CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

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WEEK 3

ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES FOR BUILDINGS:

PART 1

WEEK 3: LEARNING GOALS

Differentiate between operational measures, retrofit opportunities and

transformative technologies

Describe how each of the three categories of energy efficiency

improvements can impact the physical plant, energy costs and cash flow

Give examples of energy efficiency improvement measures for each of the

main building systems and in each of the three categories

Understand how to assemble an energy audit team and how to strategically

guide the audit process

WEEK 3: READINGS
The Energy Management Handbook (Turner & Doty)
Chapter 5: Boilers and Fired Systems
Chapter 10: HVAC Systems
Chapter 13: Lighting
Laws of the City of New York
Local Law 84: Benchmarking Energy & Water Use
Local Law 87: Energy Audits & Retro-Commissioning

Local Law 88: Lighting Upgrades & Sub-Metering

WHAT ARE THE THREE CATEGORIES OF

ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES?
Discussion
How do measures in
each of the three levels
differ?
How does each type of
measure impact the
physical plant, energy
costs and cash flow?

What specific measures

can be effected in each
of the three categories?

Operational

Retrocommissioning (RCx)
adjustment/optimization of existing
systems; performed when property hasnt
been previously commissioned

Ongoing commissioning typically

performed by in-house staff

Retrofits

Low-hanging fruit upgrades

Equipment replacement replace wornout/broken equipment with like (though

possibly more efficient) equipment

System changes changing basic design

and/or types of systems

Transformative new technologies

OPERATIONAL MEASURES:
BUILDING ENVELOPE
Basic Elements of the Exterior Wall
1.

Exterior Cladding (Natural or

Synthetic)

2.

Drainage Plane(s)

3.

Air Barrier System(s)

4.

Vapor Retarder(s)

5.

Insulating Element(s)

6.

Structural Elements

Measures:

Reduce air infiltration via

weatherization techniques

Source: Whole Building Design Guide: http://www.wbdg.org/design/env_wall.php

OPERATIONAL MEASURES: ELECTRICAL

Lighting

Switch to energy-efficient bulbs and ballasts

Add reflective devices
Delamp reduce the total number of lamps/bulbs
Add daylighting controls and lighting sensors

Comprehensive lighting upgrade strategy whole system approach

Source: ESBUP, pg. 74

OPERATIONAL MEASURES: ELECTRICAL

Motors

HVAC

Reduce operating time (turn off unnecessary equipment)

Optimize motor systems by using control to match motor
output with demand
Use variable speed drives for air and water distribution
Install energy-efficient motors

Set up/back thermostat temperatures

Test and adjust outdoor air quantities
Improve boiler efficiency
Indoor water management

Use water-saving plumbing fixtures and appliances (toilets,

faucets, showerheads, dishwashers, clothes washers, etc.)
Eliminate leaks in pipes and fixtures

WHERE DO RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES

EXIST?
Building envelope
Window replacement high-performance windows
High expense; generally when windows are reaching end-of-life
Solar shade systems block direct sun from entering the building
Can be fixed, glazing tints or films or mechanical systems
Strategic insulation
High expense; can be cost-effective to add for building surfaces
without any thermal insulation, or in specific locations
Remedy uncontrolled air infiltration beyond simple weatherization
Air-seal envelope components and/or restore building
pressurization
Re-skinning full replacement of curtain wall faades
High expense, generally when curtain wall is reaching end-of-life
Double-skin faades popular in advanced designs in Europe
Allows for various operating modes, using wall as plenum,
controlled opening of exterior skin, occupant opening of exterior
skin, etc.

