Federal Facilities – Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-Based Contracting for Energy Savings

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
December 02, 2011

Presidential Memorandum — Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-Based Contracting for energy savings

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-Based Contracting for Energy Savings

The Federal Government owns and operates nearly 3 billion square feet of Federal building space. Upgrading the energy performance of buildings is one of the fastest and most effective ways to reduce energy costs, cut pollution, and create jobs in the construction and energy sectors. We have a responsibility to lead by example, reduce our energy use, and operate our buildings efficiently.

Meeting that responsibility requires executive departments and agencies (agencies) to evaluate their facilities, identify potential savings, and appropriately leverage both private and public sector funding to invest in comprehensive energy conservation projects that cut energy costs. The Federal Government can do so by increasing the pace of the implementation of energy conservation measures, and improving the results from its energy efficiency investments.

In Executive Order 13514 of October 5, 2009 (Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance), my Administration reaffirmed a commitment to reduce energy intensity in agency buildings. In addition, through my memorandum of June 10, 2010 (Disposing of Unneeded Federal Real Estate – Increasing Sales Proceeds, Cutting Operating Costs, and Improving Energy Efficiency), and through the Campaign to Cut Waste, my Administration has directed agencies to cut energy costs in agency facilities as part of a broader effort to reduce spending and shrink the Federal Government’s real estate footprint. In order to ensure agencies fully meet these goals and maximize the cost reduction and job creation potential of making Federal buildings more energy efficient, I hereby direct the following:

Section 1. Implement and Prioritize Energy Conservation Measures. (a) Agencies shall fully implement energy conservation measures (ECMs) in Federal buildings with a payback time of less than 10 years, consistent with real property and capital improvement plans. Agencies shall prioritize ECMs with the greatest return on investment, leveraging both direct appropriations and performance contracting, consistent with guidance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

(b) The Federal Government shall enter into a minimum of $2 billion in performance-based contracts in Federal building energy efficiency within 24 months from the date of this memorandum. Each agency shall include its anticipated total performance-based contract volume in its plan submitted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

(c) In order to maximize efficiency and return on investment to the American taxpayer, agencies are encouraged to enter into installation-wide and portfolio-wide performance contracts and undertake comprehensive projects that include short-term and long-term ECMs, consistent with Government-wide small business contracting policies.

(d) Agencies shall prioritize new projects under this section based on return on investment, develop a planned implementation schedule, and reconcile all investments with actions undertaken pursuant to Executive Order 13576 of June 13, 2011 (Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government). Agencies shall ensure that any performance-based contracts are consistent with, and do not duplicate or conflict with, real property plans or planned capital improvements.

(e) No later than January 31, 2012, agencies shall report their planned implementation schedule described in subsection (d) of this section to the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), OMB, and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

(f) Beginning in 2012, agencies shall incorporate the planned implementation schedule into their annual Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans in furtherance of Executive Order 13514.

Sec. 2. Complete Required Energy and Water Evaluations. (a) Agencies shall identify in the Department of Energy’s Compliance Tracking System (CTS) any ECMs that have been implemented, and ensure that the CTS is regularly updated.

(b) Consistent with section 432 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 8253(f)(2)), agencies shall complete all energy and water evaluations and report the ECMs and associated cost saving opportunities identified through these evaluations to the CTS.

Sec. 3. Transparency and Accountability. (a) Agencies shall, where technically feasible, continue efforts to connect meters and advanced metering devices to enterprise energy management systems to streamline and optimize measurement, management, and reporting of facility energy use.

(b) The FEMP shall assist agencies with timely implementation of subsection (a) of this section. Consistent with its mission and responsibilities, FEMP shall also track Government-wide implementation progress. Subject to the protection of critical infrastructure information and avoidance of disclosure of sensitive information relating to national security, FEMP shall annually publish these results, as well as facility energy usage data, in machine readable formats on agency websites, consistent with applicable OMB guidance.

(c) The OMB shall continue to track agency implementation and progress towards goal achievement on its Energy and Sustainability Scorecard, and publicly report on agency progress, pursuant to the requirements of Executive Order 13514.

Sec. 4. Applicability. This memorandum shall apply to agency activities, personnel, resources, and facilities located within the United States. The head of an agency may apply this memorandum to activities, personnel, resources, and facilities of the agency that are not located within the United States, to

the extent the head of the agency determines that doing so is in the interest of the United States.

Sec. 5. Exemption Authority. (a) The Director of National Intelligence may exempt an intelligence activity of the United States, and related personnel, resources, and facilities, from the provisions of this memorandum, to the extent the Director determines necessary to protect intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure.

