FEATURE ARTICLE, SEPTEMBER 2009

DESIGNING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS EASY —
ON OUR ENVIRONMENT AND THE BOTTOM LINE

In the complex process of planning, budgeting, designing and constructing a new building, it can be difficult to find the time and resources to study energy efficiency and environmental impact. More so than many other investments made in the welfare of our environment, when science and engineering are applied to study the way we use energy, there are benefits that can be counted. Measurable emissions from power plants are avoided or reduced for every kilowatt hour that a power plant does not have to produce. Measurable dollars from an operating budget are not spent for every kilowatt hour not used.

Including efficiency in the planning stages of any commercial project is the ideal approach. This can be done by placing the right resources at just the right point in a project, providing critical information to help make sound decisions. Since 1992, detailed energy analysis and verification services, known as Energy Design Assistance (EDA), have been provided through utility Demand Side Management programs. The goal of the service is to improve the energy efficiency of new construction projects by encouraging the building owner, architect, and engineers to implement an integrated package of energy efficient strategies using whole building analysis. A practical approach is used with real components available in the market today, including envelope, lighting design and controls, mechanical systems, outside air, operational strategies and more.

Energy Design Assistance is structured to compliment the traditional design process by providing the owner and design team with “hard” data to back up design decisions that affect energy consumption. Building energy consumption is estimated using the most sophisticated hour-by-hour computer program available, DOE-2, which was created by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy. When coupled with construction costs provided by the design team, a very accurate accounting of costs and benefits is available, giving both the designers and the owner the ability to make highly informed decisions about environmental aesthetics with respect to energy performance and carbon impact. In addition, a verification/validation process ascertains the appropriate implementation of accepted strategies.

EDA is provided as a complimentary service to customers of participating utility companies for qualifying commercial new construction, additions or major renovation projects. Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy, MidAmerican Energy Company and Xcel Energy all offer a similar program, for service territories in Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota, providing energy consulting and incentives for energy performance achieving better than minimum state energy code requirements. Participants benefit from free consulting, compensation to the design team, an incentive check to the owner and annual return on efficiency investments. Learn more on each utility’s web site under the Commercial New Construction or Energy Design Assistance programs.

Julia Gauthier is program manager with Minnetonka, Minnesota-based The Weidt Group. She can be reached by phone at (515) 271-9906 or via email at juliag@twgi.com.

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