Executive Order 13423 Technical Guidance - Energy Efficiency

General Priniples and Commitments

Establish a whole building performance target that takes into account the intended use, occupancy, operations, plug loads, other energy demands, and design to earn the ENERGY STAR® targets for new construction and major renovation where applicable. For new construction, reduce the energy cost budget by 30 percent compared to the baseline building performance rating per American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., (ASHRAE) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1-2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential. For major renovations, reduce the energy cost budget by 20 percent below pre-renovations 2003 baseline.

Technical Guidance

Introduction

Optimizing a building's energy performance requires an integrated design approach to minimize the building's energy consumption while meeting all the occupants' needs. Integrated design is an important aspect of optimizing energy performance, including equipment selection, because decisions made in one area (lighting, for example) will affect others, (such as chiller sizing). The building's design is only first step to optimizing its energy performance. The building must also be constructed as designed and commissioned on a regular basis. Measurement and verification of the building's actual energy performance also plays an essential role in optimizing its energy performance.

An approach for quantifying optimized energy performance is to set goals and to compare measured energy consumption to the predicted consumption had the building's energy design not been optimized. EPAct 2005 requires new buildings to use 30% less energy than a building meeting the requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 or the IECC. Aggressive energy efficient designs have used 70% less energy than standard buildings. Designers must rely on computer simulations to identify the set of energy efficiency strategies that can be applied to meet and exceed these goals. Developing the base case building simulation that accurately represents the building is an important first step. Standard 90.1-2204, Appendix G provides guidance on developing a base case building simulation.

Designers and building operators face the challenge of setting, meeting and maintaining the building energy efficiency goals while also meeting the comfort and functional demands of the occupants. If the whole-building design approach described in the Integrated Design Principles section of this technical guidance is applied, the energy efficiency goals can be met. Design strategies such as building orientation and architectural features to minimize solar gains in summer and maximize the availability of usable daylighting combined with properly controlling the heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and lighting systems is an example of an integrated design approach to optimize the building's energy performance. Integrated design will also include using high-efficiency equipment (both to maintain comfortable conditions within the building as well as to provide the services needed by the occupants within the building) and selection of building materials to minimize off-gassing, help control sound, and improve the distribution of light.

Lighting is a large energy user and should be an area of design attention for a high performance building. Savings of over on the order of 50% are possible by designing and implementing an integrated approach to lighting that includes daylighting, task lighting, and well designed controls.

Electric motors used to operate fans and pumps associated with a building's heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system are a major energy consumer in most commercial buildings. Specifying high-efficiency motors is an important strategy to optimizing a building's energy performance.

Office equipment is becoming an ever greater proportion of building loads. Efficient office and other equipment, including ENERGY STAR® qualified or FEMP-designated products that feature low stand by, automatic shutdown, and more efficient electronics can help reduce this category of energy consumption.

Energy Management and Control Systems (EMCSs) are critical in avoiding energy waste and monitoring energy consumption. While meters are required under Measurement and Verification, control technology should be applied intelligently for each situation and an optimized mix of local and central control should be used. Planning for these controls during design can ensure efficient installation and ability to update them as technology changes.

Issue(s) to Resolve

Recommend major renovations be defined as those renovations that include replacement of lighting, HVAC and envelope components.
Establishing accurate plug loads is often a problem in establishing energy design targets.

Related Mandates

Energy Policy Act of 2005
10 CFR 435 - Energy Performance Standards for New Buildings - Mandatory for federal buildings
FAR Part 23, 48 CFR 23 - Specify installed building equipment and lighting that qualifies for the ENERGY STAR® label and other equipment that meets federal requirements for energy-efficiency purchasing.
Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management"

Major Resources

WBDG

Design Objectives

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), Energy Codes and Standards, Energy Efficient Lighting, Fuel Cell Technology, Passive Solar Heating, Solar Water Heating

Federal Mandates

10 CFR 435 - Existing energy conservation standards for federal buildings (residential and non-res.) DOE is in the process of updating these standards to be 30% more energy-efficient than ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 and IECC, as directed by Section 109 of EPACT-2005.

Model Contract and Specification Language

Publications

ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide For Small Office Buildings
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 User's Manual
ANSI/ASHRAE/ Standard 90.2-2004 Energy Efficient Design for Low-Rise Residential Buildings
Checklist of Opportunities to Upgrade Energy Efficiency with Building Security, FEMP
Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines, FEMP—Energy-efficient design for new Federal facilities
New Technology Publications, FEMP