(b) The head of an agency may exempt particular facilities from the provisions of this memorandum where doing so is in the interest of national security. If the head of an agency issues an exemption under this subsection, the agency must notify the Chair of CEQ in writing within 30 days of issuance of the exemption. To the maximum extent practicable, and without compromising national security, each agency shall strive to comply with the purposes, goals, and implementation steps in this memorandum.

Sec. 6. Definitions. For the purposes of this memorandum:

(a) “energy conservation measure” (ECM) has the same meaning as in 42 U.S.C. 8259(d).

(b) “energy savings performance contract” (ESPC), as authorized by 42 U.S.C. 8287, means a contract (or task order) awarded to an energy service company (ESCO) for up to 25 years that provides for the design, acquisition, financing, installation, testing, operation, and maintenance and repair of identified ECMs at one or more locations. Under an ESPC, the ESCO incurs the costs of project implementation, including audits, acquiring and installing equipment, and training personnel, in exchange for a predetermined price. Payment to the ESCO is contingent upon realizing a guaranteed stream of future savings, with excess savings accruing to the Federal Government.

(c) “performance-based contract” means a contract that identifies expected deliverables, performance measures, or outcomes, and makes payment contingent on their successful achievement. Performance-based contracts also use appropriate techniques, which may include consequences or incentives to ensure that the agreed-upon value to the agency is received. Performance-based contracts, which include ESPCs, can be performed by any qualified contractor, including utilities.

(d) “agency” has the same meaning as in Executive Order 13514.

(e) “United States” means the fifty States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and associated territorial waters and airspace.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law, including international trade obligations, and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to a department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release October 5, 2009
President Obama signs an Executive Order
Focused on Federal Leadership in Environmental,
Energy, and Economic Performance
WASHINGTON, DC – Demonstrating a commitment to lead by example, President Obama signed an Executive Order (attached) today that sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy and economic performance. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies.
“As the largest consumer of energy in the U.S. economy, the Federal government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, reduce waste, and use environmentally-responsible products and technologies,” said President Obama. “This Executive Order builds on the momentum of the Recovery Act to help create a clean energy economy and demonstrates the Federal government’s commitment, over and above what is already being done, to reducing emissions and saving money.”
The Federal government occupies nearly 500,000 buildings, operates more than 600,000 vehicles, employs more than 1.8 million civilians, and purchases more than $500 billion per year in goods and services. The Executive Order builds on and expands the energy reduction and environmental requirements of Executive Order 13423 by making reductions of greenhouse gas emissions a priority of the Federal government, and by requiring agencies to develop sustainability plans focused on cost-effective projects and programs.
Projected benefits to the taxpayer include substantial energy savings and avoided costs from improved efficiency. The Executive Order was developed by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, with input from the Federal agencies that are represented on the Steering Committee established by Executive Order 13423.
The new Executive Order requires agencies to measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward agency-defined targets. It describes a process by which agency goals will be set and reported to the President by the Chair of CEQ. The Executive Order also requires agencies to meet a number of energy, water, and waste reduction targets, including:
  • 30% reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use by 2020;
  • 26% improvement in water efficiency by 2020;
  • 50% recycling and waste diversion by 2015;
  • 95% of all applicable contracts will meet sustainability requirements;
  • Implementation of the 2030 net-zero-energy building requirement;
  • Implementation of the stormwater provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, section 438; and
  • Development of guidance for sustainable Federal building locations in alignment with the Livability Principles put forward by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Implementation of the Executive Order will focus on integrating achievement of sustainability goals with agency mission and strategic planning to optimize performance and minimize implementation costs. Each agency will develop and carry out an integrated Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan that prioritizes the agency’s actions toward the goals of the Executive Order based on lifecycle return on investments. Implementation will be managed through the previously-established Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, working in close partnership with OMB, CEQ and the agencies.
Examples of Federal employees and their facilities promoting environmental stewardship exist throughout the country. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Energy Business Center has recently awarded a design-build contract for a wind turbine electric generation system to serve their Medical Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The 600-kW turbine installation, to be completed in spring 2011, is projected to supply up to 15 percent of the facility’s annual electricity usage.
The U.S. General Services Administration’s Denver Federal Center (DFC) in Lakewood, Colorado will be installing a 7 megawatt photovoltaic system as part of a large modernization effort. The primary goal of the project is to provide a reliable utility infrastructure to service tenant agencies for the next 50 years. This facility will feed renewable energy back into the grid on weekends and cover 30 acres.
Many federal agencies have received recognition for their work to integrate environmental considerations into their daily operations and management decisions including: the Air Force Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas for their “Sheppard Puts the R in Recycling” program, the Department of Treasury for their petroleum use reduction, the Department of Energy Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee for pollution prevention, the United States Postal Service for their Green Purchasing Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture “Sowing the Seeds for Change” Extreme Makeover Team in Deer River Ranger District in Minnesota; and the Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health in Maryland for their laboratory decommissioning protocol.*Updated 10/06/09 to reflect more accurate data from GSA.

