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The two most important things
to understand about Net Zero
Energy are energy use intensity
and source energy.
than a gas burner using kWh. This way you can compare
the energy efficiency of all different types and sizes of
buildings.
But EUI isn’t the whole picture when comparing
energy use. Source energy accounts for generation
and transmission losses for each type of energy. For
example, we lose two thirds of the electricity generated
before it gets to us! And the way this works is with a
multiplier. When you import or export each kind of
energy, you multiply the amount by this value to get a
“source energy” value. The National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL) developed the multipliers. Their goal
is to help you calculate the true environmental impact of
buildings.
Let’s get back to the project perspective. We (the
engineers) want the project to be Net Zero Energy, but
why should the owner care? Will it impact the project in
any way? Despite what designers and contractors hope,
owners aren’t made of money. What’s it going to cost?
And how will it work with the vision? After all nobody
wants boring boxes for buildings.
For the owner it comes down to three things: scope,
schedule, and budget. My dad first taught me about the
project management triangle: people want things fast,
good and cheap, but they can only pick two. But there
are plenty of ways to get all three.
First, the owner needs to get the best product possible. It
needs to meet their needs, operate as intended, and be
well crafted and designed. For Net Zero Energy, we don’t
slap a bunch of solar panels onto a building and call it a
day. We want to create an energy efficient building first
and then keep it that way. What does that mean?
show owners how they can improve. A system that’s never
used, even if it was more efficient, isn’t worth putting in.
Second, the project needs to follow the schedule. We
can’t spend a year in analysis paralysis trying to make
the perfect building – it doesn’t exist! We make it right
for the owner and energy efficient, and it doesn’t take
long to achieve that. The important thing is we have the
conversation early. The earlier the analysis, the cheaper
and more effective the decision.
Third, it needs to come at the right price. What’s the point
of an amazing building if the owner can’t afford it? The
key here is to take advantage of what you have. Leverage
daylight to reduce lighting and mechanical loads. This
in turn reduces your structural loads. And if you use an
HVAC system that doesn’t need a lot of ceiling space, we
can reduce floor height! And then there’s the operating
costs. Architect Eric Corey Freed puts it this way: do you
really want to pay utility bills for the rest of your life?
For the architect, it comes down to creativity and craft.
Louis Kahn coined the idea of servant and served spaces
– one supports the other at its expense. But what if we
transform the stairway, often used just for egress, into
a lookout, an exercise station, and a community staple?
What if we transform the isolated bathroom into a place
of nature and comfort. We can make spaces more
enjoyable, functional and energy efficient with a little
creativity, skill and coordination.
Net Zero design forces an integrative delivery process,
with the best project quality. Net Zero saves on monthly
energy costs and can be cost neutral if done right. And
let’s face it, cost is the thing people think about first. So,
when you see your next project on the horizon, think
about how you can make it the best project you’ve ever
worked on. Make it Net Zero Energy!
It means we talk with the owner to learn their needs,
operations, and then identify the best systems for them.
We design these systems to be the most efficient in
relation to how they will be used. But it also means we
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