EA Flashcards
EA acronym
Energy & Atmosphere
EA overall purpose
Addresses energy use holistically looking at
Energy-efficient design strategies
Energy use reduction
Renewable energy sources
EA facts
A large portion of current energy production comes from fossil fuels: coal, oil & Natural Gas
Extended intense use of fossil fuels has led to
Escalating market prices due to uncertain supplies
Destructive extraction processes
National security vulnerability
This is not sustainable. Buildings use 40% of total energy produced in the US and are a major contributor to these problems.
Energy Efficiency Design
prioritizes the reduction of overall energy needs through the use of:
Climate appropriate building materials Glazing selection Building Orientation Natural Ventilation Passive Heating and Cooling Strategies High Efficiency HVAC systems Smart controls Purchase of “green power” or onsite renewable energy
CxA
Commissioning Authority (CxA) A 3rd Party brought in to verify: design functions as intended, meets owner’s requirements, helps reduce wasted energy Prevents long term maintenance issues. Climate appropriate building materials Glazing selection Building Orientation Natural Ventilation Passive Heating and Cooling Strategies High Efficiency HVAC systems Smart controls Purchase of “green power” or onsite renewable energy
DR
The reduction of fossil fuel use is not limited to buildings only. Enrolling projects in demand response programs can increase electric grid efficiency.
Demand Response (DR) programs allow utility companies to decrease in buildings electricity usage during peak times effectively reducing the demand on the grid activity to construct new power plants.
EA core concepts
Energy efficiency and demand:
Understand energy criteria
Save energy
Measure the performance of energy related systems
The supply of energy
Buy offsite renewable energy
Generate on-site renewable energy
EA recognition
Energy star program:
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary EPA program that delivers environmental benefits and financial value through superior energy efficiency.
Target Finder Rating tool:
A no-cost online tool that enables architects and building owners to set energy targets and receive a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) energy performance score for projects during the design process.
EA incentives
Private sector: lower risk and lower premiums for property insurance Social responsibility of corporations Availability of Monday The public sector: Tax rebates and credits Incentive for development Expedited plan review and permit processing Technology-based measures
EA strategies
Utilized typical energy use patterns for various building types
Use statistical databases such as performance-based or prescriptive approaches
Use code based energy models
Consider building a orientation and envelope performance
Use EnergyStar appliances and energy efficient equipment
Track building energy performance through commissioning monitoring and verification
Generate on site renewable energy
Use passive solar energy, dental ventilation and passive cooling
Buy offsite renewable energy
EA prerequisites
Fundamental commissioning for building energy systems
Minimum energy performance
Fundamental refrigerant management
EA credits
Enhanced commissioning
Optimized energy performance
Advanced energy metering
Demand response
Renewable energy production
Enhanced refrigerant management
Green power and carbon offsets
EAP: fundamental commissioning and verification
Commissioning (Cx) verifies the building systems perform as intended and that objectives and goals are met.
Well-executed Cx process often leads to
Improved planning and coordination
Fewer system deficiencies in change orders
Fever corrective actions implemented during construction
Reduced energy consumption during building operations
Lower operating costs
Improved occupant health
EAP: Minimum energy performance
Buildings optimized through early integrated energy performance design can:
Improve thermal comfort Improve indoor air quality Improve access to daylight Lower operating and maintenance costs Reduce energy use through Smart operational strategies Improved mechanical system efficiency Load reductions
EAP: Minimum energy performance
two approaches for compliance
Prescriptive approach:
Limited set of choices with mandatory performance characteristics
Simplified approach for straightforward buildings with standard systems
Appropriate for smaller budgets, simple projects.
Performance approach:
Energy modeling is used to simulate the overall energy performance of the building
Project teams can evaluate complex systems and make efficiency trade-offs between components and systems– Not possible in prescriptive approach
What standard does USGBC use?
USGBC uses ASHRAE 90.1-2010 as the standard on which to base requirements
On average it is 18% more efficient than the 90.1 - 2007 standard
EAP: minimum energy performance
requirement
Demonstrate an improvement of
5% for new construction,
3% for major renovations, or
2% for core and shell projects
EAP: building-level energy metering
Allows building operators to: Track energy consumption overtime Analyze usage pattern variations Develop measures for energy conservation performance
Buildings often have discrepancies between projected and actual performance
USGBC gathers and analyzes performance data, identifies common traits among high and low performers by comparing building performance across the LEED portfolio, and then shares the results to assist LEED registrants in improving their buildings design
CFCs
Some refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) contribute to stratospheric ozone layer depletion.
