June O.W.L.S. Topic: Design Solutions for Optimizing Building Energy Performance
The performance and value of certified green buildings has been a hot topic and open question for some time. When it comes to small commercial green buildings, which high-performance design and construction strategies are working well? Which need improvement? The Advanced Commercial Buildings Initiative at Southface studied small commercial buildings constructed within a regional, prescriptive green building program. The experienced presentation team will paint a complete picture of performance for various building types by factoring in component-level building monitoring and measured data including energy models, utility bills, and air tightness testing.
Case studies will demonstrate through both measured post-occupancy energy and water consumption and a novel, modeled deep energy reduction package which decisions make the highest impact. Certification and incremental measure costs will be examined in the context of both construction costs and total cost of ownership, in addition to documented non-energy benefits of green building. Finally, the group will discuss climate zone-specific differences which would need to be considered when implementing this approach in other regions.
Audience members will be engaged throughout this intermediate-level presentation in participant exercises designed to test their knowledge of building design interactions and design impact on performance and occupant behavior.
Learning Units: 1.5 HSW
Cost: Free for Members
$35 for Non-Members
Speaker Biographies
Jaida Holbrook
Jaida Holbrook has over 7 years of experience within the architecture and construction industry focused on environmental initiatives. As Program Manager of EarthCraft Light Commercial high performance building certification, Jaida oversees the program's management and quality assurance. In addition she is responsible for business development, technical content, budget management and guiding the EarthCraft Light Commercial program's integration into Southface’s other programs. Before joining Southface, Jaida was based in Stockholm, Sweden working with Skanska where she managed multiple LEED certifications, conducted HS&E inspections, oversaw environmental requirements for suppliers, created a carbon management plan, and developed verification tracking tools.
Sydney Roberts
Sydney Roberts, PhD, directs research, quality assurance and residential training and technical services at Southface. She is the Principal Investigator for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America and Advanced Commercial Building Initiative research programs. Sydney is active in national energy efficiency program and policy development, serving in leadership positions on boards and committees. Dr. Roberts is a frequent presenter at national conferences and has authored over 10 peer-reviewed and professional publications.