COTE SC Carbon-Focused Webinar Series

Part Two: Getting to Net-Zero Energy Before the RFP

 Tuesday January 13, 12-1 PM

Presenters: Catalyst Partners

Format: Live One-hour lecture-based webinar accompanied by slides and Q&A

CEUs: Yes, 1 CEU/LU

Course Description:

The profession needs to advance high-performance in challenging markets and climate regions. The speaker describes the top five considerations that should be evaluated for every zero-net energy project during the pre-RFP process. Then, the speaker explains how to set a meaningful energy target on a proposed project – which is critical to achieving zero-net energy. Finally, the speaker identifies the crucial design decisions that make (or break) the potential for zero-net energy. The truth is that every energy model is WRONG to some degree – and yet they are essential to an integrative design process for high-performance project outcomes. In the spirit of the integrative process, at key points during the session, the audience will be prompted to participate in real-time performance modeling decision-making using cloud-based building energy modeling tools. In one specific example, a seemingly “good” decision when considered in isolation will be shown to be detrimental to overall energy performance when considered in the context of the whole building using dynamic real-time tools. The audience will also be introduced to “next generation” energy modeling using genetic algorithms to achieve design optimization solutions and total carbon modeling, which incorporates emerging processes and databases for assessing and optimizing embodied carbon intensity as part of a project lifecycle carbon assessment.

Learning Objectives:

1.     Explain the top five design considerations of ZNE that need to be considered before responding to a request for proposal (RFP).
2.     Identify specific design questions that a project team needs the building energy modeling effort to answer as early as pre-design.
3.     Determine the appropriate tools to ensure that energy performance and lifecycle carbon goals will be achieved on any project.
4.     Prepare a framework to effectively integrate early-stage building energy modeling within any firm’s culture and design practice.