Page 7 - Zero Net Energy Case Study Buildings-Volume 1

FOREWORD ZERO NET ENERGY CASE STUDY BUILDINGS, VOL. 1
In 2008, the CPUC—with jurisdiction over the investor-owned utilities’ efficiency programs—is- sued its Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan for Energy Efficiency which called for four “Big Bold” initiatives: two involved ZNE, targeting all new residential construction to be ZNE by 2020, with commercial new construction to follow by 2030. The CEC, which has jurisdiction over the energy efficiency standards within the state building code, has embraced the ZNE vision as well, and is aligning its code update efforts to incorporate ZNE by 2020 in the residential market.
Since California is the largest building owner and operator within its state boundaries, the gover- nor’s office has taken a number of actions involving energy efficiency at state facilities in recent years, including Executive Order B-18-12 (issued April, 2012). Among several provisions, this order calls for “all new State buildings and major renovations beginning design after 2025 be constructed as Zero Net Energy facilities;” it includes provisions for interim targets before 2025; and also calls for “50% of the square footage of existing state-owned building area [to move toward ZNE] by 2025.”
Many have pointed out that California’s ZNE goals and objectives are not legally binding. In this sense, these goals are aspirational in nature. But clearly the CEC’s deliberate steps to integrate the ZNE vision into the state’s building code, the CPUC’s emphasis on ZNE in utility program efforts to promote efficiency and the governor’s efforts to impact State of California buildings are powerful drivers providing a tremendous boost to the movement toward ZNE in the building design and construction industry. Not long ago, ZNE was commonly believed to be unattainable absent costly interventions and upgrades that would exist only in the province of wealthy eccen- trics. In fact, the central finding of a recent study by Arup1 under California utility sponsorship is that approximately 75% of the floor space to be constructed in the state starting in 2020 can be built to ZNE performance levels using “state of the shelf” technologies and systems.
This is not to say that building to ZNE is a well-known process with well-understood outcomes, or that reaching the goals is straighforward and automatic. There are many lessons to be learned by design professionals, building contractors, building owners, building managers, and finally by building occupants. To date, there are simply not enough examples built, measured, and verified as ZNE performers to form a critical mass given all of the different building types and climate variables in California, let alone nationally. Documentation of ZNE process and performance, together with dissemination of the learnings will be an important resource for building designers, owners, managers, occupants and other stakeholders as California tries to reach these high goals.
This publication, representing findings and experience from PG&E’s ZNE Pilot Program, is one such effort to disseminate information. Consistent with state policy, PG&E’s work in the pilot pro- gram in each instance focused first on achieving the maximum level of load reduction and energy efficiency in the building through integrated design practices and careful equipment selection be- fore sizing on-site renewable energy systems to balance out the remaining energy requirement. (The least expensive kWh is still the one that no one has to generate!)
“At scale” normalization of the design and production of ZNE buildings will occur when the design professionals are comfortable with the process and results, and when building clients—the own- ers and developers—have confidence about the feasibility and value of this approach to building procurement. Sharing information about successful projects in the real world is a key step and the motivation for this publication.
-- Peter Turnbull, Principal, Commercial Buildings, Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
1 Arup, December 2012, “The Technical Feasibility of Zero Net Energy Buildings in California”, Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
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