Jim Edelson wins the Jeffery A. Johnson Award 

NBI Codes and Policy Director Jim Edelson (left) accepts the Jeffery A. Johnson Award from David Cohan of DOE.
Jim Edelson, NBI Director of Codes and Policy, has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for his outstanding accomplishments surrounding building energy codes. Jim has been working to advance energy codes for over a decade and was awarded the Jeffery A. Johnson Award during DOE's Energy Code Conference last month. Working at the forefront of national commercial energy code development, Jim has served on multiple codes boards and advisory committees in Oregon, Wisconsin, for the International Code Council, and ASHRAE. He also was responsible for key national coordination and development roles resulting in the successful adoption of a new Chapter 7 commercial code in the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which resulted in the largest efficiency improvement in the IECC's history.

Also honored were a team of code innovators from Washington State including Chuck Murray, Washington Dept. of Commerce; Gary Nordeen, WSU Energy Program; and David Baylon, Ecotope. The group, nominated by WSU Energy Program, has led one of the most innovative and rigorous residential energy codes in the nation.

The Jeffery A. Johnson Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Building Energy Codes and Performance was named for NBI's former Executive Director and Jim's colleague, Jeff Johnson who passed away in 2005.

Read more about the award
Monitoring and controls drive successful zero net energy projects, new study finds
 
Monitoring and control systems are at the nexus of buildings and successful zero net energy (ZNE) performance, according to a recent study from the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA). Zero Net Energy Building Controls: Characteristics, Energy Impacts and Lessons, conducted by NBI, focuses on the designer and user experience to surface details about how existing and emerging monitoring and control technologies are helping designers, building owners, operators and occupants achieve and maintain ZNE performance.
 
"Building and system-level controls can be a cornerstone that secures performance, or a weak link, that creates challenges for design teams and operators," said CABA President & CEO Ron Zimmer.
 
The study included interviews and surveys with design teams, operators and occupants of 23 North American ZNE buildings and found that the role of occupants on energy outcomes has never been greater with fully 74% of the buildings relying on the occupant for some part of the controls' success. It also verified that ZNE buildings are designed to use less than half the energy of most new buildings today and over 75% less than average existing buildings.
 
White paper examines zero net energy buildings and the grid
With exponential growth predicted for U.S. solar installations, substantial distributed energy supply will be available to buildings and communities across the country. When coupled with a highly efficient, intelligent building, these resources represent a tremendous asset, but also a complicated puzzle for electricity grid operators. A new white paper by NBI describes a framework for employing design strategies and efficiency measures that insure buildings of the future can benefit from and support grid modernization efforts. NBI's Alexi Miller, P.E., senior project manager, recently presented the research at the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Orlando.

The paper, "Zero Net Energy Buildings and the Grid: The Future of Low Energy Building-Grid Interactions," addresses load shape impacts of these buildings and their renewable energy systems as described by the Regulatory Assistance Project's Jim Lazar. Lazar identified the issues related to increasing renewable energy generation on California's energy grid.

 
 
Lazar's graph on the left depicts the predicted load shape on an illustrative day in southern California in 2020. The blue line shows the total load on the system. The red line, often called the "Duck Curve," shows what could happen if the state achieves its Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals in 2020 without careful consideration of how to accommodate renewable energy's impact on the load shape. The paper explores opportunities for ZNE buildings to become more grid-oriented in order to flatten the late afternoon peak (green line in the graph on the right) resulting in less dramatic ramping and overall positive impacts for utilities and society as a whole.

"The grid impacts of efficiency-oriented ZNE buildings can be largely prevented by grid-sensitive design strategies and operational choices," said Miller. "The effects of these strategies and choices can flatten out the load shape significantly and can help reduce the peak demand issues," he said.


Access the paper, Zero Net Energy Buildings and the Grid: The Future of Low Energy Building-Grid Interactions
New Construction Guide approved as prescriptive path for LEED points, CHPS certification

The Advanced Buildings� New Construction Guide is now a prescriptive path for LEED energy points via the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Pilot Credit Library. The adoption builds on the guide's use as a technical reference for new, high performance building design. It was also adopted by the Northeast Collaborative for High Performance Schools (NE-CHPS) in late 2015. The guide describes a set of design criteria for small- to mid-size   construction projects that can result in buildings that are up to 40% more efficient than conventional practices.

USGBC approved the addition of the New Construction Guide as a LEED Pilot Alternative Compliance Path (ACP) earlier this year clearing the way for commercial building designers who use it to earn up to 10 energy points in LEED v4. This is the third Advanced Buildings guide to be approved as an option for LEED compliance. E-Benchmark, published in 2003, was the first; the second being the Core Performance Guide, which is currently referenced in the Energy & Atmosphere sections of LEED 2009 and LEED v4 as an option to meet the Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite.

