NBI News June 2009
In This Issue
NBI and AIA Propose High Efficiency Energy Code for IECC
Massachusetts Bases New Stretch Code on Core Performance
NBI Unveils Expanded High Performing Buildings Database
NBI Encourages Developers to Rethink Green Buildings
Student Design Competition Set for 2009-10 School Year
Preview of ALG Online Available Now
Inside Advanced Buildings Highlights Design Tools
NBI and AIA Propose High Efficiency Energy Code for IECC
New Buildings Institute (NBI) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) are proposing comprehensive changes to a national model energy code for new commercial buildings, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which would create buildings that are 20-25% more energy efficient than what today’s average standards require. The groups submitted their proposal to the International Code Council (ICC) June 1 for consideration in the current code development process, which will be final in 2012.
The proposed high efficiency energy code is modeled on NBI’s Core Performance protocol, a direct and prescriptive approach to achieving energy savings in commercial buildings. Building codes based on Core Performance have already been adopted by the state of Massachusetts (see related story) and are under consideration by other states and municipalities.
“In co-authoring this proposal, it was our intention to make sure that the new energy codes would be stringent enough to advance our stated goal of achieving carbon neutrality in buildings by 2030,” said Christine McEntee, Executive Vice President / CEO of the American Institute of Architects. “We feel it is important for the private sector to take a leadership position on this important issue that relates to the built environment," she said.
Massachusetts Bases New Stretch Code on Core Performance 
The Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards voted May 12 to adopt a stretch energy code for the state that would make new commercial buildings under 100,000 square feet up to 30% more energy efficient than average energy codes on the books today, meets interim goals of the Architecture 2030 Challenge and reduces carbon emissions by nearly 40%. The stretch code applies to new and existing building types including residential, but the standards related to new, small- and mid-sized commercial buildings are based on NBI’s Core Performance protocol, a direct path to high performance building that does not require modeling.
To read the full story, visit http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6658702.html
In addition, Core Performance is referenced in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, a bill sponsored by Reps. Waxman and Markey, currently under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which intends to “create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy,” includes provisions on improving energy efficiency in building codes. The proposed legislation cites Core Performance criteria as one of the standards to be considered for better codes.
For more information on advanced energy codes, visit the Codes page of the NBI website.
NBI Unveils Expanded Database of High Performi
ng Buildings
NBI has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy and Building Green to create an improved Getting to 50 buildings database. This new resource provides detailed case studies of buildings designed to perform at least 30% better than the CBECS (Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey) average for their building type. In keeping with NBI’s focus on measured performance, the advanced search function allows the user to select buildings with actual energy use data.
The Animal Foundation Dog Adoption Park in Las Vegas, Nevada, employed efficiency strategies and photovoltaics to use 81% less energy than baseline models.
NBI Encourages Developers to Rethink Green Buildings
“Currently, U.S. buildings consume two-thirds of our power supply and emit 40 percent of the greenhouse gases.” So begins NBI Executive Director Dave Hewitt’s recent op-ed piece in GreenerBuilding News, “The First No-Cost Step to High Performance Buildings: Changing Your Mindset.” Challenging the findings of a NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association) study which minimized the prospects for improving commercial building energy efficiency, Hewitt cites how and where better efficiency is already a reality in the marketplace.
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Student Design Competition Set for 2009-10 School Year
NBI is once again managing the Leading Edge Student Design Competition. The challenges demand and reward inventive approaches to creating built environments which function efficiently, utilize renewable technologies and demonstrate unique but practical sustainable design strategies. Competitors learn about the environmental and economic benefits of energy-efficient design, from the earliest design phase through construction and daily building operation.
This year’s site is the North Long Beach Redevelopment Area in Long Beach, California. Challenge 1 is a Zero-Net Energy “Green-Collar” Workforce Training Center, an approximately 30,000-square-foot building housing lecture halls, training and computer labs, administrative offices, and gathering spaces. The building itself will serve as a demonstration teaching tool and an example of how the Green Economy will change building design. Challenge 2 is Zero-Net Housing for the training center a 4,500-square-foot, eight-unit dormitory building using residential-scale energy efficiency strategies to achieve the zero-net goal.
The competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate students of architecture, engineering, drafting and environmental design at two- and four-year colleges and universities. Complete details will be available at the competition website later this summer.
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Preview of ALG Online Available Now
Are you eagerly anticipating the updated Advanced Lighting Guidelines scheduled for release later in 2009? The new version of this definitive resource on how to achieve good lighting will soon be available as ALG Online, a web-based resource offering users easy access to expert guidance on best practices in energy-efficient lighting. Preview this new tool at www.advancedbuildings.net/ALGOnline.htm and sign up now to be notified when ALG Online goes live.
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Inside Advanced Buildings® to Highlight NBI Design Tools and Resources
NBI has launched a new email communication with updates about its suite of advanced design tools and resources called Advanced Buildings. Once you sign up for this service, Inside Advanced Buildings will be delivered to your inbox every few months with useful information about best practices in high performance commercial building design. Learn more at our Advanced Buildings website.
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STAFF NEWS
NBI Technical Director to Lead Cascadia GBC’s Board
Mark Frankel, NBI’s Technical Director, was named board chair of the Cascadia Regional Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council at the organization’s Living Futures Conference in May. Cascadia GBC works in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and British Columbia promote green building practices.
NBI Adds to its Ranks
NBI has hired architect Sean Denniston as a Project Analyst. Early in his career, Sean worked with Heschong Mahone Group in California studying building performance, developing customer analysis tools, and supporting development of California Codes and Standards and other public policy initiatives. Most recently, he worked for an historic preservation consulting and development firm founded to rehabilitate historic residential properties with a special emphasis on energy efficiency upgrades that are effective and sensitive to the significant aspects of historic buildings.
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New Buildings Institute in the News
NBI Executive Director Dave Hewitt was a guest recently on Oregon Public Radio’s Think Out Load program discussing Green Buildings. You can listen to the archived program online; Dave appears about 20 minutes into the program.
NBI Technical Director Mark Frankel was featured in an Oregonian article looking at how human behavior and changing intentions for workspaces can undermine building performance.
New Buildings Institute’s work in the areas of advanced lighting technologies and practices was cited in the June issue of Buildings magazine, in an article entitled “Lighting Controls for Existing Buildings” by Craig DiLouie.
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