NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

DOE/NREL’s Research Support Facility:

An Owner’s Role in Realizing Net Zero Energy

Performance

Shanti Pless

Senior Research Engineer

Commercial Buildings Research Group

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

May 11, 2011

Innovation for Our Energy Future

NREL/DOE’s Mission

2

Advanced Commercial Building Research at NREL

DOE EERE funded applied Research RD+D to change the industry

and move the market

•Commercial Building Energy Alliances (CBEA)

•Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP)

•Net Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB)

•DOE’s Net Zero Energy Commercial Building’s Initiative

•Technical Support Documents

& Advanced Energy Design Guides

•HVAC Test Facility

•Opt-E-Plus

•EnergyPlus

•Open Studio

The Future of Zero Energy Buildings

•The DOE Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative aims to achieve marketable net-zero energy commercial buildings by 2025

•ASHRAE Vision 2020

•AIA 2030 Challenge

•California Public Utilities Commission ZEB Action Plan• All new residential ZEB by 2020

• All new commercial ZEB by 2030

•EU ZEB requirement by 2019• International Energy Agency ZEB Definitions Task

•All Federal Buildings ZEB by 2030• October 2009 Executive Order

• Beginning in 2020 all new Federal buildings that enter the planning process are designed to achieve zero-net-energy by 2030

www.commercialbuildings.energy.gov

Definitions of NZEB’s

Net Zero Site Energy

Net Zero Source Energy

Net Zero Emissions

Net Zero Energy Cost

Boundaries and metrics

ZEB:A – ZEB:D

The Definition used WILL impact the ZEB design strategies!

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/39833.pdf

RSF Project Site

DOE/NREL Research Support Facility (RSF)

FTLBSERF

S&TF

Visitor Center

•800 people in DOE office space on NREL’s campus

•220,000 ft2

•Design/Build Process withrequired energy goals

• 25 kBtu/ft2

• 50% energy savings

• LEED Platinum

•Replicable• process

• technologies

• cost

•Site, source, carbon, cost ZEB:B• Includes plugs loads and datacenter

•Firm fixed price of ~$64 million• $259/ft2 construction cost

•Open first phase June 10, 2010

DOE/NREL RSF: Project Goals

Problem Definition – RFP Objectives Checklist

MISSION CRITICALAttain safe work performance/Safe Design Practices

LEED PlatinumEnergy Star “Plus”

HIGHLY DESIRABLE800 staff Capacity

25kBTU/sf/yearArchitectural integrityHonor future staff needsMeasurable ASHRAE 90.1Support culture and amenitiesExpandable buildingErgonomicsFlexible workspaceSupport future technologiesDocumentation to produce a “How to” manual“PR” campaign implemented in real-timeAllow secure collaboration with outsidersBuilding information modelingSubstantial Completion by 2010

IF POSSIBLENet Zero/design approachMost energy efficient building in the worldLEED Platinum PlusASHRAE 90.1 + 50%Visual displays of current energy efficiencySupport public toursAchieve national and global recognition and awardsSupport personnel turnover

RFP also required maximum use of natural ventilation and 90% of floor space fully daylit

Site Energy Use Intensity - Office Buildings

PV System

Natural Ventilation

Thermal Mass

UFAD

Outdoor Air Pre-cool

Transpired Collectors

Radiant Cooling

Radiant Heating

Workplace

Daylighting

(60-ft)

Enhanced Envelope

Thermal Bridging

Electrical lighting

The Section

Open Office Space Culture Change

Started with 80% resistance:

– Lack of privacy

– Managers/Director do not have hard-walled offices

– Loss of convenience

– Acoustics

Allowed for early adjustment and acceptance:

– Several of most concerned are raving

– Light lifts mood

– Everyone has a window

– Right to Daylight

– Encourages collaborative work

Test run new furniture before moving in

Credit: NREL PIX

Office Space of the Future

Critical to make daylighting and natural ventilation work

WINDOW SUNSHADE

PRE-CAST SANDWICHPANEL:3” CONCRETE2” RIGID INSULATION6” CONCRETE

LIGHTLOUVERBOUNCES LIGHTDIRECTLY INTOROOM

TRIPLE PANELOW-E GLASS

TRANSPIREDCOLLECTOR

15

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Photovoltaic System

Final As-built Energy Model

End Use kBtu/ft2

Lights 3.85

Task lights 0.19

Data center 10.60

Data center cooling 0.01

Data center fans 0.55

Office plug loads 9.16

Space heating 6.11

Space cooling 1.42

Pumps 0.27

Ventilation fans 1.61

Domestic hot water 0.13

Exterior lights 0.12

Credit: Chad Lobato/NREL

So How Is It Performing?

