Sieben Blog

Energy Star Unveils Residential High-Rise Program

Liz Brady — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:18:00 GMT

Energy Star has announced a new program focusing on multifamily residential high-rise buildings. According to the program website, this new designation for multifamily high-rises (dubbed “MFHR”) is intended for “new or substantially renovated” buildings. Energy Star aims to incorporate energy efficient design elements such as high-performance insulation and windows, efficient HVAC equipment, and Energy Star rated appliances into these new residential spaces. These elements not only minimize the building’s energy consumption, they also create a comfortable (and less costly) environment for tenants. The EPA highlights the ability of high-efficiency design and properly-installed systems and insulation to ensure temperatures and indoor air quality stay optimal despite temperature and weather shifts. Especially in a climate with significant seasonal changes like, say, autumn in Chicago, an energy efficient high-rise is designed to keep energy usage and costs to a minimum while keeping its tenants warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The EPA also stresses the significant role that energy efficient buildings play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The MFHR program builds on Energy Star’s existing “New Homes” program, available for new single-family homes and units in low-rise buildings. Existing multifamily residential buildings can also pursue an Energy Star rating through the existing building program. Across the board, rating and certification systems such as Energy Star and LEED are diversifying their offerings, an acknowledgement of the distinct energy usage characteristics and operating requirements for residential buildings. With the advent of LEED for Homes and LEED for Neighborhood Development, the new Energy Star MFHR label, and increasingly detailed space types available in Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager, buildings are getting more specialized treatment. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also announced a $25 million pilot program to spur energy efficiency projects in multi-family residential buildings.

The more nuanced space designations, program requirements, and resource investment will encourage sustainable design and building operations that are distinct to the needs of the space. In this case, meeting requirements of programs such as LEED ND, LEED for Homes, or Energy Star for multifamily high-rise will mean that sustainable practices and energy efficiency requirements represent the building as not just a building, but a place where people live. For energy efficiency and sustainability advocates, not to mention tenants in favor of clean air and lower electric bills—this is excellent news.

SEA at USGBC Commissioning Panel Event

Erin Hatcher — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:11:00 GMT

The USGBC Illinois Chapter is hosting a Commissioning Panel Discussion on Thursday, April 7^th and SEA will be well represented. Mike Kuk, SEA’s Director of Technical Services and Commissioning, is one of four panelists speaking at the event. The firm is also sponsoring the event, and additional staff members (myself and Bart Lazarczyk) will be there for the discussion and to answer questions and meet attendees at the SEA table.

The event promises to be an interesting and informative discussion of the value of Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning, and how the process is integrated into LEED. For more event info, visit the USGBC website.

Possible Big Changes For Commissioning Scope in LEED 2012

Bart Lazarczyk — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:53:00 GMT

The USGBC is hard at work on its latest Building Design and Construction LEED Rating System, simply referred to as LEED 2012. Among the sea of changes that have been proposed, I will briefly discuss the vastly expanded scope of commissioning services under both Fundamental and Enhanced commissioning.

Under the previous LEED guidelines, commissioning services typically focused on heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment, as well as the building automation systems that drive the sequence of operations for HVAC systems and lighting controls. LEED 2012 proposes that the process go beyond HVAC to include the following under the Fundamental Commissioning guidelines:

Building envelope, which includes roofing assemblies and systems; and thermal, air, and vapor transmission properties of walls, roofs, windows and doors
Any monitoring and measuring devices for potable or reclaimed water entering the buildingAutomatic sensing devices in plumbing
Irrigation systems
Cooling tower chemical treatment and bleed rates
Rain water collection systems
On-site waste water treatment systems

The proposed scope of work under the Enhanced Commissioning guidelines includes:

Subterraneans water-proofing and penetrations
Exterior wall assemblies and fenestration systems
Above grade penetration
Stormwater control and removal systems and associated pumping systems

While this is a significant change to the scope of work for commissioning, in my opinion it’s a good change. Commissioning has been proven to provide real value, both practical and financial, to new construction projects so it makes sense to expand into additional areas. A building envelope can greatly impact a building’s energy usage and occupant comfort levels, so an owner would want to know that the envelope has been built to design. Reduction in water usage is also playing a growing role in the LEED guidelines, so it makes sense to start including the multiple water systems under the commissioning scope.

The LEED 2012 guidelines are not finalized yet and will inevitably go through multiple iterations, so the above list will undoubtedly see changes. However, it is encouraging to see that the USGBC continues to raise the bar and challenge us to build better, more efficient, and more comfortable buildings for us to work, live, and play.

Stress Less in LEED Buildings?