Sustainability and High Performance Building Status in the Federal Sector – Executive Order 13514

Federal Agency Strategic

Sustainability Performance Plans

Continuing a commitment to lead by example, the White House released Federal Agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans on September 9, 2010, which work to achieve the environmental, economic and energy goals called for in the Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (Executive Order 13514) signed by President Obama on October 5, 2009.  This is the first time agencies have developed and submitted Sustainability Plans.

Under the Executive Order, Federal agencies were asked to develop, implement and annually update a plan that prioritizes actions based on a positive return on investment for the American taxpayer and to meet energy, water, and waste reduction targets.

Click on the links below to view individual agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans:

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Broadcasting Board of Governors

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Corporation for National and Community Service

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Education

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of State

Department of the Interior

Department of the Treasury

Department of Transportation

Department of Veterans Affairs

Environmental Protection Agency

Export-Import Bank of the US

Farm Credit Administration

Federal Housing Finance Agency

Federal Labor Relations Authority

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission

Federal Trade Commission

General Services Administration

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Marine Mammal Commission

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Archives and Records Administration

National Capital Planning Commission

National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Humanities

National Labor Relations Board

National Mediation Board

National Science Foundation (2 parts):
Part 1
Part 2

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

Office of Personnel Management

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Peace Corps

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

Railroad Retirement Board

Securities and Exchange Commission

Small Business Administration – plan will be posted soon

Smithsonian Institution

Social Security Administration

Tennessee Valley Authority

US Agency for International Development – plan will be posted soon

US Army Corps of Engineers

Office of Special Counsel

United States Postal Service

US Trade and Development Agency

GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES IN THE FEDERAL SECTOR: PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES TO DATE June 22, 2010

On Wednesday, July 21, 2010, the Government Management, Organization and Procurement Subcommittee held a hearing to examine to what extent the federal government has incorporated green, high-performance building practices into the renovation and construction of existing and new U.S. government owned and leased buildings in accordance with the Energy Independence and security Act of 2007 (EISA), and Executive Order 13514 and other relevant statutes and directives.

Kevin Kampschroer, Director of the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings (OFHPGB) at the United States General Services Administration (GSA).

A principal duty of the OFHPGB is to ensure full coordination of high-performance green building information and activities within GSA. Under the Recovery Act, GSA received $5.55 billion to be re-invested in the Federal buildings portfolio on an accelerated basis.  Among projects identified as appropriate for Recovery Act funding, GSA examined opportunities to improve the performance of projects already designed, with a focus on building systems, human performance, renewable energy generation and water conservation.  GSA prioritized buildings with the worst performance in energy and poor physical conditions, and the best plans for improvement. The following improvements were incorporated into all projects, where possible, based on funding and return on investment:

1. Building tune-up (re-commissioning, controls improvements, minor systems repairs and equipment replacement)

2. Lighting (day lighting control and occupancy sensors; control systems replacement and re-wiring)

3. HVAC retrofit/replacement

4. Renewable energy generation by photovoltaic, thermal solar or wind

5. Water conservation projects In addition, GSA has worked to establish geothermal and lighting technology acceleration programs.

