Zero Net Energy Buildings: Practices, Policies and Performance

Thomas Piette State of California, Dept. of General Services, Energy & Environmental Section Cathy Higgins Research Director, New Buildings Institute Dian Grueneich Founder and Principal, Dian Grueneich Consulting, LLC Porus Sam Antia Associate - Building Simulation - Manager, Stantec Consulting Inc.

Zero Net Energy Buildings: Practices, Policies and Performance

California Green Technology Summit April 9, 2014

Thomas Piette LEED ®AP

Supervising Architect, State of California

Zero Net Energy

Conventional Design

California has the most ZNE buildings in the US

ZNE Fast Facts

• Emerging world-wide movement • Adaptable to most climate zones • Incremental costs are reasonable,

compared to high-quality conventional buildings

• Possible using off the shelf technologies & best practices

• Technological advances will enhance ZNE

Zero Net or Net Zero?

• ZNE – Zero Net Energy (West Coast) • ZNEB – Zero Net Energy Buildings • NZE – Net Zero Energy (East of the Rockies) • ZEB – Zero Energy Buildings

Components of ZNE

HIGHLY EFFICIENT BUILDING DESIGN & OPERATION

RENEWABLE POWER ON SITE

NET METERING

OF IMPORT & EXPORT

USE GRID AS A BATTERY

Loading order to achieve ZNE

Siting Envelope Daylighting Glazing Ventilation

Building Design

HVAC Lighting Hot water Elevators Process Loads

Systems Design

Computers Monitors Flat screens Refrigerators Copiers Coffee pots

Occupancy Set points Outside air Schedules Off-hours ops

Plug Loads Task Lights Windows Unnecessary uses?

Photovoltaic Wind Bio-gas Bio-mass On-site or Remote?

Renewable Energy

Appliances Building Operations

Occupant Behavior

Weather

The many definitions of ZNE

• Site ZNE – A building that produces at least as much

renewable energy as it consumes over the course of one year, when accounted for at the site.

• Source Energy ZNE • GHG Emissions ZNE • Value of Energy ZNE – Time of use • Some definitions include factors such

as water, off-site generation, transportation, embodied energy, etc.

Draft of CEC/CPUC ZNE Definition

• “A Zero Net Energy (ZNE) Code Building is one where the societal value of the amount of energy provided annually by on-site renewable energy sources is equal to the value of the energy consumed by the building at the level of a single “project” seeking development entitlements and building code permits, measured using the California Energy Commission’s Time Dependent Valuation (TDV) metric. A ZNE Code Building meets Energy Use Intensity (EUIs) by building type and climate zone that reflect best practices for highly efficient buildings.

» Combines several objectives into one single metric

» Complex to understand and use

Who is in charge of ZNE?

• No centralized single entity • Unlike LEED that has established protocols • Terminology and definitions still being

debated

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at the Federal level

• California Energy Commission • California Public Utilities Commission • Building Standards Commission • Living Building Challenge

CEC, CPUC & BSC Strategic Plan

50% of new & renovated State Bldgs. by 2020

All new & renovated State Bldgs. by 2025

50% of existing State Facilities by 2025

California State-owned Buildings

• Executive Order B-18-12 and • Green Building Action Plan ZNE

directive 50% of new buildings & major

renovations by 2020 100% new buildings and major

renovations by 2025 50% of existing buildings by 2025

State of California ZNE Pilot Program

Department of General Services Caltrans Department of Motor Vehicles Employment Development Department Department of Public Health California Conservation Corps

Federal & European Directives

• Federal Executive Order 13514 15% of new buildings by 2015 100% of new buildings by 2030

• European Parliament 2010 Directive Nearly-Zero Net Energy levels All public buildings ZNE by 2018 All commercial buildings by 2020

UK has a similar program

Obstacles to ZNE in California

• Lack of awareness • Misperception that it costs too much • Net metering limited to 1 MW • Difficult to make-up for natural gas use • Goes beyond regulations & codes • Occupant behavior is unpredictable • Weather is unpredictable • No measurement & verification protocols

Zero Net Energy Buildings: Practices, Policies and Performance

Thomas Piette Thomas.piette@dgs.ca.gov (916) 375-4884