1. Bronwyn Barry, RA, CPHD
Passive House MA, Boston
January, 2018
Introducing
PRIMARY ENERGY
+ RENEWABLES
A Building Framework for the
All-Renewable Energy Future:
As Developed by:

2. OVERVIEW
 Intro: The fuzzy math of ‘Net Zero’
 Fundamentals: What is Source (Primary) Energy?
 What’s a Primary Energy ‘factor’
 Why factors are local, regional & season-specific
 Designing for an All-Renewable Energy Future
 Why Primary Energy Renewable (PER)?
 What this looks like in your region
 A few building examples
 Where to find more info

3. PROJECT EXAMPLE ( ONE OF MY OWN DESIGNS)
SOURCE: One Sky Homes ALAMO PASSIVHAUS

4. ALL ELECTRIC (INDUCTION COOKTOP & LED’S)

5. PROJECT STATS
Alamo - CA Climate Zone 12
HDD & CDD 2602 1578
Area & TFA 2968 SF 2342 SF
Net Annual Energy Use &
Production 10,707 kWh 12,767 kWh
PV 7.5 kW
Gas/Electric Split All Electric
Mech systems
Heat Pump,
HRV
Heat Pump
WH
NOMINALY THIS IS A PLUS ENERGY HOME…

6. ASSEMBLIES (hr.ft2.F/BTU)
ROOF/CLG: R-38
CODE REQ’D
R-46
WALLS: R-19 R-28
WINDOWS: U-0.57
FLOOR/SLAB: R-0 R-14
U-0.3
AS BUILT
AIR TIGHTNESS: 3 ACH n50 0.3 ACH
COMPARED TO 2016 T-24 CODE REQUIREMENTS

7. EUI = 9.5
-15000
-10000
-5000
0
5000
10000
PV
Production
HouseUse EV Charger Net +
kWh/yr
WITH NET METERING MATH THE NUMBERS LOOK
GREAT!

8. BUT PRACTICALLY THIS HOME STILL IMPORTS ENERGY

9. BUT PRACTICALLY THIS HOME STILL IMPORTS ENERGY
Annual Energy Use vs Generation Gap

10. PRIMARY ENERGY ACCOUNTING
SOURCE: Illustration from ‘California’s All Renewable Energy Future’ by Bronwyn Barry
‘SOURCE’ vs ‘SITE’
ENERGY

11. PRIMARY ENERGY ACCOUNTING
SOURCE: Illustration from ‘California’s All Renewable Energy Future’ by Bronwyn Barry
‘SOURCE’ vs ‘SITE’
ENERGY
‘SITE NET ZERO’ IS FUZZY MATH!

12. WHAT IS A UTILIZATION FACTOR FOR ELECTRICITY?
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

13. WHAT IS A UTILIZATION FACTOR FOR ELECTRICITY?
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

14. SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use
WHAT IS A UTILIZATION FACTOR FOR ELECTRICITY?

15. WHAT’S YOUR REGIONAL(SOURCE) ENERGY FACTOR?
SOURCE: Image - http://www.theenergycollective.com/aqgilbert/2322195/us-electricity-system-15-maps, Data: Passive House Academy
kWh of Source Energy per kWh of delivered electricity (2004) National: 3.315

16. WHAT’S YOUR REGIONAL(SOURCE) ENERGY FACTOR?
SOURCE: Image - http://www.theenergycollective.com/aqgilbert/2322195/us-electricity-system-15-maps, Data: Passive House Academy
kWh of Source Energy per kWh of delivered electricity (2004) National: 3.315
ERCOT:
3.574
Alaska: 3.568
Hawaii: 3.1917
Eastern: 3.394

17. SOURCE: Image - http://www.theenergycollective.com/aqgilbert/2322195/us-electricity-system-15-maps, Data: Passive House Academy
kWh of Source Energy per kWh of delivered electricity (2004) National: 3.315
Western: 2.853
ERCOT:
3.574
Alaska: 3.568
Hawaii: 3.1917
Eastern: 3.394
WHAT’S YOUR REGIONAL(SOURCE) ENERGY FACTOR?

18. HOW DIRTY(OR CLEAN) IS YOUR GRID?
Nuclear
North East
Hydro North
West
Windy Great
Plains
Coal
Midwest
Solar
Coasts
Gas
Everywhere!
Solar
Coasts
Gas
Everywhere!

19. SHIFTING DESIGN INCENTIVES TO FAVOR RENEWABLES
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

20. SHIFTING DESIGN INCENTIVES TO FAVOR RENEWABLES
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

21. SHIFTING DESIGN INCENTIVES TO FAVOR RENEWABLES
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use
✕

22. SHIFTING DESIGN INCENTIVES TO FAVOR RENEWABLES
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

✕

23. SHIFTING DESIGN INCENTIVES TO FAVOR RENEWABLES
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

✕
Renewables 3x better
site utilization

24. SHIFTING DESIGN INCENTIVES TO FAVOR RENEWABLES
SOURCE: https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/measuring-building-energy-use

✕
Renewables 3x better
site utilization
But non-Renewables
look equally good

25. SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment,
VISUALIZINGAN ALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE

