Current Resources
NBI has developed a sortable
list of current resources on Measured Performance. This list
provides brief descriptions and links the key documents and tools
currently available for measured performance analyses and case studies.
Building Performance Review
Access to meaningful feedback on performance can lead to improvements
in just about any field, and we believe commercial buildings are
no exception to that rule. That led us to develop a market-friendly
Building Performance Review protocol. These reviews will answer
the following questions, providing actionable feedback to owners
and designers.
- Is the facility meeting the comfort needs of its occupants?
- Is it using energy efficiently?
- Are there areas that warrant further investigation or action?
 The
protocol starts with a Level 1 overview based on readily available
information: a simple survey of occupants, analysis of energy bills,
and an interview with the facility manager. The resulting
report gives a snapshot answer to the basic questions above.
While this initial stage does not gather enough detail to diagnose
specific problems, it can identify whether there are areas that
justify additional analysis and recommend possible next steps.
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance funded our initial feasibility
investigation for this protocol. Read our report,
A Market-Friendly Post-Occupancy Evaluation: Building Performance
Report, which contains a basic outline for a self-reported
review. Since that time we have tested a pilot version in a large
Seattle-area school district, and we are currently seeking additional
partners to extend the development effort. Owners interested in
feedback on their buildings, should contact
at NBI.
LEED Energy Performance Study
NBI has completed the
broadest study to-date of measured energy performance of LEED
buildings on behalf of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Aimed at better quantifying the actual energy performance levels
of green building, the study gathered whole building energy data
from 121 LEED-NC buildings across the country that had been occupied
for at least one year. The results look at the relationships of
actual performance levels to other benchmarks, including initial
modeling and ENERGY STAR ratings.
On average, LEED buildings are delivering the anticipated savings,
performing 25-30% better than national average or modeled baselines.
Individual
building results, however, display a high degree of scatter,
with some performing much better than average and some much worse.
These and other results from this exploratory study suggest several
opportunities for improved feedback tools, follow-up research on
actual performance factors, improved modeling guidelines, and LEED
program refinements. For more information, contact
.
National Workshop Spurs Steering Committee
   To
support ongoing improvements in new building design and existing
building operation, NBI brought a variety of building design, development,
operation, and design experts together at a Measured
Performance Workshop in December, 2007. The daylong discussion
of real life needs for measured performance feedback resulted in
a list of high priority activity areas and the establishment of
a national steering committee to further articulate the agenda and
guide progress. The meeting had its origins in the Getting to Fifty
Summit held in early 2007, at which all from researchers through
developers expressed the need for more actual performance case studies,
performance reports, and benchmark comparisons. The Measured Performance
meetings were co-hosted by USGBC
and ASHRAE
and sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY
STAR program.
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