 7.3 (kbtu/sf-yr) DHW 4.3 Heating 3.0 Lighting 10.1 Cooling 8.2 ESTIMATED ANNUAL ENERGY USE This chart describes the distribution of energy use by end-use within a building. We use this information to focus our energy-savings strategies on the areas that will have the biggest impact. The Ocean Discovery Institute Living Lab demonstrates this process. READ THE CASE STUDY 2016 BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 3

4 THE CLIENT Ocean Discovery Institute The institute was founded in 1999 to leverage San Diego s vibrant coastal resources as a tool for teaching underserved young people about science and conservation. The future home of Ocean Discovery, the Living Lab is a two-story, 12,000-square-foot building in City Heights. The Living Lab The Living Lab is a state-of-the art science education facility that will engage young people, families and community members in tuition-free hands-on science programs and will set expectations for the highest achievement. The Living Lab will be more than just a building, it will be a place where students explore the fields of science and define their college and career aspirations, and conduct meaningful real-world research alongside scientists. It will be a place that transforms an entire community through science and conservation BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 4

5 NO. 1 The Challenge The Ocean Discovery Institute had farreaching goals: build a new ground-up facility that embodied their core value of environmental stewardship within budget and on schedule. A tall order for a hard-working group of visionaries who had never before been responsible for building a building. Early in the concept stages of planning, Ocean Discovery Institute made a decision that their facility should be Zero Net Energy. Anything less was inconsistent with their mission. However, they didn t know what it would take or how much it would cost, and wanted to learn if it could fit within the budget and schedule. Brummitt Energy was their key partner in understanding the most cost-effective way to meet their Zero Net Energy goal. The innovative and engaging project was designed by architect Rob Wellington Quigley, FAIA. The use of energy and light are embedded in his design philosophy, and he took advantage of the modeling expertise of Brummitt Energy to further tune the strategies and to quantify performance BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 5

6 NO. 2 The Process Early in design, Brummitt Energy provided an Energy Performance Options Analysis. This gave substance to an iterative process to find the best solution. The analysis quantified several dozen options and their interactions. Whole-building energy modeling was used to evaluate variations in envelope, lighting, HVAC, water heating, plug loads, daylighting, natural ventilation and operational choices. Charts and illustrations helped to understand the energy story. Within each option in the chart below, the end-use distribution (e.g. lighting, plug loads, HVAC) is indicated by the size of the colored bars. This is presented in the context of the renewable energy production capacity of the site. Then the client can easily understand how far they need to go, and which measures make the most difference in their progress towards net zero. ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPTIONS Summary of options, starting with the Base Case, and adding options incrementally. Detailed evaluation of design options for a new construction project. Project Energy Use Intensity (kbtu/sf-yr) Base Case 2" Rigid on Walls R30 Main Roof Cool Roof R30 Parking Roof R30 Garden Roof R30 Raised Floor Thermal Break Windows (U=0.45) Single Pane Windows (U=1.2) Window SHGC = 0.27 Skylight SHGC = 0.25 Options to Reduce EUI Lighting = 0.85 w/sf Lighting = 0.70 w/sf Lighting = 0.50 w/sf Automatic Daylight Controls Ext. Lighting 750 Watts Ext. Lighting - Minimal after 8pm Receptacle - Energy Star Receptacle - Occupancy Sensors MRL Elevator Telecom 25w/sf to 12.5 w/sf Telecom 5w/sf, Exhaust only Air-Dry Clothes Exempt Cooktop Low Flow DHW (40%) Heat Pump DHW Storage/Mech - Exhaust only Offices - Natural Ventiltion Student Areas - Natural Ventiltion DHW Fans Equipment Receptacle Lighting Cooling Heating Larger Parking PV Larger Roof PV Small Roof PV Parking PV 2016 BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 6

7 NO. 2 The Process To evaluate the site s renewable energy potential, several system locations and technologies were analyzed. The site was tightly constrained, with complex architecture, and the team was forced to get creative to identify potential locations for renewable energy. This type of 3D analysis helps us identify areas that are relatively good or bad for location of photovoltaics. We evaluated several scenarios, and the final design was to use a combination of fixed and suntracking solar trees. RENEWABLE ENERGY POTENTIAL: ANNUAL RADIATION MAP Discover optimum areas to locate renewable systems to minimize shading and maximize output BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 7