Liz Brady — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:51:00 GMT

Researchers at Michigan State University have found another reason for commercial buildings to go green: Employees reported being sick less often and feeling less stress and depression after their companies moved from non-LEED Certified buildings to LEED Certified buildings. They also reported higher levels of productivity. “Effects of Green Buildings on Employee Health and Productivity,” recently published in the American Journal of Public Health, highlighted two case studies which yielded positive results for green building. So is there a connection between sustainable construction and occupant health? Research seems to indicate a very strong one.

In 1984—nearly a decade before the first LEED rating system was even in development—a report by the World Health Organization detailed that occupants in roughly 30% of buildings, both new construction and renovation, reported experiencing poor indoor air quality. And this accounted only for those who issued complaints. Researchers identified this as not just a cause for occupant discomfort, but fatigue, headaches, and even diagnosable illness. Terms like “sick building syndrome” and “building associated illnesses” became—and still are— very real concerns for property owners and managers, business owners, and, of course, workers who felt the physical impact of poor ventilation and questionable air quality.

The green building movement is making strides for public health. Reducing energy consumption, curbing emissions, and using sustainable materials are having a positive impact on more than the environment. A 2005 study at UC Berkeley found higher levels of satisfaction with thermal comfort and indoor air quality among occupants of green buildings—a majority of which were LEED Certified. Sustainable building elements such as optimal ventilation, fewer indoor pollutants, the incorporation of natural and sustainable materials, task-specific lighting, and higher doses of daylight lead not only to happier occupants, but healthier ones as well. The EPA cites several studies connecting better maintenance practices and ventilation systems in schools with improvements in student health and academic performance.

Although this most recent study surveyed only two workplaces (totaling roughly 260 employees), it provides a valuable catalyst for further research on the correlation between public health and green building. And for building owners and business owners considering LEED Certification? Well, according to the MSU study, “improvements in productivity could result…in an additional 38.98 work hours per year for each occupant of a green building” (e2). That’s roughly an extra week of work per employee. Quantify that in revenue generated, and, health concerns aside, it is bad business not to pursue LEED.

Add the health aspect back in, and you not only have a better business, an environmentally-friendly workplace, and significant energy cost savings; in addition, employees are healthier, happier, and more comfortable. For employers, employees, and the planet Earth, building green is a win-win-win.

Chicago Lands a Spot on Energy-Smart Cities List

SEAadmin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:44:00 GMT

In a recent report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Chicago, IL, home to the headquarters of Sieben Energy Associates, landed a spot on the organization’s list of leading “Energy-Smart” Cities. Chicago was applauded for its city-wide sustainability efforts, most notably those in buildings.

The report specifically emphasized Chicago’s strides in energy efficiency: “One of Chicago’s top priorities is making its buildings, already known for their architectural history, known for their energy efficiency.” Other notable achievements include a building code that rewards efficiency projects and sustainable building practices, the installation of heat pumps to create a more diversified power grid, and the city’s exceptional green roof efforts. Chicago also leads the U.S. in LEED Certified buildings.

Sieben Energy Associates has been at the forefront of energy efficiency and green building in Chicago for twenty years, and we know that there is always energy to be saved. Chicago’s buildings account for 70% of its total greenhouse gas emissions. Through creative solutions founded in solid engineering, our buildings’ energy consumption and operating costs—as well as emissions—can be reduced. Read more about Chicago’s energy smarts at the NRDC’s “Smarter Cities” site. The successes featured in the article are just the beginning for Chicago.

Pew Center Conference Review

Jerry Burin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:45:00 GMT

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change held an energy efficiency conference in Chicago on April 6 and 7. This year it was entitled From Shop Floor to Top Floor: Best Business Practices in Energy Efficiency and coincided with their release of a report on the best practices in corporate energy efficency.

Interesting keynote and luncheon speakers ranging from Suzanne Malec-McKenna, the City of Chicago’s Commissioner of its Department of Environment to John Rowe, Chairman and CEO of Exelon Corporation, to former Senator John Warner, helped set the context for the conference—that the world is changing, and that fossil fuel-generated carbon emissions will surely become an economic factor within our society—with an associated cost borne by consumers.

Sustainability and environmental representatives of household name companies such as Toyota, IBM, Best Buy, PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, Hewlett Packard, Coca Cola and the Mars Candy described their companies’ efforts to establish and attain sustainability goals. A significant focus of their respective strategies was reducing energy consumption through energy efficiency—the notion of optimizing energy use in everything from heating and cooling of buildings to product manufacturing processes.

Several notable takeaways:

Establish big reduction goals—even if you don’t know how they’ll be met. Big goals inspire people.
Increasingly carbon will be measured as part of the manufacturing and delivery process of bringing a product to market—lots of carbon is embedded in the supply chain—expect to see carbon indices on consumer products as commonly as we see the ingredients of food products listed on their packaging labels.
Electric utilities will be big drivers of energy efficiency to offset the need to build more power plants—increasingly utilities will de-couple their profit motive from the sale of power and find the means to remain profitable as they reduce power sales.

