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Energy and Building Systems Design |
This
information has a direct impact on us as builders. Buildings comprise
35 percent of direct energy use in the United States. Of that 35
percent, 64 percent goes into heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning; 24 percent heats hot water; 13 percent provides lighting;
and electrical appliances are beginning to cut a significant wedge into
the pie. In terms of carbon dioxide production, in total, buildings are
responsible for 48% of all greenhouse gasses.
Energy and Building Systems Design
Energy
efficiency requires a systems-based approach to designing and building a
home. All elements of the building shell; foundation, framing, roof
structure and windows play key roles in defining the potential energy
savings for a house. Energy use inside the home is the second tier of
consideration. Mechanical equipment sized to the actual loads of the
house, natural day lighting and ventilation greatly impact how much
energy will be used to provide comfort and convenience. Appliances and
lighting also impact net energy efficiency. All need to be considered in
the early design stages to maintain cost effectiveness.
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Energy and Building Systems Design |
The
study, Greening the Building and the Bottom Line by Joseph Romm of the
U.S. DOE and William Browning of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI),
highlights case studies of several companies that invested in
energy-efficient designs and thereby experienced significant savings.
The companies highlighted in the RMI study saved enormous amounts of
energy—up to a 90 percent decrease in previous consumption. Further
justifying the investment in retrofitting is the compelling evidence
that day lighting (a design feature which allows the use of natural
light, rather than artificial light during daytime hours), improved HVAC
(Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning), and improved indoor air
quality. This resulted in increased productivity, fewer worker errors,
and less absenteeism in many cases studies. Because labor costs are such
a large share of total costs (workforce accounts for approximately $130
per square foot, 72 times more than energy costs), a one percent
increase in worker productivity can result in savings to a company that
exceeds their total energy costs.
Embodied Energy

The
energy buildings require starts accumulating long before the building
materials are on-site. The energy required to extract, manufacture, and
transport building materials is tallied into the sum total known as
embodied energy. Producing stone, glass, and clay--common building
materials--makes up 6.9 percent of the industrial sector’s 37 percent of
total energy use.
Cement production worldwide accounts for
8% of all carbon released into the atmosphere. Additionally, minerals
are found in a wide variety of building materials in the home from
plumbing and wiring to insulation. There are even minerals in paint and
wallpaper. Because minerals must be mined, they come to us at a high
price both in terms of energy costs and environmental impact.
Investing in Energy Improvements
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Energy Improvements |
Natural gas just stopped flowing in US gas wells and we became a natural gas importer. The resultant doubling of natural gas prices (and oil prices for those who heat with oil) have changed the entire economic equation for insulation payback. Today, looking into the energy crystal ball, the more insulation you can fit into the envelope the better. After all, how long will your homes last? What will be the price of fossil fuels used to heat your home in 5,10, 15 years? If your house will stand that long it needs to be insulated sufficiently to meet those economic demands for energy.
Green
building reduces energy consumption in numerous ways. First, we can
decrease the embodied energy of the building through efficient design,
use of recycled and local materials, and recycling construction waste.
Second, green building design reduces a building’s energy consumption
over its lifetime. Strategically placing windows and skylights can
eliminate the need for electrical lighting during the day. A whole house
fan can cool the house over night, rather than relying on air
conditioning.
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