Focus on buildings

There are some very interesting books that have come out recently on the energy performance of buildings.  Here are some of them:

1 Simply Green

This book presents an overview of all main global and some national environmental and energy assessment systems. It discusses six environmental and three purely energy-based certification systems along with fourth briefly discussed certification systems: the British BREEAM Assessment Method, the US LEED Rating System, the German DGNB Certification System, the Australian Green Star Rating System, the Swedish Miljöbyggnad system and the French HQE system; the European Green Building Programme, the Swiss Minergie Building Standard and the German Passive House (Passivhaus) Standard; the Japanese CASBEE assessment system, the Indian IGBC rating system, the US ENERGY STAR programme and the French Effinergie system.

The report was prepared by Brian Edwards for Swegon Air Academy in Sweden.  Information is available here.

2. A Comparative Analysis of Building Energy Efficiency Policies For New Buildings

The report by the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) analyses the content of building energy efficiency codes and surveys how countries are developing and implementing them. The GBPN convened a panel of more than 60 world- leading experts to develop criteria for best practice of building codes and policy packages. The criteria were used to score 25 best-practice building energy efficiency codes from around the world. The results were used to form an interactive comparative tool that facilitates the analysis and comparison of best practice energy efficiency codes and supporting measures. The scoring used multiple criteria that fell under five themes for considering best practice in building codes: a holistic approach, a dynamic approach, good enforcement, individual elements of performance and overall performance. This resulted in a total of 15 criteria that provided an objective basis for rating by the panel of experts.

Building codes can be compared according to single or multiple criteria using a specially-developed online tool. The scores awarded to each code are publicly available on the GBPN website in the Policy Comparative Tool on its website.

The GPBN developed this first objective comparison of building codes in order to share, understand and learn from the best practice, rather than to rank various approaches to best practice. As the GBPN states, all building codes can be improved. The comparative tool aims to promote examples of dynamic and ambitious building energy efficiency regimes for new buildings, with a focus on building energy efficiency codes. The accessible and easy comparison of approaches under different circumstances and criteria will, hopefully, lead to wider adoption and greater guarantee of success.

3. Implementing the cost-optimal methodology in EU countries: Lessons learned from three case studies

The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) has come out with a new report to support national efforts to introduce the concept of cost optimality in their building strategies.  The recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD, 2010/31/EU) requires member states to introduce minimum energy performance requirements for buildings, building elements and technical building systems and set these requirements based on a cost-optimal methodology.  Last year, the Commission came out with methodology last year on how to do the calculations.

In order to provide additional guidance on the cost-optimality process and on how to use the methodology relating to nearly Zero-Energy Buildings requirements and long-term climate goals, the BPIE provides additional practical examples on how to effectively implement the cost-optimal methodology at national level. The main goal is to evaluate the implications of different critical parameters, as well as to share the good practices across EU countries.

Three case studies are delivered with the support of consultants from Austria, Germany and Poland, focusing on cost-optimal calculations for multi-family and / or single-family buildings. The report and case studies demonstrate how ambitious yet affordable cost-optimal energy performance requirements for buildings can be defined and how the transition towards nearly Zero-Energy Buildings can be supported.

The report and case studies are available here.