Over the course of two days, speaker after speaker took the opportunity to demonstrate how their organization was focusing on energy efficiency to help meet sustainability goals. The conference served as a wake-up call for companies that, to date, have failed to heed the signs that sustainability, and by inference energy efficiency, is a mega trend at our doorstep.

Energy Efficiency in 71 Stories

Michael Kuk — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:02:00 GMT

The built environment is responsible for approximately two-thirds of carbon emissions from energy use in cities around the world. Implementing energy efficient solutions in buildings from the past is equivalent to tapping into a new reserve of energy resources.

Buildings of the future should be designed to harness the resource of efficiency before they are on the ground. The Pearl River is an example of such a project.

Located in Guangzhou, China, the Pearl River is “one of the most energy-efficient skyscrapers in the world." From the Chicago-based architecture firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), this 2.3-million-square-foot building is uniquely designed with sustainability attributes to take advantage of wind and solar energy. Energy-efficient technologies include integrated turbines, solar panels, double skin curtain wall, daylight harvesting and more.

The building is slated for completion by the end of 2010.

Read more about Pearl River at the SOM website.

America’s Building Stock – The Second Saudi Arabia

Dan Bailey — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:29:00 GMT

The energy (reduction) potential in America’s building stock is a tremendous resource, equivalent to tapping a second Saudi Arabia. The energy appetite of America’s buildings is enormous, but we can begin to cut back on the excess without sacrificing comfort or performance.

Craig Sieben spoke to this theme last week before the Realty Club of Chicago in a speech entitled “America’s Building Stock – The Second Saudi Arabia.” Craig referenced the excellent work of Art Rosenfeld, an award-winning scientist, one of the earliest promoters of energy efficiency in the U.S.—and one of Craig’s personal mentors.

In his speech, Craig emphasized smart and simple examples of what building owners and managers can do to cut back on their energy consumption. Reducing the energy appetite of our buildings is one small step towards a goal of U.S. energy independence. How can this be? Let’s do the math.

In 2008, the U.S. imported 1.5 million barrels of oil per day from Saudi Arabia. We consumed about 19.5 million barrels per day, which means that 8% of our appetite was satiated by Saudi Arabia’s vast oil reserves. Also in 2008, total U.S. energy consumption (all types) was 100 quadrillion BTU—3% of that total, or 3 quadrillion BTU, was the oil imported from Saudi Arabia. Our nation’s buildings accounted for 40 quadrillion BTU, or 40% of our total energy consumption in 2008.

If we’re able to cut the energy consumption of our buildings by just 15%, or 6 quadrillion BTU, we would reduce our total energy consumption by 6%, and we would offset twice the amount of energy that we import each year (in the form of petroleum) from Saudi Arabia. That’s a huge opportunity.

Retrofitting existing buildings is essential to reducing their energy consumption. Even simple steps, however, such as painting roofs white so that they reflect rather than absorb a greater amount of sunlight, can help mitigate cooling costs. Chicago alone has over 23,000 commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings—in addition to over one million residential units that range from single-family homes to condominium towers.

From the experience of hundreds of projects that Sieben Energy Associates has completed over the years, the energy consumption of a typical commercial, institutional, or industrial building can be reduced by 2–10% with very inexpensive (or even essentially free) energy efficiency measures. With a little more up-front investment that pays for itself with two or three years through lower energy bills, a reduction target of 15%, or even greater, is often easily achievable. Reducing energy consumption also reduces corresponding greenhouse gas emissions.

Trends show that America is moving in this direction. In June 2009, The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act, or Waxman-Markey bill. For new buildings, this legislation calls for a national commercial building code with energy use reduction of 30% relative to ASHRAE 2004 (upon signing), 50% by 2015, and 75% by 2030. And for existing buildings, the bill requires implementation of a Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) program, administered by the states, to help spur retrofitting throughout the country.

In July 2009, McKinsey & Company projected a 23% decrease in energy demand and energy savings of $1.2 trillion (net $680 billion) through 2020 from energy efficiency improvements in our nation’s buildings.

And in December 2009, New York City passed a substantial energy legislation package with energy audit and lighting retrofit laws that apply to existing buildings.

As more and more building owners and managers work to understand their energy usage and environmental impact, more and more are turning to energy efficiency as a cost-effective solution for their business and their community. Sieben Energy Associates has over two decades of experience in the energy efficiency industry and can help your organization improve the performance of your buildings while reducing your operating expenses.