WHERE DO RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES

EXIST?
HVAC
Ventilation control of outside air intake and uncontrolled air infiltration
Demand controlled ventilation (DCV)
Remedy uncontrolled air infiltration by restoring building
pressurization
Variable air volume (VAV) systems can be used
Heat recovery uses available heat before it is rejected from the building
Recover heat from exhaust-air, steam condensate, boilers,
refrigeration condenser, etc.
Heat pumps can be used to boost temperature of recoverable heat
When combined with a heat recovery system, may allow for use of
smaller replacement HVAC systems
Central cooling plants
Install energy-efficient chillers to replace older, inefficient models
Energy management control system (EMCS)
Control and reduce facility energy consumption by continuously
monitoring energy use of various equipment and making appropriate
adjustments

WHAT ARE TRANSFORMATIVE

NEW TECHNOLOGIES?
Building envelope
Electrochromic window glazing
Changes tint in response to environmental signals (sunlight)
via an electric current
Building-integrated photovoltaics
Can generate electricity while absorbing solar radiation and
reducing heat-gain through the building envelope
HVAC

Heat recovery
Technologies such as rotary heat wheels and heat pipes
Desiccant-based cooling systems
Can be used in buildings with large dehumidification loads
during long periods (e.g., hospitals, swimming pools,
supermarket fresh produce areas)

WHAT ARE TRANSFORMATIVE

NEW TECHNOLOGIES?
Geothermal heat pumps
Take advantage of the heat stored underground to condition
building spaces
Thermal energy storage (TES) systems
Allows for the use of less expensive off-peak power to produce
cooling or heating to condition the building during on-peak periods
Cogeneration
Although not a new technology, recent improvements in combined
thermal and electrical efficiency make cogeneration cost-effective
in several applications
Light Pipe Technologies
Daylighting technology that pipes light from roof or wall-mounted
collectors to interior spaces that are not close to windows or
skylights

WHO SHOULD BE ON THE AUDIT TEAM?

Simple buildings may be audited by one expert examining all energyusing systems as well as the building envelope; while larger and more
complex buildings require collaboration between a variety of disciplines:

Building envelope expert or construction engineer

Mechanical engineer
Electrical systems expert
Controls systems expert
Energy modeler
Other specialists for specialized building functions (e.g.,
compressed air, food service, pools, labs, healthcare facilities)
Professionals with commissioning and measurement and
verification (M&V) expertise

DOES AN ENERGY AUDITOR NEED TO BE

CERTIFIED?
Auditors typically come from engineering, architecture, science and
construction backgrounds, as there is no common industry standard at
this time. However, emerging certifications include:

Certified Energy Auditor (Association of Energy Engineers)

Certified Energy Manager (Association of Energy Engineers)

Building Energy Assessment Professional (ASHRAE)

High-Performance Building Design Professional Certification

(ASHRAE)

Multi-Family and Commercial Building Analyst (Building

Performance Institute)

HOW DO YOU STRATEGICALLY GUIDE THE

AUDIT TEAM?
Which buildings do you analyze?
Entire portfolio
Representative samples
Lowest performing buildings
Provide critical information
Programmatic, conditioning, occupancy, scheduling and other
performance requirements
Leases and tenant requirements
Economic constraints on implementing potential energy efficiency
measures (e.g., required payback, ROI, NPV or other criteria)
Direct site staff, contractors and building occupants to cooperate
fully with energy assessment team

Prioritize the most promising avenues; strategies will vary

depending on your objectives and major areas of opportunity

WEEK 3: IN-CLASS EXERCISES

Your readings this week included three pieces of legislation that the City of
New York has enacted in recent years to promote greater energy efficiency.
In 1-2 pages, describe the City's strategies, and explain its frameworks for
the benchmarking of energy use, retro-commissioning of commercial
properties, and performing lighting upgrades.
Then consider: Is local regulation the most effective approach to
establishing performance baselines for building energy use? How else
might some of the same goals be achieved? Do the CNU's Canons have any
power to effect change? Is legislation required?

WEEK 3: HOMEWORK
Carefully choose any property from the AEP Portfolio. (You will be
working with this property, again, in future assignments, so choose
one that you like!) Describe how two different energy efficiency
improvement strategies would line up with your chosen asset strategy
for the property as determined by your placement of the building in
the AEP Real Estate Matrix. Consider:
When would you want to undertake a major system change (e.g.,
replacement of HVAC, electrical, or other building-wide systems?)
When would you focus instead on operational improvements?

Do you have enough data about the property to make confident

decisions? If not, what else would help?