This presentation provides an owner’s perspective on operating a net positive energy and water building. This includes an overview of the project, including goals, design, completion and operation of the building; the cultural shifts of staff who came from a traditional closed office environment and moved to a net zero open office environment; findings from formal polling about staff satisfaction that uncovered both the challenges and tangible benefits that have emerged since opening; and how building green has enhanced the organization’s mission.

This presentation provides the challenges and lessons from designing and operating a net zero energy building from an engineer’s perspective. This includes how daily energy reports and dashboards were used to diagnose problems; defining the energy implications of rainwater harvesting and how to further reduce that energy use; how operational data can inform assumptions for future designs; how to balance staff comfort with energy conservation; and the effectiveness of natural ventilation in mixed-humid climates.

This presentation highlights the results of an effort to evaluate energy and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) performance of a net zero energy building from occupants’ perspectives during its first year of operation. The assessment was performed based on the ASHRAE Performance Measurement Protocols (PMP) for Commercial Buildings. This includes an occupant IEQ satisfaction survey along with continuous measurements of selected energy and IEQ variables with occupancy. Lessons learned from the assessment are presented, including evidence that a net zero energy building can deliver high standards of comfort to their occupants.

As the demand for solar electric systems grows, design professionals are looking to add solar PV as an option for their customers. This session covers grid-tied PV systems and provides attendees a solid understanding of the various solar PV components such as PV modules & inverters, system sizing, array configuration, shading analysis and estimation of energy production of a solar system based on site specifics including orientation and tilt angle. Also, different mounting and tracking systems is covered.

Larger buildings electrical rates typically allocate the cost of electricity towards demand. The cost for demand can be similar or even exceed the cost of energy. Because of this, the economics for large buildings PV systems are less favorable when only the energy cost savings are considered. The rational to not attribute demand savings to the PV system have been that a cloud can reduce the output for 15 minutes and the peak for the month or year will be set. This presentation demonstrates that demand savings should be included in the economic analysis of PV systems.

The installed cost of solar photovoltaic installations has decreased significantly in the past decade. In some areas of the U.S.A. and many parts of the world, the long term 20 year cost of solar PV electricity is equal to or cheaper than the grid. However, the first cost hurdle must still be overcome by commercial projects. Tax credits, third party financing, third party ownership and other methods are discussed to give project design professionals a full understanding of the options available to move toward your Zero Net Energy Buildings.

Sustainability begins with preservation - maximizing the use of existing materials and infrastructure, reducing waste and preserving the historic character of older towns and cities. Land availability surrounding the locations/sites of most of historic and heritage buildings, original bioclimatic adaptability and currently available environmental technologies, including HVAC and mature technologies of renewable energies supply systems, can supplement inherent sustainable NZEB’s features without compromising the unique historic character. Presenting studies (Aviation Museum and Institute for Conservation) addresses methodologies, current knowledge and technologies use in refurbishment design process, as well as importance of relevant benchmarking, rating system and financing scheme development.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This seminar discusses lessons learned at Fort Huachuca over the past 35 years with various renewable systems, including indoor pool solar water heating; solar domestic hot water; grid connected PV; transpired air solar collectors; daylighting; PV outdoor lighting; a dish/Sterling solar thermal electric generation; building integrated PV; utility owned 13.6 MW (AC) PV; and organic Rankine cycle electrical generation.

The US Army requires that projects install solar thermal arrays to provide 30% of domestic hot water load when there is an economic payback. There are challenges, however, improperly sizing a system to meet these design loads and verifying that the system meets the requirements is not required. This presentation looks at an Army barracks that specified an array that would meet 70% of the domestic load but encountered many problems during commissioning and the first 6 months of operation. Lessons learned and recommendations for future projects are presented.

Passive house standard are among the highest in relationship with building envelope. Since building envelope is a key component in net zero buildings, many of the design procedure can also be applied to net zero buildings. This presentation covers the fundamentals and climate considerations with designing passive construction.

Pennsylvania State University’s GridSTAR Experience Center, located at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, features a near net zero energy building. A unique combination of building materials, construction methods, energy management strategies and renewable energy sources were employed to approach net zero. Research was conducted to evaluate building energy and envelope performance. The results of the measured building energy performance were compared to whole-building energy simulations and one-dimensional hygrothermal modeling. This presentation covers important envelope considerations and lessons learned to achieve near net zero energy residential buildings.

Net zero and passive buildings are intrinsically air tight. This can present challenges if the envelope and HVAC systems are not correctly designed. This presentation covers hygrothermal fundamentals as well as design and modeling considerations for building envelopes in passive and high efficiency buildings.

This presentation highlights the overall goals of Standard 90.1, specific goals set for 90.1-2016 edition. This presentation also covers the major changes of format, new climate zones, major changes in the envelope requirements and their applications in building design and construction.

