Contact Info/Tracks

• Track 1: Building Envelope

  What is the role of building envelope in achieving net zero energy design? Topics for consideration include: constructability issues of using increased insulation; toxic, embodied energy/carbon footprint, and GWP of foam insulations and alternates to using them; Passiv Haus approach: high insulation and very tight buildings; appropriate IAQ standards with advanced building envelopes; advanced analysis of building assemblies and thermal bridging; how energy target approaches to design affect envelope design; next step in envelope design: WUFI and hygrothermal analysis; how new T-24 standards will affect envelope design in CA; improving performance of existing building envelopes; reduced or eliminated mechanical systems as a result of building envelope improvements; and climate specific envelope solutions/designs.

• Track 2: Building Occupant Behavior

  High performance buildings require different interactions between building technologies and people than have been standard practice. For example, passive ventilation strategies may require people to use their operable windows at certain times. Building automation systems and controls may require specific attention and response from building operators. This track provides case studies of successful designs and interventions where people and technology came together to produce high quality environments. We showcase examples that exemplify persistent and significant benefits to occupants with low-energy performance.

• Track 3: Building Performance Modeling

  To achieve the low energy consumption goal for high performance building designs, energy modeling is a powerful tool to evaluate the relative energy saving potentials of various measures. It also plays a critical role to guide the design team to make informed and integrated design decisions through the project design phases. When coupled with investment financial analysis, energy modeling and cost-effectiveness analyses can be used to optimize a design package. This track focuses on the real world experience to use energy modeling as an effective tool to influence and guide the high performance building design process.

• Track 4: Building Performance Measurement

  In recent years, many new buildings are designed and constructed throughout the country in an effort to significantly reduce overall building energy usage for high performance buildings.  Many times, however, the resultant system savings fail to meet projected expectations. This track focuses on strategies and technologies to measure the building performance and case studies with implementation of these strategies and technologies that have either exceeded, met, or fell short of the anticipated savings.  This track also explores how the metered data are used to calibrate energy models to improve the energy saving impact estimate.

• Track 5: Case Studies and Lessons Learned

  In recent years, a number of innovative design/control strategies and technologies have been employed in an effort to significantly reduce overall building energy and water usage for high performance buildings. This track focuses on high performance building case studies where implementation of these strategies and technologies have exceeded, met, or fallen short of the expectations. Discussion of the design, evaluation, and decision-making process, as well as lessons learned from both the design and construction phases are presented.

• Track 6: Daylighting

  What is the role of daylighting in reducing lighting and HVAC loads in net zero energy buildings? Topics for consideration include: increasing daylight autonomy without compromising visual comfort/glare; balancing heat gain and daylighting; relationship between daylighting and task/ambient lighting; relationship between daylighting and control systems; retrofitting existing buildings for better daylighting; using advanced tools for daylighting design and optimizing shading systems and light shelves for appropriate daylighting; use of advanced glazing; and, commissioning (i.e.) lighting controls for improved daylight harvesting.

• Track 7: Indoor Environmental Quality Strategies

  Building designers understand the relationship between occupant comfort and productivity.  It stands to reason that high performance buildings favor high performance occupants.  The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) track aims to educate attendees on the latest strategies to improve ventilation, temperature and humidity control, lighting and space layout without compromising the overall efficiency of the building systems.  The IEQ track is interested in topics such as energy recovery in ventilation, demand control ventilation strategies, daylight harvesting, low emitting materials and furniture, natural ventilation, applications of ASHRAE Standards 55 and 62.

• Track 8: Low Energy Techniques

  Energy efficiency is a high environmental and financial priority. Building energy efficiency means more than energy efficient HVAC and lighting design. Low energy techniques include plug loads, transportation loads and renewable energy. The review of low-energy building design, implementation and operation will help our industry improve our low energy techniques. Comparing modeled low energy techniques and reviewing actual low energy project performance shown through case studies illustrates the challenges of achieving low energy operation.

