This document summarizes research on improving the energy efficiency of U.S. commercial buildings through building energy codes. The research analyzed 12 building types across 228 locations to evaluate the energy savings, carbon reductions, and life-cycle cost savings of adopting newer building codes. It found that more efficient designs are usually cost-effective over 10 years. However, states do not consistently adopt newer codes based on economic or environmental factors. Government policies are needed to incentivize code updates and improve building efficiency nationwide. Metrics and tools were developed to measure savings and inform policymakers.

1. CIB Webinar: Implementation of Energy
Efficient Buildings Policies in 5 Continents
North America
Beyond the Code: Energy, Carbon, and Cost
Savings using Conventional Technologies
Joshua Kneifel, PhD
Engineering Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
U.S. Department of Commerce

2. U.S. Goals Impacting Buildings
New Energy for America
Dramatically improve building energy efficiency
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050
Federal R&D Agenda
Integrated, Performance-Based Design and Operation
Performance-
Net-
Net-Zero Energy Building Technologies and Strategies
How do you reach these goals for buildings?
What metrics do you use to measure accomplishments?

3. Policy Options and Metrics
How to drastically increase building energy efficiency and
reduce carbon emissions?
Regulation – Building codes
“Stick”
Incentives – Tax credits
“Carrot”
Markets – Building performance labels
Voluntary/Educational programs
What metrics do you use to measure accomplishments?
Energy Savings?
Emissions Reductions?
Costs?
Baselines?

4. Current Research:
Targeting Building Codes
Focus on Commercial Building Codes
Adoption of New Codes
Complex
No National Building Code
State Codes
Vary from No Code to Newest Code
ASHRAE 90.1-2007 or 2009 IECC
90.1-

5. Commercial Building Codes
As of September 14, 2010

6. Questions to Answer
Why do states adopt new building energy codes?
Energy savings?
Economic reasoning?
Environmental concerns?
Are these energy code adoptions worth it?
Energy savings?
Economically viable?
Over what time frame?
Vary by building type?
Environmentally beneficial?
Does location matter?
Climate/Region
Energy Source and Costs
Construction Costs

7. Metrics & Tools
to answer these questions
Metrics Tools
Life-
Life-Cycle Costing Building for Environmental &
Economic Sustainability
Energy Savings (BEES)
Product/component scale
Life-
Life-Cycle Assessment
BEES for Buildings
System/building scale
GIS Mapping

8. BEES for Buildings
Business Case for Sustainability
Whole Building Integrated Design
Compare Energy Efficiency Alternatives
(1) Life-cycle costing
Life-
First and Future Costs
(2) Energy savings
(3) Life-cycle assessment
Life-
Carbon footprint
GIS Mapping

9. Building Prototypes
12 Commercial Building Types
Varying sizes and function
Represents 29% of U.S. commercial building stock
3 Energy Efficiency Alternatives
ASHRAE 90.1-2004 - baseline
90.1-
ASHRAE 90.1-2007 or “Low Energy Case”
90.1-
Varying exterior envelope, lighting, and HVAC size
228 Locations
1, 10, 25, and 40-year study periods
10, 40-
8,208 simulations

10. Energy savings (%) –
12 Building Types (10 Yr)
90.1-2007 v 90.1-2004 Low Energy Case v. 90.1-2004

11. Energy savings (%) –
12 Building Types (10 Yr)
90.1-2007 v 90.1-2004 Low Energy Case v. 90.1-2004

12. Energy savings map (%) –
LEC for 3-Story Office Building
3-

13. Carbon Reduction (%) –
12 Building Types (10 Yr)
90.1-2007 v 90.1-2004 Low Energy Case v. 90.1-2004

14. Carbon reduction map (%) –
LEC for 3-Story Office Building
3-

15. Life-
Life-cycle cost savings (%) –
12 Building Types (10 Yr)
90.1-2007 v 90.1-2004 Low Energy Case v. 90.1-2004

16. Cost savings map (%) –
LEC for 3-Story Office Building
3-

17. State Code Adoption
Compare adoption of ASHRAE 90.1-2007 from ASHRAE 90.1-2004
90.1- 90.1-
Over all building types…
Based on life-cycle cost savings?
life-
Top 20 – 30% adopted 90.1-2007
90.1-
Bottom 20 – 46%
Based on Energy Savings?
Top 20 – 34% adopted 90.1-2007
90.1-
Bottom 20 – 36%
Based on Emissions Reductions?
No correlation

18. Summary
Energy efficient building designs are usually cost-effective over a
cost-
10+ year study period
Large variation in benefits and costs across locations
Climate, Code requirements, Energy costs, Construction costs
States are NOT adopting new building codes for economic,
environmental, or energy-related reasons.
energy-
Gov. policies are necessary to improve nationwide energy efficiency
Improve Education/Information
Create Incentives
Increase Requirements
Easy-to-
Easy-to-understand metrics and tools are needed to inform and
educate the public and policymakers

19. For More Information...
www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/bees.html
joshua.kneifel@nist.gov