SUNY ESF
Green Building Conference 2021 Sessions
2021 Conference Sessions
Keynote - IWBI: Combatting COVID
Presenter: Angela Spangler, Director, International WELL Building Institute
Abstract
Engineering Healthy Rooms with Reduced Energy Consumption
Eric A. Schiff, Interim Executive Director, Syracuse CoE, Syracuse University
Michael L. Wetzel, President and CEO, Air Innovations, Inc.
The COVID-19 pandemic is drawing new attention to mitigating disease transmission
in rooms. In this session, we discuss the re-engineering of air flows in a room to
strike a balance between reducing airborne disease transmission and reducing energy
and greenhouse gas budgets. The ideal is that new products and technologies should
be effective in preventing disease transmission and cost-effective from energy savings.
We’ll first describe a general approach to this engineering. In addition to the cost
of installation, each individual technology comes with net operating costs (power/cash
consumption) and a rating for reducing disease transmission probability in the presence
of an infected person. In a room or building several approaches are likely to be cascaded.
Outside air can be introduced. Indoor air can be purified. Thermal comfort can be
improved.
We’ll then present a case study of the design of an air purification product for dental
offices. The product has been developed by Air Innovations, Inc.. Dentists’ offices
are particularly important because patients are necessarily unmasked and patient treatments
launch aerosols into the rooms. As we’ll discuss, the design solutions can be counter-intuitive.
Session: Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency
Presenters: Charles Bertuch, Principal, Bergmann Associates
Abstract
The impacts of COVID-19 have had major effects on our health, economy, and the way
of life of all Americans. Across the full spectrum of markets, building owners are
applying technologies and operating strategies to provide a safe environment for their
workers and customers. This presentation reviews various means to provide COVID-safe
indoor air quality (IAQ), their impact on energy use, and ways to apply these methods
in the most energy efficient means possible. Case studies for assessment of a large
college and K-12 school will be included.
Session: Strategies for Addressing IAQ Concerns of Infection Agents and their Effect on Sustainable Design Goals
Presenters: John MacArthur, Engineer V, Beardsley Architects + Engineers; John Hewitt, Mechanical Engineer, Beardsley Architects + Engineers
Abstract
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an issue that impacts all of us in our daily lives. It
affects our health, learning, performance and comfort. The current pandemic has focused
attention on IAQ and multiple strategies have been employed to respond/adapt to this
new paradigm. We will discuss strategies for HVAC systems that have been successfully
implemented in achieving good IAQ and can be used to address infectious disease concerns.
These strategies include various methods for source control, ventilation and air cleaning.
We will discuss several in detail, what their design methodologies are, their relative
implementation costs, energy impact, operational/maintenance requirements and how
these different strategies serve or inhibit sustainable design goals.
Session: Understanding Embodied Carbon’s Impact On Construction Emissions (& The Tools That Prioritize Low-Carbon Procurement)
Presenters: Stacy Smedley, Executive Director, Building Transparency
Abstract:
It’s critical that the building and construction sectors begin to reduce the embodied
carbon emissions of its materials and products to achieve clean economy goals. In
fact, it’s reported that embodied carbon will be responsible for nearly half of total
new construction emissions between now and 2050.
The Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) is a free and easy to use tool
that allows owners, green building certification programs and policymakers to assess
supply chain data in order to create EPD requirements, and set embodied carbon limits
and reductions, at the construction material and project scale.
This tool, and its subsequent effect on the industry, will drive demand for low-carbon
solutions and incentivize construction materials manufacturers and suppliers to invest
in disclosure, transparency and material innovations that reduce the carbon emissions
of their products.
The EC3 tool allows benchmarking, assessment and reductions in embodied carbon, focused
on the upfront supply chain emissions of construction materials. It can be implemented
in both the design and procurement phases of a construction project to look at a project’s
overall embodied carbon emissions, enabling the specification and procurement of the
low carbon options.
During this session, Stacy Smedley, Executive Director of Building Transparency, the
nonprofit organization that hosts, manages and maintains EC3, will explain the urgent
need to reduce the embodied carbon emissions of our building materials and products,
the breakthrough represented by this open source tool, and how projects are utilizing
EC3 to reduce emissions.
Session: A Toxic Investment? Your Building's Health Begins with Healthy Materials
Lauren Hildebrand, Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.
Presenters: Bill Walsh, Founder and Strategic Advisor, Healthy Buildings Network; Lauren Zullo, Director of Environmental Impact, Jonathan Rose Companies
Abstract:
Let’s make the multifamily affordable housing synonymous with healthy building construction.
Many of us already seek out healthy materials for our projects, and all of us can
with the right information. This session will build skills and confidence in healthy
material selection, improve our ability to talk about the potential health benefits
of high performance construction, and distinguish the myth from the realities of healthy
material cost, performance and availability. A nationally recognized expert in healthy
building materials will review chemical hazards in building materials, with attention
to advancing social equity and healthy re-entry after COVID-19 quarantines are relaxed.
