Zero Energy Commercial Buildings Initiative

A New Initiative to Eliminate One-Fifth of all U.S. Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

THE PROBLEM

The buildings sector represents a significant share of domestic energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The commercial sector alone makes up 18% of U.S. energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, and is the fastest growing energy end-use sector in the U.S. Many commercial buildings are leased rather than owner-occupied, making it more difficult to optimize efficiency investments. The complexity and diversity of commercial buildings represents a further barrier to optimal efficiency investment.

The Potential

Recent estimates of the potential for cost-effective energy reductions in existing commercial buildings vary widely, from four to 11 percent beyond business-as-usual for natural gas and five percent to nearly 40 percent beyond business-as-usual for electricity. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has called for reducing fossil fuel use in new and renovated buildings by 60 percent by 2010 and by 100 percent by 2030 – and Congress has set very similar goals for new and renovated federal buildings. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), which sets model building energy standards for commercial buildings, has a goal of improving commercial building energy codes 30 percent by 2010.

Current Activities Are Not Sufficient

The Department of Energy (DOE) has a Zero Energy Buildings program for residential buildings that aims to reduce residential energy use sufficiently to allow on-site renewable energy to cost-effectively supply the remaining power needs; this has already been demonstrated in a few pilot projects. But achieving this “ZEB” goal for commercial buildings will be considerably more difficult and complicated, since commercial buildings are more than twice as energy intensive as residential buildings, and vary widely in size and function. Currently there is only a small commercial whole-buildings research program at DOE and additional R&D for specific technologies such as solid state lighting. An ambitious, concerted multi-year partnership with sustained funding by both business and government is critical to achieving significant savings throughout the commercial sector.

ZERO ENERGY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS INITIATIVE (CBI)

The Alliance to Save Energy, along with AIA, ASHRAE, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, are founding sponsors of an initiative to make commercial buildings in the United States carbon neutral by 2030. CBI brings together building industry leaders, technical experts, energy-efficiency advocates, and other stakeholders to work closely with DOE as part of a public-private initiative authorized in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA).

This collaboration will combine improved tracking of real energy performance, demonstrations of replicable solution packages for different building types, strategic research, and a market transformation plan. Details on each of these elements are outlined below:

Measure and Disclose Energy Performance in Buildings

There is a significant lack of measured data on the actual energy performance of commercial buildings. Measuring and tracking detailed energy consumption trends across the commercial building stock is an essential precursor to setting priorities and assessing progress toward the long-term goals. Detailed, readily available data on building energy performance will allow buildings to benchmark their energy performance compared to similar buildings. The market value of energy efficiency can be strengthened by policies to encourage or require rating and disclosure of buildings’ energy performance, helping to drive increased investments in energy-saving measures in new and existing buildings.

Demonstrate Scaleable and Replicable Building System Solution Packages

Through partnerships with key private and public sector organizations, this program will demonstrate scaleable and replicable building system solution packages in key market segments. These “solution packages” are sets of designs, technologies, integration strategies, financing solutions, etc., that deliver assured, measurable energy performance improvements in specific types of commercial buildings. These packages will be designed to be widely deployable without the aid of research expertise and to be replicable with minimal customization across a wide array of market segments. Examples could include high-performance building designs for big-box retail stores in each climate region; mechanical systems designed for occupant control of comfort conditioning, ventilation, and lighting in Class-A office buildings; and innovative financing for retrofits and ongoing energy management of school buildings.

Conduct Research to Meet 2030 Energy Performance Goals

In addition to integration of building designs, technologies, and practices, R&D and demonstration of critical technologies and systems will need to be accelerated and broadened. Candidate technologies and programs will focus on windows and building envelopes, lighting and daylighting systems, HVAC systems, on-site power integration, and demand management, among other building components.

Develop a Strategy for Sector-Wide Building Transformation

To achieve the goal of zero energy commercial buildings by 2030, we must do more than develop technologies, improve designs, and monitor progress. A full transformation of the commercial building sector will require extensive training of builders, education campaigns targeting building owners and occupants, and strategies to identify financial resources and encourage early adopters. A project team will develop a market transformation plan with a prioritized portfolio of activities and performance goals. Successful implementation of this strategy will require the engagement of all major stakeholders.

FUNDING REQUEST

A total of $20 million in FY 2009, 40 percent of the FY 2009 funding authorized for this program in EISA, is requested to initiate the first phase of CBI, and substantially greater funding will be needed in future years. To ensure that they are used wisely, we request that $2 million of these funds be allocated to technical planning to develop a national action strategy, market assessment, performance metrics and benchmarking, and $18 million to pre-commercial research, development, demonstration, and technology deployment projects to be competitively awarded on a cost-shared basis through DOE’s commercial buildings R&D program.

For more information please contact Alliance policy staff at (202)857-0666 or policyinfo@ase.org.

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy, and national security.

April 2008