A review of our Energy Performance Based Design Build process for procuring high performance new construction on a budget.

1. Phoenix Convention Center • Phoenix, Arizona
Goal Setting and Performance Based Contracting
Track 7: Building
Performance
Session 5:
Constructing High Performance New Buildings
Shanti Pless
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
August 12, 2015

2. Energy Exchange: Federal Sustainability for the Next Decade
Goal Setting and Performance Based Contracting
Presenter: Paul Torcellini, NREL
Description: Learn to set goals in constructing high performance new
buildings and how to maximize the use of performance based
contracts to achieve those goals
Implementation Lessons and Results
Presenter: Shanti Pless, NREL
Description: Review lessons learned and results in implementation of
practices to best help guarantee building performance.
A View from a Contractor
Presenter: Phil Macey, JE Dunn Construction
Description: Develop an understanding from the contractor’s
perspective in understanding the process in designing and constructing
high performance new buildings.
2
Session Overview

3. NREL: 2006
3

4. Energy Exchange: Federal Sustainability for the Next Decade
Historical Context
Pre-2007
– Design-bid-build
– Specifications of “exactly”
what we wanted
– Always struggling to balance
the budget with program and
architecture and energy
4

5. NREL: Today
2012 aerial, Photo by Sincere/Duncan Studios courtesy of JE Dunn Construction

6. NREL Campus Growth with Design-Build
• Procurement process attributes post-2007:
– Design-build project delivery with firm fixed price for >$400 Million of new
facilities
– Specific energy performance requirements in the Request for Proposal (RFP, also
referred to as the contract)
• RSF I, office example: 25 kBtu/ft2/yr
• SEB, guard house example: net zero energy
• PUE for datacenter of 1.06
– Energy modeling required to substantiate goals
– Energy end-use metering requirement
– Voluntary incentive ($) program to ensure measurement and verification
outcome has a chance to meet predicted performance
6

7. Research Support Facility Vision
• A showcase for sustainable, high-performance design
o Incorporates the best in energy efficiency, environmental
performance, and advanced controls using a “whole-building”
integrated design process
• Serves as a model for cost-competitive, high-performance
commercial buildings for the nation’s design construction,
operation, and financing communities
Credit: RNL
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8. Energy Exchange: Federal Sustainability for the Next Decade
Owner Defines Desires
Mission Critical:
Project cannot succeed without
this element
Highly Desirable:
What the owner wants
If Possible:
The wish list
8

9. Problem Definition: RFP Objectives
HIGHLY
DESIRABLE
MISSION
CRITICAL
IF
POSSIBLE
9

10. Problem Definition: RFP Objectives
• Attain safe work performance/
Safe Design Practices
• LEED Platinum
• ENERGY STAR “Plus”
MISSION
CRITICAL
10

11. Problem Definition: RFP Objectives
• 800 staff capacity
• 25kBTU/sf/year
• Architectural integrity
• Honor future staff needs
• Measurable ASHRAE 90.1
• Support culture and amenities
• Expandable building
• Ergonomics
• Flexible workspace
• Support future technologies
• Documentation to
produce
a “How to” manual
• “PR” campaign
implemented in real-
time
• Allow secure
collaboration
with outsiders
• Building information
modeling
• Substantial completion
by 2010
HIGHLY
DESIRABLE
11

12. Problem Definition: RFP Objectives
• Net Zero/design approach
• Most energy efficient building in the world
• LEED Platinum Plus
• ASHRAE 90.1 + 50%
• Visual displays of current energy efficiency
• Support public tours
• Achieve national and global recognition and
awards
• Support personnel turnover
IF
POSSIBLE
12

13. Details of 25 kBtu/ft2 in a Contract
1. Set energy goal based on past measured office building research
2. Need to provide normalization for space efficiency
3. Need to provide adjustment for energy use for large external users – data
center
4. Calculation method for delivered campus utilities
- Didn’t want to let design team “assume” unknown delivered efficiency
5. Benchmark current plug loads and operational schedules
6. Thermal comfort requirements
7. Energy monitoring requirements
8. Unique substantiation requirements
9. Provide ZEB definitions and classification system
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14. EUI Design Requirements
• 25 kBtu/ft2/yr for standard office space occupant
density and datacenter loads
• Normalized up to 35.1 kBtu/ft2/yr for better space
efficiency and to account for full data center load
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15. Performance-based design-build with absolute energy use requirements
• These are NOT bridging documents
– Owner has significant input into the preliminary design
– Some overlap of A/E costs
• These ARE performance specifications
– What something must do, not what it must be
– Subcontractor must substantiate that the design meets requirements
– Owner must not give the subcontractor technical direction
No drawings/plans in RFP!
• Don’t change your mind
Energy Performance Based Design-Build Process
15