KATHLEEN HOGAN, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY
OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Preliminary Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 data indicates that the Federal Government used approximately 386 trillion British thermal units (Btu)1 of energy in nearly 3.2 billion square feet of facility space.2 Federal facility energy use is a little over a third of the Federal
Government’s total consumption.3 The Federal Government consumed about 1.6 percent of the Nation’s total energy.4 Within this context the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and Building Technologies Program (BTP) work together with other Federal agencies—particularly the Department of Defense (DoD), the General Services
Administration (GSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—to help them adopt sustainable practices and technologies. I’m pleased to be here today to provide further information to this Subcommittee on these efforts. Constructing and operating Federal facilities in a sustainable manner has numerous welldocumented benefits, including:
• Saving taxpayer dollars through optimized life-cycle cost-effective actions;
• Enhancing employee productivity through the provision of safe, healthy and environmentally appealing workplaces;
• Reducing environmental impacts through decreased energy, water, and materials use; and
• Moving the overall market conditions toward higher performance, through the Federal demand for sustainable facilities.
SUSTAINABILITY METRICS
Currently, Federal building sustainability performance is rated on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Scorecards (Energy Management and Environmental) using six primary metrics, which link to requirements under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), and Executive Order (E.O.) 13423. The six current performance metrics are:
1. Reduced energy intensity;5
2. Consumption of electricity from renewable sources;6
3. The percentage of appropriate facilities which have been metered for electricity use;
4. Reduced water intensity;7
5. New construction compliance with Federal design standards to be 30 percent more energy efficient than applicable code; and
6. Application of sustainability guiding principles in Federal buildings.8
However, OMB Scorecards are expected to be updated this year, as OMB develops performance metrics that also reflect the new requirements of President Obama’s E.O. 13514 which includes ambitious new targets for agencies to meet in the areas of:
• Greenhouse gas emissions measurement and reduction;
• Pollution prevention and waste diversion;
• Regional and local integrated planning;
• Improving water efficiency and management; and
• Strategic Sustainability Performance Planning.
DENNIS BUSHTA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
EPA occupies 11 million square feet (SF) of office, support and laboratory space across the country, which houses over 17,000 federal employees and 8,000 support personnel.
An area that is having a growing impact on our green building efforts is building operations and maintenance. Buildings designed to be energy efficient are frequently complex to operate and maintain. Locating and retaining qualified, competent and experienced building operators is becoming increasingly difficult, leading to inefficient and ineffective facility operations in certain locations. EPA is using EISA required energy assessments and re-commissioning to identify and correct poor preventative maintenance practices, improve mechanical system operating efficiency, and evaluate O and M contractor performance. EPA believes that EISA Sec 432 implementing guidance setting minimum training requirements for federal Energy Managers also should improve O and M at EPA and other federal facilities. EPA has also developed a Building Management Program to improve and standardize facility O&M best practices at all EPA-owned facilities.
Several tools that EPA developed include the Portfolio Manager and Target Finder, two on-line energy management tracking and assessment tools. Portfolio Manager is being used by 15 billion SF of commercial building market (20% of the market) to track energy and water usage, assess the performance of buildings, set goals and make reductions across building portfolios. http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/downloads/ENERGY_STAR_Snapshot_Spring_2010.pdf Recently, as part of a joint effort between EPA, DOE and GSA, EPA expanded Portfolio Manager to include the Federal Sustainability Checklist, allowing federal agencies to track and report their progress on the sustainability goals required as part of Executive Order 13514. EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program is also providing training to federal agencies as part of this collaboration.
HENRY L. GREEN, HON. AIA PRESIDENT, NATIONAL INSITUTE OF BUILDING SCIENCES
In recognition of the unique position of the Institute, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) called for the establishment of a High-Performance Building Council within the Institute tasked to look at the diversity of codes and standards for buildings and determine the needs necessary for implementation of high-performance buildings.
As its initial task, the Council identified the eight attributes that define a high-performance building. They are:  Sustainability Cost Effectiveness Accessibility Productivity Historic Preservation Aesthetics Functionality Safety and Security These attributes are reflected in the definitions of High-Performance Building and High-Performance Green Building as defined in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) which defines high performance as “the integration and optimization on a life cycle basis of all major high performance attributes, including energy conservation, environment, safety, security, durability, accessibility, cost-benefit, productivity, sustainability, functionality, and operational considerations.” As the Subcommittee will note, sustainability or “green” is just one aspect of a high-performance building. Federal agencies have numerous requirements related to these high-performance attributes beyond the energy, water and sustainability requirements in EPAct, EISA, and Executive Orders 13423 and 13514. Additionally, these requirements are likely to expand and change due to emerging issues impacting building occupancy and use including those tied to our aging population (e.g., addressing low vision) and to increased interest in technology and sustainability (e.g., flexibility for new technologies and new work environments). A sample of relevant laws and Executive Orders appear below: Americans with Disabilities Act National Historic Preservation Act Public Buildings Act National Environmental Policy Act E.O. 13006: Historic Properties E.O. 12977: Security Standards E.O. 12941/12699: Seismic Safety Presidential Memorandum on Disposing of Unneeded Federal Real-Estate (June 10, 2010).
As the High-Performance Building Council reported, common metrics are needed to measure and compare achievement of individual attributes and then to understand the interactions across attributes.
Ellen Larson Vaughan Policy Director Environmental and Energy Study Institute
