BESL

Bro

oks E

nerg

y &

Su

sta

inab

ilit

y L

abCertified Green

Buildings: Why and How

Kristin Heinemeier, Ph.D, P.E.

Technical DirectorBrooks Energy and Sustainability

Lab

kristin-h@tamu.edu

What is “Sustainability”?

“We are not inheriting this world from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children.”

Will we leave our children more than our parents left us?

Impact of Buildings

1/3 of energy use, 2/3 of electricity12% of fresh water supplies88% of potable water supplies40% of raw materials1/3 of municipal solid waste36% of anthropogenic CO246% of SO2, 19% of NOx20% of US EconomyPlus… health effects on occupants manufacturing of bldg components,

appliances, paper, computers, … transportation to and from bldgs: auto

manufacturing, oil (foreign policy?), pollution, land use (streets, highways, parking lots, gas stations…)

Manhattan Open Space

What are bldg professionals to do?

Question: Are we part of the problem or part of the solution?

Answer: More and more, the latter.

Bldg Sustainability Considerations

Energy efficiencyWater efficiencyIndoor environmental qualityRecyclingLocal or recycled building materials Construction processesLandscapingTransportation

Costs and Financial Benefits

Report to California Sustainable Building Task Force, 10/03Study of 33 Sustainable buildings about $4/sqft premium in cost,

mostly due to increased A/E costs for integration

Net Present Value significantly higher:

Energy: $6/sqft Emissions: $1/sqft O&M: $8/sqft Productivity and Health: $37/sqft Cost Premium: ($4/sqft) Total NPV: $49/sqft

Need for a Rating System

To assist in specifying sustainabilityTo provide a guide for designing and assessing buildingsTo recognize those who build sustainable buildingsTo avoid “greenwashing”To educate building owners and the industry

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (a non-profit coalition of individuals, businesses, and other organizations representing the building industry) Consensus-based Point System Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum

Self-Assessing No “LEED Police”, no inspections High production-value

documentation Some calculations, modeling,

plans, certification

LEED Family of Products

New Construction and Major Renovation (v 2.1)Existing Buildings (pilot)Core and Shell (pilot)Commercial Interiors (pilot)Homes (in progress)Multiple Buildings (in progress)Lab Buildings (in progress)

Status of LEED Rating System

To date 126 Total Certified Projects 1534 Total Registered Projects 50 States with Projects 12 Countries with Projects 187,364,398 Gross Square

Feet of Projects

As of last October 51 certified ~500 registered

Status of LEED in Texas

5 certified59 registered (6.6M sqft)

Five Categories in the Rating

Indoor Environmental QualityWater Efficiency Sustainable Sites Materials and Resources Energy and Atmosphere

Project Checklist

Version 2.1 Registered Project Checklist

Yes ? No

Sustainable Sites 14 Points

Y Prereq 1 Erosion & Sedimentation Control Required

Credit 1 Site Selection 1

Credit 2 Development Density 1

Credit 3 Brownfield Redevelopment 1

Credit 4.1 Alternative Transportation, Public Transportation Access 1

Credit 4.2 Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms 1

Credit 4.3 Alternative Transportation, Alternative Fuel Vehicles 1

Credit 4.4 Alternative Transportation, Parking Capacity and Carpooling 1

Credit 5.1 Reduced Site Disturbance, Protect or Restore Open Space 1

Credit 5.2 Reduced Site Disturbance, Development Footprint 1

Credit 6.1 Stormwater Management, Rate and Quantity 1

Credit 6.2 Stormwater Management, Treatment 1

Credit 7.1 Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce Heat Islands, Non-Roof 1

Credit 7.2 Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce Heat Islands, Roof 1

Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction 1

Yes ? No

Water Efficiency 5 Points

Credit 1.1 Water Efficient Landscaping, Reduce by 50% 1

Credit 1.2 Water Efficient Landscaping, No Potable Use or No Irrigation 1

Credit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies 1

Credit 3.1 Water Use Reduction, 20% Reduction 1

Credit 3.2 Water Use Reduction, 30% Reduction 1

Yes ? No

Energy & Atmosphere 17 Points

Y Prereq 1 Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning Required

Y Prereq 2 Minimum Energy Performance Required

Y Prereq 3 CFC Reduction in HVAC&R Equipment Required

Credit 1 Optimize Energy Performance 1 to 10

Credit 2.1 Renewable Energy, 5% 1

Credit 2.2 Renewable Energy, 10% 1

Credit 2.3 Renewable Energy, 20% 1

Credit 3 Additional Commissioning 1

Credit 4 Ozone Depletion 1

Credit 5 Measurement & Verification 1

Credit 6 Green Power 1

Project NameCity, State

Sustainable Sites

Prerequisites: Erosion & Sedimentation Control

Credits: Site Selection Development Density Brownfield Redevelopment Alternative Transportation Reduced Site Disturbance Stormwater Management Heat Island Effect Light Pollution Reduction

Water Efficiency

Credits: Water Efficient Landscaping Innovative Wastewater

Technologies Water Use Reduction

Materials & Resources

Prerequisites: Storage & Collection of

Recyclables

Credits: Building Reuse Construction Waste

Management Resource Reuse Recycled Content Local/Regional Materials Rapidly Renewable Materials Certified Wood

Indoor Environmental Quality

Prerequisites: Minimum IAQ Performance Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)

Control

Credits: Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) Monitoring Ventilation Effectiveness Construction IAQ Management Plan Low-Emitting Materials Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source

Control Controllability of Systems Thermal Comfort Daylight & Views

Energy & Atmosphere

Prerequisites: Fundamental Building Systems

Commissioning Minimum Energy Performance CFC Reduction in HVAC&R

Equipment

Credits: Optimize Energy Performance Renewable Energy Additional Commissioning Ozone Depletion Measurement & Verification Green Power

the Role of HVAC&R Professionals

Energy and Atmosphere Credits

Energy efficient design Certification of compliance with

energy codes (ASHRAE Std. 90) Energy modeling Measurement and Verification Commissioning Refrigerants Renewable Energy

Indoor Air CO2 Monitoring Ventilation Effectiveness

Consulting, Research, PolicyEducation of Owners

Local Organizations

Metropolitan Partnership for Energy www.mp4e.info

USGBC Meets irregularly www.usgbc.org/chapters/centraltexas

Association of Energy Engineers Meets 4th Tuesday at lunch in San Marcos www.austinaee.org World Energy Engineering Congress in

Austin, Sept 22-24

ASHRAE Meets 3rd Tuesday in San Antonio www.alamoashrae.com

San Antonio Women Energy Associates Meets 1st Thursday at lunch in Alamo

Heights www.beslab.org/SAWEA

Resources

www.usgbc.org

www.aiatopten.org/hpb/

www.buildinggreen.com/

www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ highperformance/

maven.gtri.gatech.edu/sfi/

Thank you!

Questions?