Damage to the marine foodchain
Ecological effects: reduced crop yields
Human health problems: skin cancer
1987 Montréal Protocol established an international agreement to phase out the use of CFCs and other harmful substances by 1995.
HCFCs
Both CFCs and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are factors in ozone depletion, however only CFCs are addressed by this prerequisite.
EAC: enhanced commissioning
Enhance commissioning provides owners additional verification and oversight that the building will meet their requirements and expectations during occupancy.
Post-construction verification visits and training are some of the enhancements that help ongoing quality building operations and control
MBCx
Monitoring – based commissioning (MBCx) supplies the operators, the CxA, and building owner with a constant flow of information to help them identify operational issues in real-time, saving energy consumption, money, and time over the lifetime of building.
BECx
Building envelope commissioning (BECx) is the other option in this credit to verify and test the buildings thermal envelope to achieve less energy expenditure and better building performance over its lifecycle.
EAC: optimize energy performance
Approach used in Preq must also be used here:
Prescriptive approach:
50% of ASHRAE 90.1-2010 levels: 1-6 pts
Performance approach
Energy modeling is used to simulate the overall energy performance of the building
Process energy
Energy required for refrigeration, cooking, laundry, circulation (elevators and escalators), computers, miscellaneous plug loads, msc. pumps etc. User selected systems.
Regulated (non-process) energy
Energy required for HVAC, exhaust fans and vent hoods, interior and exterior lights, water heating. Architect/Engineer/Builder selected systems.
Regulated (non-process) energy
Energy required for HVAC, exhaust fans and vent hoods, interior and exterior lights, water heating. Architect/Engineer/Builder selected systems.
CHP
cogeneration
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems: Capture the heat that would be wasted in the process of generating electricity via fossil fuels. Much more efficient than separate systems. Aka: Cogeneration
They reduce peak demand
Generate fewer emissions
Reduce loss in electricity transmission and distribution
Release electrical grid capacity for other uses
EAC: advanced energy metering
Install advanced energy metering for the following:
all whole-building energy sources used by the building;
any individual energy end uses that represent 10% or more of the total annual consumption of the building.
EAC: advanced energy metering
requirements
Required characteristics:
permanently installed.
record at intervals of one hour or less, and
transmit data to a remote location
Must record consumption, demand & power factor, if appropriate.
Stores at least 36 months of Data
Must be remotely accessible.
Report hourly, daily, monthly, and annual energy use
EAC: demand response
A sudden change in temperature or large scale activity in an urban area can cause sudden dramatic increases in HAVC use requiring large amounts of power immediately.
Utility companies have to respond quickly to keep the system operating reliably, in balance and below a reasonable cost.
DR
Demand response (DR) strategies encourage reduction of electricity usage in peak demand hours and help utilities optimize their supply-side delivery systems and energy generation.
EAC: demand repsonse
strategies
Tiered demand electricity pricing Energy is more expensive at peak times incentivizing users to stop using power during those hours.
Incentive programs reward commercial customers for agreeing to adjust their usage patterns when they receive and alert known as a DR event, or curtailment event, typically to the building automation system or a building operator- only during certain hours.
EAC: renewable energy production
Renewable energy can offer environmental benefits of reduced carbon emissions & air pollution.
On-site renewable energy production protects projects from reliance on the grid and energy price volatility while reducing energy transmission loss.
EAC: enhanced refrigerant management
Credit deals with two main threats caused by refrigerants:
Global warming potential (GWP)
Ozone depletion potential (ODP)
HCFC & CFCs and some other substances used in refrigerants or factors that cause stratospheric ozone layered depletion and have huge impact as a greenhouse gas.
Example: HCFC-22 is1,780 times the potency of an equal amount of CO2 in terms of its contribution to greenhouse effect.
Increased energy use must be balanced with pollution potential when specifying refrigerants. HFC-410 and the other newer refrigerant alternatives to CFCs and HCFCs have lower GWP but may require more energy which affects climate.
EAC: green power and carbon offsets
Buildings using the renewable power to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) to create renewable energy market demand.
Carbon offsets let companies or buildings fund:
energy efficiency projects,
methane abatement,
reforestation or Land use changes
…to remove carbon from the atmosphere or decrease carbon emissions.
RECs
renewable energy certificates
OPR
Owner project requirements
