USA: Best Practices in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Commercial Buildings

1. USA: Best Practices in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Commercial Buildings Cary Bloyd EGNRET-28 Tokyo, Japan 29-30 January 2007

2. Presentation Overview • US Department of Energy Activities • EE/RE Building Certification • Examples of Best Practices • Walmart • Oberlin College (Ohio) Environmental Studies Center • Solar Decathlon

3. US Department of Energy Buildings Activities • US DOE EE/RE buildings activities are through the Buildings Technology Program (www.eere.energy.gov/buildings) • The program works in partnership with the private sector, state and local governments, national laboratories, and universities • The Buildings Technology Program has 8 program areas • Appliances & Equipment • Building America • Building Codes • Emerging Technologies • Energy Star • High Performance Buildings • Rebuild America • Zero Energy Building

4. EE/RE Building Certification- GREEN by Design • The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ was developed by the US Green Building Councila and is an nationally accepted comprehensive EE/RE building certification program • LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings • LEED covers new and existing buildings as well as building operation • Projects are awarded Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification depending on the number of credits they achieve. ahttp://www.usgbc.org

5. The Private Sector is Taking a Leading Role in US Commercial Building EE/RE Implementation • Wal-Mart has set a goal of 100% renewable energy • Largest US commercial energy user • Proposed activities would place approximately 100 MW of PV on 3,900 stores across five states (RFP’s have been developed) • Stated goal is to reduce GHG emissions by 20% in 8 years and design a store that will uses 30% less energy • Wal-Mart opened 100 new stores (many +200,000 sq.ft.) in January 2007 • Google has already started construction on a 1.6 MW PV installation that will be the largest single PV instillation in the US • Systems will supply 30% of peak energy needs • Microsoft has an existing 480 kw PV system at its California campus http://www.makower.com

6. Oberlin College (Ohio) Environmental Studies Center • The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies contains over 150 environmental sensors installed throughout the building and landscape • Real time monitors of both energy generation (60 kw) and use are provided • The Center was conceived as an integrated building-landscape system • Water use is tracked and treated using a “Living Machine” • http://www.oberlin.edu/ajlc/ajlcHome.html

7. US DOE/EERE Solar Decathlon • The Solar Decathlon is a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house • The Solar Decathlon takes place every two years with each team displaying its building on National Mall in Washington DC • Financial support is available. For 2007, proposals were issued October 6, 2005 and were due December 2, 2005. • The 2007 Solar Decathlon will be held in the Fall (Oct.-Nov.) 2007 • Building are judged on 10 criteria: Architecture, engineering, market viability, communications, comfort zone, appliances, hot water, lighting, Energy balance, getting around • http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar_decathlon/

8. Houses from 2002 Solar Decathlon

9. Thank you for your attention!