Commercial Building Codes: Finding the Path to Improved Compliance

Commercial Building Codes:
Finding the Path to
Improved Compliance
Presented by Ari Michelson, ERS
February 3, 2016
AESP National Conference, 2016
Phoenix, AZ

Compliance with the energy code is the
law…

…yet NO buildings meet the energy
code requirements!!!
 ERS compliance studies:
 Massachusetts (2)
 Rhode Island
 New York
 Maine
 DOE – ARRA (multi-state evaluation)
 Energy code training: MA, NH, RI,
and NY

Compliance and Enforcement Challenges
Meet Emmet.

Evolution of Energy Codes
Source: ACEEE 2012

The Energy Code of the Future: A Shift
ZNE
 Today: Code is minimum standard.
 Incremental improvements with each
new version
 Future: Provide a
roadmap for zero net
energy (ZNE) buildings.

Future Trends in Codes: zEPI
 Zero Energy Performance Index (zEPI)
Source: New Buildings Institute, 2015

Future Trends in Codes:
Outcome-Based Codes
 Post-occupancy performance verification
 Flexibility in building design
=

Compliance Improvement Tool:
High Performance Building Programs
 Set targets better than code requirements.
 LEED, NBI’s Advanced Buildings, CHPS, etc.
 Spillover opportunity for Program Administrators

High Performance Program Case Study:
Massachusetts Stretch Code
 Adopted in 2009; requires ≈20% better than
IECC 2009 base code.
 As of 2014, over 50% of MA towns adopted
the Stretch Code
 Cascading benefits
across the state.

Program Administrators’ (PAs’)
Existing Programs “Push” the Code

Opportunity for PAs to “Pull” Buildings
Above and Beyond Code
Source: Fit Events Tough Mudder, www.fitevents.com

“Pull” Buildings Beyond Code
 Teach the “why”
 building science

Focus: Code Compliance or Savings
Opportunity
 Focus should be on savings opportunity
90% compliance target

Conclusions
 Energy code is shifting – path to ZNE
 “Pull” programs and high performance
buildings
 Go beyond compliance rate – identify
savings opportunities

Thank you!
Questions?
Ari Michelson, ERS
amichelson@ers-inc.com

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For more information, see www.aesp.org.

Commercial Building Codes: Finding the Path to Improved Compliance

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Commercial Building Codes: Finding the Path to Improved Compliance