• Track 9: Market Value (ROI)

  High performing buildings have been demonstrated to bring higher rents and property valuations.  What do we know about the drivers of this valuation increase?  Is reduced energy use and lower operating cost the primary driver, or are other environmental rating attributes more important for investors and financial decision makers?  This track includes presentations on these topics, and seeks non-technical real estate market actors who can provide their views on this topic.

• Track 10: New Building Technologies

  This track discusses the new and emerging building energy efficiency technology industry, including the technology innovation and commercialization pipeline.  Utilities and venture capitalists have become key industry drivers for sponsoring and developing the latest emerging technologies, and have been providing the high performance buildings industry with an ever-growing list of new design and operations opportunities.  This track also covers promising new technology start-ups that have provided a welcome source of product innovation to help support the every growing high performance buildings industry.

• Track 11: Operating for High Performance

  It’s one thing to design a net zero energy building on paper, or even to construct the building keeping true to the design intent. It’s another thing altogether to operate the building annually as a net zero energy building. Bridging the gap between the design intent and the actual operation of a net zero energy building – or the handoff – can be the most challenging part of the net zero energy delivery process.  This track covers emerging best practices from the field of high performance and net zero energy building performance operators, including strategies for how to best align operational realities with net zero design expectations.

• Track 12: Plug Load Reduction Strategies

  Plug load is a major contributor to the total building energy usage. Statistics show that almost 25% of the total building energy consumption is attributable to plug load. Reducing and optimizing this load is a challenge in many high performance buildings. Several new technologies and approaches have been implemented by design teams over the past several years to reduce energy and demand on plug loads. This discussion focuses on plug load reduction strategies and technologies implemented that have either exceeded, met, or fell short of the anticipated energy and demand savings.

• Track 13: Policy/Benchmarking

  A variety of different policy instruments are being used to move the market toward more energy efficient, high performance buildings.  Many of these policies have significantly increased the market penetration of green, high performance buildings, but it is not as clear whether the improved design intent of these buildings is delivering the desired performance improvements.  This track examines several innovative policies and policy packages to drive building energy efficient design and operation, and will review the effectiveness in delivering measured post-occupancy performance improvements.

• Track 14: Water Efficiency Strategies

  Conservation of water continues to receive considerable attention by building users and owners.  This track focuses on traditional and new and innovative strategies used to enhance water efficiency in buildings. These strategies may include efficient water use by employing low flow water fixtures, electronic sensors for starting and stopping of water flow, timing and controller equipment valves, etc.  In addition, presentations that may include strategies to improve water quality in potable water, recovery and use of graywater for on-site applications, e.g. landscaping irrigation, water treatment and recycling, and use of more efficient cooling towers.

Conference Steering Committee

• Kent Peterson, Chair
• Mo Hosni, Vice Chair
• Devin Abellon
• Senthil kumar Arunachalam
• Glenn Friedman
• Adam Hinge
• Bing Liu
• Christopher Payne
• Shanti Pless
• Joel Primeau
• Henry Siegel

Staff Support

For information on the technical program, special events, special sessions and general conference inquiries
Tiffany D. Cox
Conference Program Administrator
Email: tcox@ashrae.org

Technical Support

For technical problems or for help in submitting an abstract online, email Tech Support

Submission Process

Call for Presenters/Posters

The conference program will have a mix of invited speakers and a call for presenters. In addition, there will be a poster session on “Measured Performance” and “Modeled Performance”.

The submission process consists of 7 steps.