The New Construction Guide option for the LEED Optimize Energy Performance credits was submitted and
The Duxbury Bay Maritime School in Duxbury, Mass., is an Advanced Building.
published through USGBC's Pilot Credit Library, which allows projects to test more innovative credits that have not been through USGBC's complete drafting and balloting process.

The Northeast Collaborative for High Performance Schools (NE-CHPS) adopted the guide as a prescriptive path to meet the energy performance requirements of Version 3 of the NE-CHPS Criteria. It can be used as an alternative to modeling to meet NE-CHPS's
energy prerequisite and superior energy performance requirement. CHPS maintains the leading authoritative criteria on energy-efficient, cost-effective design and construction practices for schools. The New Construction Guide has also been endorsed by Architecture 2030
 
California Highlights: Winter Watchlist and ZNE School Retrofit Workshops 
Tracking growth of California's ZNE buildings
California leads the nation with 77 verified and emerging zero net energy (ZNE) projects, according to the latest edition of the California ZNE Watchlist. The list, developed and published by NBI, reports on growth and trends in zero energy and ultra-low energy commercial and multifamily buildings, including locations and building types. Not surprisingly, projects are focused in major population centers, but are also happening in smaller communities across the California. The Watchlist serves, along with other available ZNE resources, to support the awareness, acceptance and adoption of statewide ZNE goals and outcomes.
 
Download the list

Be counted! Have you completed or are planning a ZNE project?
Add your building to NBI's Getting to Zero Buildings Registry


ZNE School Retrofit Workshops offered
With energy and utility costs accounting for 20%-40% of a school's maintenance and operations budget, zero net energy (ZNE) schools have the potential to save money that can be used in the classroom. NBI is supporting California's Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) with education and outreach for the Proposition 39 ZNE Schools Retrofit Pilot Program. In addition to providing financial and technical assistance to K-12 schools and
Shutterstock
community colleges for whole-building retrofits, the pilot program offers workshops to school and design audiences on how to successfully achieve ZNE performance as well as opportunities to leverage Proposition 39 dollars to help pay for retrofit projects. The no-cost workshops are being offered at various location across California through June.

Subscribe  to stay updated on information about the ZNE School Retrofit Workshops

For schedules and locations, visit energydesignresources.com/zneworkshops
NBI welcomes new board members: Mark MacCracken and Patrick O'Shei 

Mark MacCracken of CALMAC and Patrick O'Shei of
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) have been named to the NBI Board of Directors.
Mark MacCracken
 
MacCracken, the second generation owner of CALMAC Manufacturing Corporation, heads one of the largest makers  of thermal energy storage equipment with more than 4,000 installations internationally. A licensed professional engineer and LEED Fellow, he has been a leader in the growth of energy efficiency and green building previously serving on both ASHRAE and USGBC boards.
 
Patrick O'Shei
 
O'Shei, director of performance and market standards and interim director of commercial at NYSERDA, is helping to establish New York's $5 billion Clean Energy Fund to support clean energy market development and innovation. O'Shei is also leading the efforts to design strategy and initiatives in the commercial buildings sector and transforming the current existing facilities, flex-tech, business partners and emerging technologies and accelerated commercialization (ETAC) in support of that work.

"NBI's Board is a virtual Who's Who of leadership in the energy efficiency and green building and we are delighted to have Mark and Patrick join," said NBI CEO Ralph DiNola. "Mark offers visionary and passionate perspectives on building technologies that are high efficiency and grid-friendly.  Patrick will bring a broad range of insights to advance our programs and provide strategic direction for the organization based upon decades of experience in energy efficiency," DiNola said.
 
Learn more about the NBI Board
Momentum for zero net energy is building: Join us at the 2016 National Forum and catch a free webinar

The energy industry is experiencing fundamental shift as policymakers work more aggressively to curb carbon emissions through climate action planning. Improving the energy performance of buildings, which are responsible for roughly 70% of energy consumed in the U.S. and 40% of carbon emissions, is a critical strategy in these efforts. As a result, interest in ultra-efficient and zero net energy (ZNE) buildings is growing and will be the topic of the 2016 Getting to Zero National Forum on Oct. 12-14 in Denver. Hosts NBI and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) invite designers, policymakers, owners, operators, commercial building real estate professionals and others to come and share the innovative approaches that are creating successful ZNE projects. Attendees will collaborate on efforts to catalyze the future of these ultra-efficient buildings that consume no more energy than is produced onsite through renewable resources.
 