16. A value engineering process that adds
value
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17. A value engineering process that adds
value
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18. The Results
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19. Acquisition Strategy Results
• Created Value Beyond the Budget at Lower Cost and Risk to All
Parties
• No Claims or Controversy
• No Contractor Change Orders
• Virtually No Contingency Use for Unknowns or Omissions
• Sixteen Months from Shovel to Move-In
• Over a year of delivery time saved!
• Large Scale Net Zero Energy without increase in first cost
• Defined a New National Building Energy Standard
• Replicable Acquisition Strategy for Use by Others to Create
Their Own Successes!
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20. How Much Did It Cost?
• $259/ft2 construction costs for site work,
infrastructure, and building
o Includes interiors, furniture, and cabling
o Does not include PV, land, or design costs
• Third-party-owned power purchase
agreement for PV
o $29/ft2 or 11% additional cost if NREL had purchased all
PV without tax breaks or subsidies (at $5/Watt)
20

21. • Firm fixed price with required energy goals in design-build
contract
• Integrated architecture and envelope as efficiency measures
• Simple and commercially viable
• No unique technologies required
• Modular precast wall panels with minimal finishes
• Optimized glazing area
• Repeatable office floorplate
• Takes a coordinated effort with the owner (and all user
groups), architect, builder, and engineers
Replicable – Cost Control Review
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22. DOE/NREL Research Support Facility
RFP Design/Build Requirements:
• 50% energy cost savings over
ASHRAE 90.1
• 35.1 kBtu/ft2/yr
• Net zero energy use
• Performance assurance plan
with incentives
Design/Build Results:
• Net zero energy use
• 36.4 kBtu/ft2/yr
• $259/sqft construction costs
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23. DOE/NREL RSF 3rd Wing
RFP Design/Build Requirements:
• 27 kBtu/ft2/yr
• 50% Energy Cost Savings
• Performance assurance plan
with incentives
Design/Build Results:
• 20 kBtu/ft2/yr measured
• Demonstration of additional
cost savings, energy efficiency,
and schedule gains over phase
1
• 17% more efficient than the RSF
• Cost savings of 5% ($14/ft2
cheaper)
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24. DOE/NREL 1800 Car Staff Parking
Garage
Design/Build Requirements:
• 0.5 kBtu/ft2
• 175 kBtu/stall
• Net-zero energy Site
Entrance Building
Design/Build Results:
• 90% Energy savings
• 138 kBtu/parking stall
• $14,172 per parking space
• $15,500 to $24,500 for
typical parking space in
Denver area

25. DOE/NREL Cafeteria
RFP Design/Build Requirements:
• 35% energy cost savings over
ASHRAE 90.1
• Best in class commercial
kitchen equipment
• Performance assurance plan
with incentives
• LEED Gold
Design/Build Results:
• 36% energy savings and
Platinum
• Demonstration of max efficiency
in a commercial kitchen using
energy performance based
design/build delivery and
procurement methods
• Continuous improvement
requirements in vendor contract
to ensure performance
assurance

26. DOE/NREL Energy Systems Integration Facility
Design/Build Requirements:
• 27 kBtu/ft2 Office wing
• 1.06 PUE Super computer
• No mechanical cooling
• Waste heat reuse
• 30% savings for all labs
• LEED Gold
Design/Build Results:
• 26 kBtu/ft2 Office wing
• World class efficient super
computer
• 1.05 PUE
• 36% savings in labs
• LEED Platinum
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27. Replication Success
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28. World Class Efficiency is Possible
Within Our Construction Budgets!
• Include absolute EUI requirements
– Set up acquisition process to “force”
integrated design
– Subsystem measureable performance
requirements when needed
• Energy modeling guides conceptual design decisions
• Architecture and envelope are also efficiency
measures
– Unwavering commitment to problem statement
• Unleash power of design/build team of experts to
meet your needs – true value engineering
Spend the
time to get
the RFP
right
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29. How-to Guides for Cost Control
Guide:
– https://buildingdata.energy.gov/cbrd/resource/1655
– Discusses the recommended strategies
– Pairs strategies with industry examples of success in ZEBs and
other high-performance buildings where possible
– Describes how to balance key decision-making factors
– Provides quick reference tables to help building owners and
project teams apply the recommended strategies to their
projects.
• Fact sheet:
– https://buildingdata.energy.gov/cbrd/resource/1654
– Highlights key ideas from the guide
– Directs readers to the guide for more details.

30. Energy Exchange: Federal Sustainability for the Next Decade
https://buildingdata.energy.gov/cbrd/energy_based_acquisition/

31. Scale performance-
based procurement
100 buildings
three years
This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
(EERE), under Award Number DE-EE0007068.

32. Extended partnerships and stakeholder group forming now
TEAM
Seventhwave
National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
Institute for Sustainable Energy
UTILITY PARTNERS
ComEd
Eversource
United Illuminating
OWNER PARTNERS
University of Chicago
Lend Lease
Photos courtesy of University of Chicago