1. Track
   You will be asked to choose which track you are submitting to.
2. Title
   Enter the title of your paper, and your email address so that you can receive a submission confirmation email.
   You will also be asked to indicate whether this paper has been previously submitted. If you choose, you can enter the name of your intended session chair, if your paper is to be part of a planned session. You may also optionally enter a techncial committee.
3. Author
   You will be required to enter a presenting author, and may additionally enter co-authors.
4. Review Abstract
   Provide details about the subject presentation (300 words minimum, 500 words maximum).
5. Short Abstract for Promotion
   Provide a short abstract of what your presentation will cover (100 words or less). This abstract will be used in the conference program or posted online.
6. Objectives:
   Please include at least 2 Learning Objectives for the entire session. The Learning Objectives should complete the statement, "After attending this session, the attendees will be able to..." All Learning Objectives need to be addressed by the speakers. The Learning Objectives should use measurable verbs such as "Explain," "Describe," "Distinguish," "Design," "Apply," etc., such as the example below:
   • Define Smart Grid functions, objectives and architecture
   • Describe how the Smart Grid affects building operations
   • Provide an overview of Smart Grid projects in North America
   • Describe the federal policies and regulations promoting the Smart Grid
   • Explain how building operators can obtain access to their energy use and usage profile information
   • Describe how to use electricity use/profile information to reduce energy costs through features such as alerts, billing histories, graphs, usage histories for budgeting
7. Method of Assessment
   Please include at least 4 questions and answers for the entire session based on the Learning Objectives and what will be covered within the speakers' presentations.
8. Confirmation
   You will be asked to review all the information you have entered. Please make sure that everything is correct, then click the Conclude button.

Schedule

This is the overall submission schedule for the High Performance Buildings Conference, San Francisco. For specific details and questions regarding these dates, please contact the appropriate Track Chair.

Call for Presenters Schedule
November 15, 2013	Notifications of accepted abstracts
December 13, 2013	Speaker acceptance forms due
March 17, 2014	Presentations due

Call for Posters Schedule
February 21, 2014	PDF of posters due
February 28, 2014	Notification of poster acceptance

Accommodations

Hotel Information

Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf

555 North Point Street

San Francisco, CA 94133

Phone: 402-592-6464 / 888-421-1442 (ask for ASHRAE Group rate)

Booking Website:

https://resweb.passkey.com/go/AMSO1

Rates

Single Occupancy $189 Triple Occupancy $214

Double Occupancy $189 Quad Occupancy $239

Rates listed are non-commissionable and are subject to a Hotel Occupancy Tax of 14.065% and an additional 1.5% Tourism Improvement District Assessment.

Poster Guidelines

• Below, you can find the appropriate template for creating your poster.
  • Measured Performance
    • Illustrator CS5
    • Illustrator Cs6
    • Illustrator 10
    • Photoshop
    • InDesign CS6
  • Modeled Performance
    • Illustrator CS5
    • Illustrator Cs6
    • Illustrator 10
    • Photoshop
    • InDesign CS6
• Click here for guidelines on preparing your poster.

Learning Objectives and Q&A

ASHRAE submits its conference technical program for approval for NY PDHs, AIA Learning Units and GBCI LEED-AP continuing education credits. Among the requirements for approval are Learning Objectives and Questions and Answers for each of the sessions.

As a part of the submittal process, please include at least 2 Learning Objectives and 4 Questions with Answers.

Following are examples of each:

Learning Objectives: The Learning Objectives should complete the statement, "After attending this session, the attendees will be able to…" Learning Objectives need to be addressed by the speakers and should use measurable verbs such as "Explain," "Describe," "Distinguish," "Design," "Apply," etc., such as the example below:

1. Define Smart Grid functions, objectives and architecture
2. Describe how the Smart Grid affects building operations

Method of Assessment (Q&A): Please include questions with answers based on the Learning Objectives and what will be covered within the Seminar.

Example:

Q1.Is 55F the desired coil leaving air temperature in Florida?
A1. No. Not enough moisture is removed from the airstream at 55 LAT.

Q2. Would you use a humidifier in a Florida Lab?
A2. Yes - for 100% Outside Air systems because it reaches less than 30% RH for periods of time which impact powdery substances.