Market Transformation Taking Place with Free Advanced Energy Design Guide Downloads

Nine million tons of carbon dioxide. $600 million in energy costs.

That’s the potential savings represented by 100,000 copies in the Advanced Energy Design Guide series now in circulation. More than 88,000 of the publications have been obtained via free download since January.

The series includes publications on small retail and small office buildings, K-12 school buildings, and warehouses and self storage units. The books provide guidance on how to achieve 30% energy savings over building code minimum based on ANSI/ASHRAE/ IESNA Standard 90.1-1999.

Calculations show that if every guide downloaded resulted in a single building designed to save 30% beyond code minimum, the estimated energy and carbon savings would be 52 trillion btus and 9 million tons of carbon dioxide. With an average cost of electricity of 5 cents per kwh and gas at $7 per mmbtu, the estimated cost of energy savings is over $600 million.

The guides are developed by ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. The downloads are available at www.ashrae.org/freeaedg.

“ASHRAE is committed to energy optimization and producing guidance that will help move the building industry toward market viable net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings,” ASHRAE President Kent Peterson, P.E., said. “The call for these high performing buildings is transforming our industry, and the guidance in the Advanced Energy Design Guide series is usable technology guidance to help owners, architects and engineers in accomplishing high-performing buildings.”

“This is proof positive that there are substantial economic benefits to green building strategies,” said AIA President Marshall E. Purnell, FAIA. “Hopefully this will help convince skeptics of the value and payback of green building design and that practitioners will take advantage of this excellent resource so that we can move closer to reaching our shared goal of carbon neutral buildings by 2030.”

“IES is pleased to part of the team developing these important guides, whose success demonstrates that collectively the collaborating organizations are raising awareness about how to achieve energy savings and developing a receptive audience for future guidance on net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings,” said Rita M. Harrold, IESNA director of technology.

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy, and threats to human health,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Working with ASHRAE, AIA, and IESNA on the Advanced Energy Design Guide series is part of a critical collaborative effort to provide the industry with the tools it needs to make an immediate and measurable impact.”

Upcoming publications in the series include 30% guidance books for highway lodging, existing buildings and small health care facilities.


1 COMMENT

  1. This is an open letter to the public.

    Additionally here is local news coverage from Boston:

    http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1112715

    Dear Member of the Public,

    I am writing to inform you that the United States’ Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Green Building Conference in Boston, MA from November 19 to 21, 2008, will be potentially mired by a labor dispute with ARAMARK food services. USGBC representatives have not pledged, as of yet, that they will not use ARAMARK food services while at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Furthermore, I wanted to ask that you discuss this issue with their planning contacts in Washington D.C. Your expressed concern can make a difference. Susan Dorn is the legal representative and contact person for this matter for USGBC, she can be reached at: 202-742-3299. Below is specific information regarding the dispute:

    The 350 food service workers at the Hynes Convention Center and the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center have been in contract negotiations with their employer, ARAMARK since September 2007. They have been working without a contract since October 31, 2007. Throughout these negotiations there has been an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. ARAMARK has allegedly:

    o Fired 3 union activists, including 2 negotiating committee members for union activity.

    o Threatened to fire employees for talking about our union while at work.

    o Threatened to take away benefits for raising workplace issues.

    o Ripped union literature out of the hands of union members and tore it up.

    o Spied on employees while we have been engaged in union activity.

    o Changed working conditions and benefits without negotiating with us.

    o Refused to negotiate for more than a month because we wouldn’t agree to limits ARAMARK tried to impose on the number of advisors that we could have present at negotiating sessions.

    We have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for ARAMARK’s alleged unfair labor practices. We went out on strike June 21, 22 and 23 and have called for a boycott of ARAMARK at the Convention Centers. We are asking that all organizations using the Boston Convention center end their contract with ARAMARK and respect the worker-called boycott for social justice. We are not asking that the convention be cancelled, only that the USGBC boycott ARAMARK, the food service provider within the convention center. It is not too late to call Susan Dorn and express your concern. Please call me and Susan Dorn to discuss this issue further.

    Sincerely,

    Tony Cochran
    UNITE HERE Local 26
    33 Harrison Ave
    Boston, MA 02111
    Phone:(617) 832-6639
    Fax:(617) 426-7684

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