
Green Buildings: Performance Metrics for Greening Existing Buildings
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Greening Existing Apartment Buildings
Jeffrey Perlman
Bright Power Inc
Moderator: Beth Heider, Skanska
While there has been a tremendous focus on green new construction, the vast majority of our building stock has already been built. Greening existing buildings, and increasing their energy efficiency, provides unique challenges and opportunities. Jeffrey Perlman, President of Bright Power, will discuss the five steps to greening existing buildings, with a particular focus on affordable multifamily housing:
- Benchmark - evaluate the building's current performance using historical utility bills
- Audit - go on site and assess the building's systems for greening opportunities
- Finance - figure out how to pay for energy efficient and green retrofits
- Retrofit - make improvements to the building
- Verify - monitor the building's post-retrofit performance to evaluate success
Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings - Greater Efficiency Today Blue Skies Tomorrow
Gordon V.R. Holness
Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.
Gordon Holness P.E. is Chairman Emeritus of Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. He serves in a consulting capacity and as an expert for design and construction. He will introduce the reason for the topic - energy availability and world climate change. This will include discussion on the growing United States and a Worldwide energy demand. He will examine available resources, where the USA gets and uses its energy and the resulting escalating costs. The bulk of the presentation will focus on the case for energy efficient and sustainable buildings, which will address:
- The role buildings play
- Energy data resources like CBECS
- Codes and legislation (Energy Independency and Security Act)
- ASHRAE's Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Initiatives
- Existing Buildings
- Deterioration in building performance over time
- Aspects of first cost versus life cycle energy costs and occupancy costs
Exercising its unique position as a neutral third party, the Academy formed a collective – including architects, engineers, scientists, policy makers from city and state, foundation and non-profit leaders – representing the key players in New York in the area of green buildings and sustainable design. This newly formed group addresses a unique niche for which the Academy can leverage its scientific strength to deliver significant value to the green buildings discourse. This year's focus will be on addressing energy and measurement issues with respect to sustainable design including a survey of best practices nationally and internationally.