26. VISUALIZINGAN ALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment,

27. VISUALIZINGAN ALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment,

28. VISUALIZINGAN ALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment,

29. VISUALIZINGAN ALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment,

30. VISUALIZINGAN ALL RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment,
New Design
Incentives
Needed

31. RETHINKINGPRIMARY (SOURCE) ENERGY
Heating/Cooling
Demand:
Peak Heat Load:
Air-tightness:
Total Primary Energy:
15 kWh/m2yr
or 4.75 kBTU/hr.ft2
10 W/m2
or 3.2 BTU/hr.ft2
n50 < 0.6 ACH
Primary Energy
Renewables (PER)
Factors 3 Certification Levels
Incentivizes RENEWABLE ENERGY sources
SOURCE: Image – Team Germany 2009 Solar Decathlon Passivhaus supplies 200% of it’s energy via renewable energy.
Creates a CARBON
EMISSIONS focus
Cooling Limits
adjusted for
Humid Climates:

32. THREE RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATION LEVELS
Energy Supply from Renewable Resources
Final Energy Demand at the BuildingPER =
INCENTIVIZES:
1. Total Demand Reduction & Peak Load Shifting
2. Fuel switching to all-electric with heat pumps
3. Regional renewable grid efficiencies
4. Allows local and off-site renewable credits
5. Seasonal storage of renewables at utility scale
6. Urban density & equitable renewable credit for all buildings
SOURCE: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment

33. BUILDINGAN ALL-RENEWABLE ENERGY FRAMEWORK
SOURCE: Illustrations by Bronwyn Barry, info: https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessment
1. Total Demand
Reduction
Separated into:
 Electricity
 Hot Water
 Heating
 Cooling
 Dehumidification
2. Seasonal Energy
Demand
3. Regional Grid
Renewable Supply
Account for:
 Wind
 Solar PV &
HW
 Hydro
~ Biomass
~ District Heat
4. Building
Site & Size
6. Renewable
Storage
Calculated kWh of:
 Short-term &
 Long-term energy
5. Regional
Peak Load
Considers localized use:
 Demand Type
 Daily Peak Use
 Seasonal Peak
7. Appliance
Energy Source
Incentivizes fuel switching
Factor & incentivize:
 Local renewable availability
 Building size vs roof area
 Supply vs Demand balance
 Viable short- vs long-term storage

34. FRAMEWORKFOR NEW ENGLAND
5. Regional
Peak Load
SOURCE: PHPP v.9.7 IP

35. FRAMEWORKFOR NEW ENGLAND
5. Regional
Peak Load
SOURCE: PHPP v.9.7 IP

36. FRAMEWORKFOR NEW ENGLAND
5. Regional
Peak Load
SOURCE: PHPP v.9.7 IP

37. FRAMEWORKFOR NEW ENGLAND
5. Regional
Peak Load
SOURCE: PHPP v.9.7 IP

38. FRAMEWORKFOR TRI-STATE REGION
5. Regional
Peak Load
SOURCE: PHPP v.9.7 IP

39. FRAMEWORKFOR CALIFORNIA
5. Regional
Peak Load

40. APPLIED TO A HOME IN MAINE
SOURCE: http://www.slideshare.net/harrmann/the-new-phpp-version-9-project-specific-cause-effect

41. SUMMARIZINGPRIMARY ENERGY RENEWABLE
BASIC PRINCIPLES
1. Manages ‘Loss’
1. Driven by:
Comfort
Quality
Durability
3. Credits renewables
separately
PRIORITIZES
DEMAND
REDUCTION
Renewable sources given
beneficial ‘Primary Energy
Renewable’ factors
Credits allocated to:
On-site generation
Off-site generation
Green Roofs
(Regional grid supply
factored into this
calculus.)
SOURCE: Image – California’s All Renewable Energy Future by Bronwyn Barry, CPHD

42. EQUITABLECALCULATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
BASIC PRINCIPLES
1. Manages ‘Loss’
1. Driven by:
Comfort
Quality
Durability
3. Credits renewables
separately
SOURCE: Image – California’s All Renewable Energy Future by Bronwyn Barry, CPHD
RENEWABLE
CREDITS ALLOCATED
BY
Projected Building
Footprint
Incentivizes large-scale
and micro-grid renewable
supply.
Off-site generation allowed
for Premium Tier.
Does not penalize commercial, tall,
shaded or urban infill projects with
no site generation capacity.

43. LEARN MORE HERE:http://www.naphnetwork.org
http://www.naphnetwork.org

44. LEARN MORE HERE:
http://www.naphnconference2018.com/

45. LEARN MORE HERE:
https://passivhaustagung.de/en/

46. FURTHERREADING, THANKS AND CREDITS
SOURCE MATERIAL:
 Passive House Institute, passivehouse.com
 ‘The PER Sustainability Assessment,’ Passipedia.org
 Andre Harrmann, CertiPHiers & Harrmann Consulting
 Bronwyn Barry, ‘California’s All-Renewable Energy Future’
RECOMMENDED READING:
https://passipedia.org/certification/passive_house_categories/per#the_per_sustainability_assessme
nt
https://passipedia.org/basics/passive_house_-
_assuring_a_sustainable_energy_supply/passive_house_the_next_decade
SOURCE: Image – Alamo Passive House, One Sky Homes
THANK YOU
Bronwyn Barry, RA, CPHD
Email: info@naphnetwork.org
Website: http://naphnetwork.org/