EESI is a nonprofit policy-education organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to climate change and other critical energy and environmental challenges and bringing sound science and technology information to policymakers through briefings, publications and other activities. Founded by members of a bi-partisan Congressional study conference, EESI has been an independent organization since 1984 1984 and is funded primarily through foundation grants and charitable contributions.
The federal government owns and operates nearly 500,000 facilities and can establish its own performance goals, above and beyond what Congress has already required. With about 3 billion square feet of floor space, federal buildings have a substantial environmental footprint, consuming 1.6 percent of the nation’s total energy use at an annual cost of $24.5 billion, according to the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).
The terms high performance and green have evolved substantially over the years. We are grateful that your committee in Section 401 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 defined high performance green buildings for the purposes of the activities of the Department of Energy and General Services Administration in a way that captures best current thinking. These definitions challenge the government to design, construct, and operate its buildings at the state of the art and pave the way for these agencies to show leadership over the next two decades, a period during which we will need higher performance from federal and other buildings than ever before.
Retrofit is very important because new construction adds only a very small percentage to our national building inventory each year. Therefore, if we are to have a significant number of high performance green buildings in our lifetimes, much of the work will have to be retrofits of existing buildings.
Lynn G. Bellenger, P.E., FASHRAE President, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Standard 90.1 now serves as both the federal building standard, and the national reference for state adopted commercial building codes through the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), the Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA), and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct).
The impact of our nation’s buildings is surprisingly large. Our nation’s buildings account for 40 percent of our primary energy use—more than either transportation or industry. Buildings are responsible for 72 percent of the electricity consumption and 39 percent of the total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. The CO2 emissions from US buildings alone approximately equal the combined emissions of Japan, France, and the United Kingdom for transportation, industry, and buildings.
Building Modeling
My presidential theme is “Modeling a Sustainable World.” Building modeling represents one of the most powerful tools for optimizing building performance, and it is an area worthy of increased support from Congress. Today, we have the tools to create a virtual model to consider options in size, shape and appearance. But more than just a visual representation, our models can simulate energy performance, assess daylighting options and predict thermal comfort.
Integrated Building Design
To exploit the full capability of modeling tools, we must transform our design approach from a sequential process — where one discipline completes its work and hands off the design to the next — to a collaborative integrated building design process — where all of the disciplines involved in the building design and construction work as team from the beginning to evaluate options and optimize the design.
Our biggest challenge is implementing integrated design into daily practice. The traditional sequential approach misses the rich opportunities for optimizing building performance through a collaborative approach throughout the design process.
It is going to require a cultural shift in our industry to transform the design process, and it’s a shift that has to occur if we are going to reach our goal of net zero energy buildings.
To help expand awareness throughout the federal government of the potential benefits of increased energy savings that can be achieved through integrated, whole building design, we recommend creating a new demonstration program with selected, geographically diverse federal buildings. A report on the success and challenges of such a demonstration program would yield useful lessons learned that could be applied and expanded to other federal buildings, as well as buildings in the private sector.
Standard 189.1: A New Foundation for Green Building Standards Earlier this year, in our continuing efforts to push the envelope on building efficiency, and in collaboration with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), ASHRAE published Standard 189.1 – the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States. Standard 189.1 also serves as a compliance path of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), published by the International Code Council. Standard 189.1 represents a revolutionary new step for building standards, as it provides a long-needed green building foundation for those who strive to design, build and operate green buildings. From site location to energy use to recycling, this standard will set the foundation for green buildings through its adoption into local codes. It covers key topic areas similar to green building rating systems, including site sustainability, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources.
The energy efficiency goal of Standard 189.1 is to provide significant energy reduction over in ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007. It offers a broader scope than Standard 90.1 is intended to provide minimum requirements for the siting, design and construction of high performance, green buildings. For this reason, ASHRAE recommends authorizing a pilot program with a select group of geographically diverse federal buildings to examine the effects
requiring all new federal buildings, by 2020, to meet the IGCC, and include ASHRAE Standard 189.1 as a compliance path of the IGCC. This will help the federal government meet the objectives of Executive Order 13514 of ensuring that beginning in 2020, all new federal buildings are designed to achieve zero-net-energy by 2030. A report on the success and challenges of such a demonstration program would also yield useful lessons learned that could
applied and expanded to other federal buildings, as well as buildings in the private sector.
James Bertrand President, Delphi Thermal Systems
Today, air conditioning use alone represents nearly 13% of all U.S. electricity consumption! On the residential air conditioning side, the consumption rate is already at 17% and will grow to 19% by 2030.
Furthermore, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is forecasting that consumers in the United States will increase their use of electricity by 1.4% annually through 2030. This data already accounts for the energy-efficiency legislation enacted that will impact future consumption. With energy consumption on the rise and the associated implications the increases will bring, it’s an issue both government and industry can not afford to ignore.
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