Sunday, June 25, 2017: 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
Net Zero Energy Buildings: The International Race to 2030
Chair:
William Murphy, Ph.D., P.E., University of Kentucky
Technical Committee: 6.8 Geothermal Heat Pump and Energy Recovery Applications
The New Buildings Institute evaluated over 200 documented net zero and ultra low energy buildings and found that geothermal heat pumps were commonly used to minimize the energy utilization index and reduce the number of solar panels. Designers of net zero energy building systems will share their design techniques that implement geothermal technologies in schools and commercial buildings to achieve net zero energy use.
1 Big Data on a Net Zero Energy Building
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Benjamin Skelton, P.E., Cyclone Energy Group |
The Walgreens Net Zero Energy store in Evanston, Illinois opened in November of 2013 and now has over three years of operating data. The project incorporated an innovative heat pump technology with a vertical well geo-exchange system and a central heat pump system that provides chilled water, heating hot water and services the refrigeration cabinets. Detailed performance data has been collected on the building and the geo-exchange field. This study explores the benefit of the geo-exchange system and the lessons learned from operating a net zero energy building. The project won a 2016 ASHRAE Technology Award.
2 Evolution of Zero Energy Geothermal Schools from 2010 to 2016
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Ken Seibert, P.E., CMTA Inc. |
The first documented net zero energy school in the United States was Richardsville Elementary in Warren County, Kentucky. One of the latest net zero energy schools is Discovery Elementary in Arlington, Virginia. This presentation addresses how geothermal heating and cooling was used to reduce the building energy requirements in these two schools and how net zero energy designs have evolved in this short period of time.
3 Use of Geothermal and Biofuels to Reach Net Zero in a Northern Public Transit Center
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Erin McConahey, P.E., Arup |
The Olver Transit Center in Greenfield, Massachusetts is the first net zero public transportation center, using geothermal heat pumps, a 7300 sq ft ground mounted PV system and an on-site wood pellet boiler. The geothermal and pellet boiler are supplemented by air preheating with a solar wall and energy heat recovery. It includes office space on the second floor and is designed to also serve future rail service.
4 Geothermal Design for a 24/7/365 Net Zero Police Station
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Spivey Lipsey, P.E., CMTA Engineers |
The new Cincinnati, OH police station completed in late 2015 was intended to be a design-build LEED silver, but the winning bid showed that a net zero building could be built within the available budget. Forty geothermal bores with decentralized low-head pumps and 2-speed heat pump units greatly reduced the HVAC energy usage. Water-to-water heat pumps are used for domestic hot water and garage underslab heating to balance annual heat rejection and extraction. The building is always open for business and includes fitness/locker facilities, public spaces, offices and classrooms and a garage for police cruisers, each with unique IAQ requirements.