8 NO. 2 The Process A key question was whether air conditioning should be installed. Using thermal comfort modeling, we identified strategies that kept the spaces passively comfortable without installing a cooling system. This greatly reduced both the first costs and operating costs for the Living Lab. We supplied two years of onsite weather data to the Brummitt team, which helped to determine if passive cooling was feasible, said Ocean Discovery Executive Director Shara Fisler. Wind-flow, the amount of thermal mass, internal loads and average air temperatures were all evaluated. Getting an energy consultant on board early in the process was a key in trying to reach our Zero Net Energy goals. This is one part of a larger thermal comfort analysis. The goal is to understand the likelihood of occupant comfort with different design variations. Occupant comfort depends on many parameters, and one of the ways we assess this is to use Predicted Mean Vote (PMV). This analysis helps the occupants understand how they are likely to feel in the space with cooling provided only by natural ventilation. THERMAL COMFORT MODELING Detailed analysis showing predicted air velocity from natural ventilation in a classroom. PMV takes into account six environmental and physiological factors to estimate the mean sensation of comfort within a group of people in a space. The factors are air temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, occupant activity rate and clothing BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 8

9 NO. 3 The Results Cutting energy use in half while maintaining comfort is a significant accomplishment, and it was achieved within the project s budget and schedule. Thermal comfort modeling helped Ocean Discovery Institute understand the comfort tradeoffs that will come with the elimination of mechanical air conditioning. Detailed daylighting simulation helped to optimize glazing type and location to balance the introduction of useful daylight with additional unwanted solar gains. Large expanses of shaded glazing facing a courtyard created a delightful indoor/outdoor feeling. Daylight modeling was crucial in aggressively reducing energy use. Balancing the introduction of natural light with the potential for higher solar gains and cooling loads took an extremely detailed analysis of glazing orientation, location, solar heat gain, shading, visible light transmittance, glare potential and light fixture controllability. The result will be a beautiful space that harvests maximum daylight without adding unnecessary heat to the space. The Living Lab is on its way to joining San Diego s other successful Zero Net Energy projects! ANNUAL DAYLIGHT SIMULATION Understand the performance of the building s daylight design to reduce the dependence on electric lighting BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 9

10 NO. 4 Ongoing Analysis for Verification Designing for Net Zero Energy requires an experienced energy modeler, a skilled design team and an owner who is engaged in the process from beginning to end. Designing for Net Zero Energy requires experienced energy modeling, an integrated design team, and an owner who is engaged throughout the process. Thoughtful design and construction prepares the project for success, and then the proof is in how the building actually operates when maintained and occupied by real people. Recognizing this, the Ocean Discovery Institute engaged Brummitt Energy Associates to design a cost-effective measurement and verification (M&V) system to track actual energy use. The system will clearly display energy and water uses in real time, broken down by end-uses. The system will cost a fraction of traditional Building Management System (BMS)-based monitoring. Brummitt Energy will work directly with Ocean Discovery Institute over at least the first year of operation to ensure that the building is operating as predicted. Together, we will help the building operate as Zero Net Energy to meet the goal that is central to Ocean Discovery Institute s values. The M&V system will give Ocean Discovery Institute, their students and contributors the information to understand how the building is operated and what is needed to maintain Net Zero Energy operation on an ongoing basis. MEASUREMENT AND VERIFICATION DASHBOARD Track the actual operating energy and water use of the building in real time. Back to Report KW BY END USE Ramona Library Energy Wed 18 Thu 19 Fri 20 Sat 21 May 22 Mon 23 Tue Lighting Lighting Area B Plug Area B Plug Parking Lighting HVAC :00 AM 3:00 AM 6:00 AM 9:00 AM 12:00 PM 3:00 PM 6:00 PM 2016 BRUMMITT ENERGY ASSOCIATES INC. 10

11 Contact us to learn about how we can help you achieve Zero Net Energy for your projects brummitt.com/contact Your energy guide for improving the performance and value of buildings. 777 S. Highway 101, Suite 203, Solana Beach, CA 92075