This presentation covers the major changes in lighting and power requirements of 90.1-2016. The presentation also provides insights into appropriate application of the major new requirements so engineers and designers will receive a better understanding of the design changes needed to meet the new requirements.

This presentation covers the major changes in mechanical requirements of 90.1-2016, including equipment efficiency updates and system requirement changes.

Standard 90.1 has traditionally included two paths for compliance: the prescriptive path and performance path (also known as the Energy Cost Budget Method). The 2016 standard establishes a third path: a stable whole building performance method. This presentation provides an overview of this new fixed-baseline compliance path and explains its appropriate application and how this new path could encourage the innovative designs to eventually achieve net zero energy buildings. This presentation also summarizes the energy savings from Standard 90.1-2016. 

Design for affordability incorporates thoughtful floor plans, thermal envelope, water distribution systems and HVAC systems to minimize costs and maximize benefit to cost ratio. This presentation provides detailed information on key design elements of affordable high performance homes. Case studies of successful application of these principles in affordable ZNE homes are summarized, along with insights on creative approaches and challenges when trying to apply cost-effective solutions to real-world affordable new construction.

Turning zero energy ready homes into zero net energy homes, neighborhoods and communities can be facilitated or complicated by builder development strategies, community involvement, local ordinances and siting constraints. This presentation highlights cooperative and integrated design and siting strategies between developers and community agencies that can increase the penetration of affordable ZNE homes using guiding principles related to costs and benefits of sustainable development. Win/win/win combinations of individual home designs and community plot plans and infrastructure with high benefit-cost ratios for sustainable communities are highlighted, along with case studies of several new sustainable communities.

California has set goals that all new homes will be zero net energy (ZNE) by 2020 and new businesses will be ZNE by 2030. These goals drive California energy policy and building industry responses and influence regional and national initiatives. This presentation summarizes California's ZNE codes, standards and policies and their impact on the private sector and consumers and highlights challenges when trying to provide cost-effective ZNE homes. Examples of high performance buildings, design challenges, advanced available technology and ongoing efforts to provide breakthrough design options in response to the California ZNE goals are highlighted.

North American hospitals are high energy users due to their intense usage and environmental control required for healthcare. However there are techniques which could be applied to existing and new hospitals to achieve net zero energy usage based on a low energy and efficiency approach complemented by renewable energy systems. This presentation considers what steps need to be taken to reach NZE outcomes and highlights potential risks and concerns which are peculiar to hospital buildings.

This presentation discusses the owner's perspective for potential of NZE in US hospitals at national scale. It discusses ideas from the US market contrasted to international viewpoints. How does the US perspective vary from the international perspectus? What do we need to be looking at to move the national portfolio to NZE? What are the biggest uses and how do we address them cost effectively? What is the cost and economic viability of NZE deployments and conversions? What synergies do NZE have with resilience that can make the economics more viable or feasible?

This presentation addresses the project “nZEB Hospital Buildings” undertaken in cooperation with the Eindhoven University of Technology and supported by TVVL and REHVA to give information and insight in nZEB developments that will occur in the near future and what the consequences of these developments are for hospital buildings and in particular for building services. Hospitals consume approximately 1% of the primary energy in the Built Environment. Majority of energy is used by the building and building services. The study considers future scenarios of required building performances, functions/usage of the buildings, technological innovations and business case parameters.

The UK has committed to low carbon targets, 80% total reduction by 2050. This will require buildings including hospitals to become "Net Zero" and even positive contributors toward this target. Research has shown that massive reductions are possible and that with the appropriate strategies there can be cost benefits which would help to ease the financial pressures on the NHS. By embracing low carbon energy as a resource and of value to the community, hospitals could start to see an income stream from their waste energy.

This presentation provides a summary of leading codes, standards and voluntary programs including ASHRAE 90.1, 189, IgCC, CEC Title 24, AIA 2030 and Federal Executive Order 13514 - all aimed at high performance and net zero building design. Primary metrics, design tools and evaluation methods to meet the net zero design goals will be discussed. Attendees are provided with resources for learning about these new programs and databases available on recently completed net zero buildings.

As zero net-energy becomes our goal, we have a fixed energy target (e.g. zero) that is verified after the building is constructed and operated. The assumptions on operating conditions are no longer neutral as they are with the two-model approach used for code compliance; they are critically important. This presentation introduces the concept of an energy services index (ESI) and recommends that the energy modeling workflow include scenario analysis for a range of energy services that the building could potentially deliver in the future. For future ESI’s that are more demanding, opportunities for additional renewable energy are identified.

Research in Europe has shown thatnthere are cost effective strategies to achieve Nett Zero Hospitals. This will be discussed in terms of its relevance to all countries.

The UK Low energy hospital study and other studies show that Nett Zero can be cost effective and beneficial.