One of the nation’s leading experts in sustainable design integration, indoor air
quality and energy performance testing will explain how healthy materials enhance
your IAQ strategy to enhance human health and wellbeing outcomes, and avoid unintended
pitfalls. A leading NYC affordable housing developer will describe how they are integrating
rigorous materials screening into their affordable housing projects, creating healthy,
high performance homes for all.
Session: Improve Your Carbon Literacy...And Improve Your Project's Carbon Footprint
Presenters: Jim D'Aloisio, Principal, Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt; Jodi Amits Anderson, Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY
Abstract:
Most of us understand the basics of anthropogenic global warming - how greenhouse
gas emissions by human activities including building construction and operations are
causing climatic disruption - and that we need to reduce or eliminate them. To accomplish
this large undertaking, we will need to become more quantitative about these emissions.
We’ll start with a brief look up at the sky - the composition of the atmosphere and
the amount and effect of the various gases that humans have added to the mix. We'll
review the history and trends of anthropogenic emissions and categorize the sources.
We’ll then clarify the connection between the built environment and the sky. All construction
activities produce carbon emissions, but the amount varies widely between products
and projects. We'll use data from Environmental Product Declarations to present relative
magnitudes of impact. Then we'll briefly look at ongoing emissions from energy usage
in buildings. We'll relate terms like EUI and EF to GWP emissions. We'll also look
at how the Energy Code the NYStretch Code, and other building performance metrics
relate to carbon emissions.
Then we’ll circle back to looking at the quantities of embodied carbon from construction
materials, and what specific measures we can take TODAY to reduce them, by material
selection, changing design processes, and systems thinking. Backing up, we’ll look
at the timeline for action vs. inaction.
At the end there will be a no-grade quiz, with the goal of developing an intuitive,
even visceral, quantitative understanding of the problem and the solutions.
Session: Green & Healthy Building Materials: Advancing New York’s Environmental Health Leadership
Presenters: Bill Walsh, Founder and Strategic Advisor, Healthy Building Network; Sydney Mainster, Vice President of Sustainability & Design Management, The Durst Organization; Kathy Curtis, Executive Director, Clean & Healthy New York
Abstract:
Specifying healthier materials in our buildings contributes to public policy efforts
in New York that seek to reduce chemicals of concern associated with severe negative
environmental and human health impacts. In this session, we will connect the dots
between green building materials and efforts underway in the state of New York to
address toxic chemical hazards.
A representative of Clean & Healthy New York, one of the state’s leading environmental
health groups, will provide an overview of the New York policies that address chemicals
of concern commonly used in building products. She will describe a roadmap for how
New York’s political and business leaders can help create safe chemicals, a sustainable
economy and a just, healthy world. A representative from a major real estate developer,
The Durst Organization, will discuss challenges, innovations and successes in implementing
an aggressive healthy materials program in the New York real estate market. A national
expert on healthy building materials from The Healthy Building Network will connect
the dots between New York’s chemical policy goals and green building materials, describing
how materials credits in green building ratings systems, product certifications, healthy
materials pledges and other tools can align with New York’s policy goals.
Session: Adaptive Reuse: Schools, Warehouses, and Malls into Efficient Sustainable
Housing
Jeff Love, Director, Sustainable Comfort, Inc.
Presenters: James Moriarty, Vice President, Sustainable Comfort, Inc.
Abstract:
The reuse of old structures provides a way to both honor the past and transform old
spaces into new uses of the future. We will explore the transformation of sometimes
historic buildings into energy efficient housing. We will show how reusing buildings
can both reduce material usage, maintain historic character, while also increasing
efficiency and comfort. We will use examples of historic schools such as St. Anthony's
in Syracuse, the transformation of vacant malls such as the old Sears in Rochester,
and old factories and office buildings and how they have gone about achieving efficiency
and comfort while reusing spaces in a unique way.
Session: Planning for Sustainability: An Action Plan for You and Your Organization
Presenter: Nicolette Havrish, Architect, Interior Designer, Beardsley Architects + Engineers
Abstract:
There have been many studies which show that as Millennials and Generation Z become
a more influential consumer group and employee demographic, sustainability will become
more of a demand throughout the market. Sustainability Action Planning is one tool
that firms, companies, and individuals can utilize across the green building industry
to demonstrate and make good on their goals towards a more sustainable future. As
Benjamin Franklin famously said, “failing to plan is planning to fail”. This has become
even more urgent in 2020, when worldwide we have all become more aware of how the
spaces we design and inhabit can impact our health and well-being. Furthermore, New
York State now has the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which calls
on everyone statewide to make efforts to reduce our emissions 85 percent by 2050.
The time has never been better to pull out and dust off your Sustainability Action
Plan or create a new one if you do not already have one. Please join me in this interactive
discussion and presentation about why and how to create your Sustainability Action
Plan, what to include in your plan, and what to do after you have it complete. See
samples of plans others have developed and learn the steps you need to take to make
an effective and actionable plan that will better position you to reach your sustainability
goals.