Daytime lighting meeting the model predictions– 28-32 kW of lighting on a sunny day (typical office building would use 170 kW)

– Addressing nighttime cleaning staff lighting operation

Significantly below plug load predictions– Staff education programs have engaged occupants as active participants

Fans and Pumps meeting the model predictions– Nighttime loads half of model predictions

Datacenter cooling meeting the model predictions– PUE of 1.1 - 1.2

Rooftop PV meeting model predictions – 32,800 kWh Dec production compared to 29,000 kWh modeled

Heating use close to model – Internal gains of occupants and plugs less than modeled

Will assess cooling this summer

For the last 7 months, we have been comparing the measured end uses to the model end uses:

RSF Plug Load Reduction Strategies

Elevators

– Use energy efficient traction elevators

– Change elevator lighting to energy efficient fluorescent

lighting

– Turn off elevator lighting when the elevator is unoccupied

Break Rooms

– Increase the number of people that use each break room

from approximately 40 to 60

– Eliminate the cooler on the drinking fountain

Task Lights

– Move from 35W fluorescent task lights to 6W LED task lights

Phones

– Go from 1000 standard phones to 1000 VOIP phone that

consumes 2W each

Copiers, Printers, Fax Machines

– Decrease the number people that use individual copiers,

printers and fax machines

– Increase the number of people that use common, or group,

copiers, printers and fax machines from 15 to 20

– Increase the use of all-in-one machines

Computers

– Go from approximately 260 laptops, 33% of staff, to 720,

90% of staff, ensure standby mode works for all workstations

Data Center

– Blade Servers with Virtualization

– High efficiency UPS

– 65W/employee current to 48W/employee in RSF

The result of these strategies is a 47% reduction in plug loads 0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

Baseline RSF

EU

I (k

Btu

/ft2

)

Baseline vs RSF Plug Load EUICoffee Kiosk

Elevator Lighting

Elevators

Drinking Fountains

Vending Machines

Microwaves

Coffee Pots

Refrigerators

Task Lights

Phones

Fax Machines

Copiers

Printers

Computers

Data Center

Conference Room Equipment

Telecom Room Equipment

Misc

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

0.45

0.50

0.55

0.60

0.65

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Po

wer

Den

sit

y (

W/f

t2)

Time of Day

Model Average

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

October 2010 – March 2011 Plug Load Power Density

Note: The elevators are included in the plug loads

Cre

dit: M

arj

orie S

chott/N

RE

L

Credit: Chad Lobato/NREL

21

•100% of the workstations are daylit

•No employee more than 30 feet from a window

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 0

Po

wer

(kW

)

Time of Day

ASHRAE 90.1 Baseline Lighting Power

Installed Lighting Power

Energy Model Lighting Power

RSF Lighting Power

January 28, 2011 RSF Lighting Power Profile Comparison

January 28 was one of Colorado’s warm and

sunny winter days.

All Dark at Night

Datacenter Performance

24

•Fully containing hot aisle critical

• Custom aisle floor and door seals

• Ensure equipment designed for

cold

aisle containment

• And installed to pull cold air

– Not hot air…

•Have run ~1.1-1.15 PUE

•A few hot spots were driving up

PUE…

•Starting to control hot aisle

based on

return temperature of ~80FN

RE

L/P

IX 1

7897

Cre

dit: M

arj

orie S

chott/N

RE

L

Data Center PUE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0.75

0.85

0.95

1.05

1.15

1.25

1.35

1.45

Ou

tdo

or

Tem

pera

ture

(°F

)

PU

E

Data Center PUE

Outdoor Temperature (°F)

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0.75

0.85

0.95

1.05

1.15

1.25

1.35

1.45

Ou

tdo

or

Tem

pera

ture

(°F

)

PU

E

Scenario PUE

Current Trends 1.9

Improved Operations 1.7

Best Practices 1.3

State-of-the-Art 1.2

Measured Versus Modeled Monthly End Use Energy

Consumption

26

Cre

dit: C

had L

obato

/NR

EL

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000M

odel

RS

F

RS

F P

V

Model

RS

F

RS

F P

V

Model

RS

F

RS

F P

V

Model

RS

F

RS

F P

V

Model

RS

F

RS

F P

V

Model

RS

F

RS

F P

V

Model

RS

F

RS

F P

V

October 2010 November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011

Mo

nth

ly E

nerg

y (

kW

h)

PV

Mechanical Systems

Data Center

Plug Loads

Lighting

Heating

Cooling

Replicable - Cost

• $259/ft2 construction costs for site, infrastructure, and building

• Includes interiors, furniture, and cabling

• Does not include PV

• Third party owned PPA PV

• $29/ft2 or 10% additional cost (<300/ft2) if purchased all PV without

tax breaks or subsidies (at $4/watt)

• Fixed firm price with required energy goals in Design-Build contract

• Integrated architecture and envelope as efficiency measures

• Simple and commercial viable

• No unique technologies required

• Modular precast wall panels with minimal finishes

• Optimized glazing area

• Repeatable office floorplate with demountable interior walls

• Comparable cost with other institutional office buildings in the region

Ending Thoughts

•Large Scale Net-Zero is Possible

•Zero takes a coordinated effort with the owner (and all user groups), architect, builder, and the engineering

•The little things make the difference in getting to zero • Anything x 824 is significant

• Thermal breaks

• 2 W/phone!

•The owner needs to require measurableenergy goals and communicate these to the design team

• $ incentive helps too

•The solution is not bigger supplies• 50-70% savings needed

•Every design and operations decision has an energy impact!

Questions?

www.nrel.gov/rsf

Shanti.pless@nrel.gov

Thanks!