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ASHRAE has launched a building labeling program designed to rate buildings according to their in-operation energy use. It will also provide owners with suggested measures to improve energy efficiency. The Building Energy Quotient (bEQ) program assigns buildings an energy use quotient based on completion of an in-operation assessment that includes an ASHRAE Level I Energy Audit. The audit serves as the standard for determining a building's energy use and producing an actionable plan to improve performance. To meet bEQ's requirements, the assessment must be performed by an ASHRAE-Certified Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP). "bEQ lets a commercial building owner zero in on opportunities to lower building operating cost and make informed decisions to increase value," said Tom Phoenix, P.E., chair of the bEQ committee.
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Source: ASHRAE
JAIPUR, India—The Pearl Academy of Fashion is kept 20°C (36°F) cooler inside than outside because of an ancient technique. The exterior keeps with the trends of contemporary design. However, at the base of the building is a vast pool of water—a cooling concept taken directly from the stepwell structures developed locally over 1,500 years ago to provide refuge from the desert heat. The architect who designed the academy explains that baoli (the Hindi word for stepwell) are bodies of water encased by a descending set of steps. "When water evaporates in heat, it immediately brings down the temperature of the space around it," said Manit Rastogi. The 215,000 ft2 (20,000 m2) building also incorporates walls that are made from a heat-absorbing material. The walls create a "thermal bank" that slowly releases heat at night when the temperature drops.
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Source: CNN
Picture: Courtesy of Habitat
A school being built in the Rossville section of Staten Island will generate its own energy. "It will be the first net-zero energy public school in the northeast United States, and one of the very few in the country," said Bruce Barrett, vice president for architecture and engineering at the School Construction Authority. Up to 2,000 solar photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roof of PS 62. When it’s sunny, the school will power itself and other buildings. The school will use the regular power grid when it is cloudy and at night. The building will have extra insulation and high-performance windows, to prevent heat or air conditioning from escaping. Every classroom in PS 62 will face either due north or south, so they can be lit by daylight without glare. Sensors will automatically turn the lights off when sunshine is streaming into classrooms. It is scheduled to open in September 2015.
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Source & Photo: NYC School Construction Authority
On the heels of consecutive months of strengthening business conditions, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has now reached positive territory three months in a row. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the January ABI score was 50.9, following a mark of 51.0* in December. This score reflects a slight increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 61.2, down just a notch from a reading of 61.5 the previous month.
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Source: AIA
The three-story Brooklyn residence was built in compliance with the German Passiv Haus standards, which emphasizes the heavy insulation of walls and openings, and the precise balancing of interior and exterior temperatures. The building technique cuts down not only on energy consumption and cost, but also on initial construction costs usually allocated to expansive traditional heating and ventilation systems. During most of the year with extreme weather (summer and winter, specifically), the house maintains a very tight seal and all ventilation is done through the Passive House ventilation duct system. But on beautiful spring days when the temperature is mild allow for fresh air and ample ventilation, the house remains open to the outdoor weather in temperate parts of the year.
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Source & Photo: Inhabitat
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is, for the first time, making comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) data reported from large facilities and suppliers accessible to the public online. EPA's GHG Reporting Program, launched Jan. 11, includes 2010 data from from facilities in nine industry groups that directly emit large quantities of GHGs, as well as suppliers of certain fossil fuels.The data can be sorted by facility, location, industrial sector, and the type of GHG emitted.
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Source: epa.gov
Americans conserved about 112 million MWh of electricity in 2010, 21% more than in the previous year, according to a report released this week. The numbers for 2011 are likely to be even better, says the report by the Institute for Electric Efficiency, a nonprofit organization that promotes the benefits of electricity. Utility energy-efficiency programs as well as more efficient appliances and gadgets are cited as the primary drivers of the savings. Efficiency is considered a good investment because it's cheaper to save energy than to make energy. The report pegs the cost of saving energy at 3.5 to 4.3 cents/kWh.
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Click here to read the report, "Summary of Ratepayer-Funded Electric Efficiency Impacts, Budgets, and Expenditures."
Source: ASHRAE
When it is completed in 2013, New York's One World Trade Center will be the tallest building in the U.S., and one of the most sustainable buildings of its size in the world. The building is designed to LEED Gold specifications. It will derive about 35% of its power from renewable energy sources. Around 400 fuel cell stacks have been installed. It is one of the largest fuel cell installations in the world. Waste heat from the system will be recycled and used for hot water and heating in the podium of the building and the entrances. Air conditioning will be supplied, in part, by a 12,500-ton (44 000 kW) central chiller plant that will use water from the Hudson River.
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Source: ThomasNet
Photo source: PANYNJ
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