 
Don't miss the final two webinars of 2015-16 Getting to Zero Series
We are finishing up our 2015-2016 Getting to Zero Webinar series with two very important parts of the zero net energy equation: scaling to district solutions, and how policies impact regional and sometimes international borders. Join us for these free sessions. 1.5 AIA CEUs are available for each.
 
Beyond a Building: Portfolios, Prototypes and Districts
Wed, Apr 20, 2016 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM PDT
With almost 5 million commercial buildings in the U.S., the path to zero energy must include approaches that scale across common ownership, physical areas and prototypes. This session addresses how, where and why portfolios, districts, and developments are joining together to get to zero.
 
ZNE Policies within and Across Borders
Wed, May 18, 2016 10:00 AM - 11:30 PM PDT
The adoption of net zero policies are extending across regions, countries, and through government. This session will highlight the adoption reasons, efforts and planned impacts from European, Pacific Coast, Army and GSA net zero policies and action plans.
Webinars feature whole-building approach to building retrofits
 
Deep energy retrofits in existing buildings could save a potential of $1 trillion in energy savings over 10 years with adequate investment, according to Deutsche Bank. National Grid is offering a free three-part webinar series on whole-building approaches to efficiency retrofits that achieve at least 30% energy savings. Success with this kind of project requires more than "widget-based" retrofits that focus on one-item upgrades to buildings. More information and links to register for this series is below.

Webinar 1: Deep Energy Retrofits - Vision, Goals and Process
Available On Demand     View now 
This first webinar of a three-part series was held on April 7 and in now available on demand. It focused on Vision, Goals and Process in Deep Energy Retrofits addressing how the design approach to these projects must differ from high performance new construction projects, how to identify good candidates for deep energy retrofits and the tools and resources available.
 
Webinar 2: Deep Energy Retrofits - Best Practices in Technologies and Strategies
Thursday, May 5 10-11 am PDT/1-2 pm EDT      Register 
This second webinar of the three-part series will focus on Technologies and Strategies in Deep Energy Retrofits. The webinar will address the common elements of nearly all deep energy retrofits, how to choose an approach to match the strengths and weaknesses of the building and common deep energy retrofit technologies and strategies.  
 
Webinar 3: Deep Energy Retrofits - Getting to Zero Net Energy
Thursday, June 1 10-11 am PDT/1-2 pm EDT   Register
This third webinar of the three-part series will focus on Technologies and Strategies in Deep Energy Retrofits. The webinar will address how to assess the suitability of a deep energy retrofit project for ZNE, what it takes to take a deep energy retrofit to zero net energy, and the role of operations in achieving that goal.
NBI in the news

Buildings Can Be Much Greener 
California Building News (3/2016) Read Article

Radiant Products Aim for Efficiency, Sustainability 
theNEWS  (2/2016)  Read article

Constructing college, university buildings wisely: Codes and standards 
Consulting Specifying Engineer (12/2015) Read article  
Where we'll be

Connect with NBI staff at these events:

Jim Edelson
and Sean Denniston will be in
Louisville, Kentucky at various times for the
2016 International Code Council Committee Action Hearings, April 17 - April 27.

Sean will also be presenting at the Building Energy Simulation Forum: Stay Ahead of
Advancing Energy Codes with the Advanced Buildings New Construction Guide,
April 20 in Portland, Oregon.   

Ralph DiNola will be presenting Thursday, April 21, 2016 in in Maynard, Massachusetts for
CHPS Training: Solutions for Green Schools in Massachusetts
. 

Alexi Miller will be at the CABA Forum in San Diego, April 27,
presenting ZNE Buildings and Controls.
Join us at NBI partner events
 
Living Future unConference
May 11-13 | Seattle, WA - Westin Seattle

Living Future is the forum for leading minds in the green building movement seeking solutions to the most daunting global issues of our time. This year's three-day conference will focus on the diverse layers of Truth + Transparency. 
Out-of-the-ordinary learning and networking formats lend to the design strategies and cutting-edge technical information that abounds at Living Future. Come celebrate a decade of innovation and experience the unConference. 

Green California Summit & Expo
 April 21-22 | Sacramento Convention Center

The Green California Summit provides a forum where innovations in policy, technology and practice can be showcased and shared. For those who are responsible for creating and managing programs for state and local government and educational institutions, it provides an annual opportunity to find out what's new and what is working. For companies it offers a chance to build relationships with decision makers from the nation's largest marketplace for green products and services. Register today


New Buildings Institute | 623 SW Oak Street | Portland | OR | 97205