Session: The Future of Weather Files for Building Performance Simulation in New York State
Presenters: Carrie Brown, Senior Technical Consultant, Resource Refocus LLC; Nicholas Rajkovich, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning
Abstract:
Weather data has a wide range of applications in the built environment such as the
analysis of energy efficiency measures, life cycle cost, emissions, embedded carbon,
and urban heat islands. For the past 40 years, building simulation efforts have usually
relied on typical meteorological year (TMY) data, but recently some modelers have
switched to alternate weather files, such as future typical meteorological year (FTMY)
and extreme meteorological year (XMY) data.
This presentation will summarize the findings of a recently completed study that explored
the impact of switching from existing TMY datasets (which generally use weather from
2005 and earlier) to recent or future-looking datasets. The study started with a literature
review and stakeholder interviews, which revealed an active field of emerging research
into weather files. Next, a weather file analysis explored the data variation of all
available weather file types for three York State locations. This analysis compared
heating and cooling degree days, hourly temperatures, and the potential for passive
design strategies across weather file types for envelope dominated buildings. Finally,
EnergyPlus modeling examined how building energy use may be affected by switching
to a different weather file type.
In addition to describing the research, the presentation will also cover the current
state of weather file availability and usage, challenges to switching to new formats,
data variation among available formats, and impacts on projected energy use and passive
design. We will also discuss potential design and policy next steps related to weather
file usage.
Session: Toward Root-Inspired Biomimetic Foundation Systems
Presenters: Thibaut Houette, PhD Student, The University of Akron; Petra Gruber, Associate Professor, The University of Akron
Abstract:
The expansion of the built environment, as a result of increasing population growth,
often impedes the surrounding natural environment’s ability to respond to heavy precipitation,
storm, and flooding events. Particularly in unstable, easily erodible soils, urban
expansion results in material overuse and overdesign of existing foundations to stabilize
building structures to a high safety factor.
These foundations are static, limited by insertion techniques, monofunctional and
unable to adapt to variable soil conditions. In nature, root systems are dynamic,
growing through many media, multifunctional for the tree and environment, self-healing,
and support the tree through mechanical and chemical anchoring. Therefore, principles
found in root systems can inform the design of multifunctional foundations. The talk
presents the following biomimetic process towards root-inspired foundation systems:
analysis of root growth and morphology, abstraction of root principles of interest
for civil engineering applications, and design of root-inspired concepts to implement
in building foundations.
Various root strategies can be applied to the field of civil engineering to prevent
erosion, provide structural support, penetrate soil medium, and integrate multifunctionality.
Due to the loss of ecosystem services through expanding urbanization, the built environment,
including foundations, should aim at providing these services while limiting impact
and disturbance. Since these strategies have been developed up to the conceptual stage,
further studies need to investigate their mechanical performance through computer
simulations and lab-scale studies.
Session: Electrifying Commercial Buildings in Cold Climates
Presenter: Brendan Hall, Senior Engineer, CHA Consulting
Abstract:
The twin pillars of the action plan to decarbonize our building stock is a clean electrical
grid and the electrification of heating. With an increasing number of states, including
New York, mandating 100% clean energy by 2040, we in the design and construction community
need implement our side of the plan in that same timeframe. Many are familiar with
heat pumps for residential use as they have been widely available and marketed for
several years. However, the potential solutions become more complex when scaled to
commercial buildings. Further complicating the task is a shift to low GWP refrigerants,
a lack of products readily available in the US, and designing for the cold climates.
In this presentation we will cover how to apply electrification strategies to a variety
of new construction and retrofit projects and share our recent experiences from electrification
retrofits. We will also provide a review of available strategies for full and partial
space heating and domestic hot water production using heat pumps and how the development
of new products will be affected by the regulation of refrigerants and upcoming energy
code updates.
Session: Leveraging Campus Resources for an Historic Building Deep Energy Retrofit
Presenter: Jaimee Wilson, Senior Energy Engineer/Associate, Pathfinder Engineers & Architects
Abstract:
State University of New York campuses are being tasked to identify high-impact initiatives
to meet the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
Deep energy retrofits provide unique opportunities to improve the existing building
stock, re-energize a campus’s mission, and provide a focal point for campuses as leaders
in energy and sustainability.
A key factor in achieving New York State’s (NYS) energy efficiency and zero-net carbon
goals is to determine a unified approach at the concept phase of a design and incorporate
ideas from the owners, facilities members, design team and energy consultant. This
project, scheduled to start construction by July 2021, combines envelope, lighting,
and mechanical improvements to an historic building that can achieve all-electric
goals by leveraging campus infrastructure on the south campus of the University at
Buffalo. In addition, net-zero goals can be achieved with the addition of an on-site
solar array to be built on the South Campus. This discussion will address solutions
to different design considerations for an historic building in Buffalo, NY.
Session: Getting Pumped: An analysis of central heat pump domestic hot water systems
Brendan Mangino, Project Engineer, Taitem Engineering
Presenter: Yossi Bronsnick, Senior Engineer, Partner, Taitem Engineering
Abstract:
In this presentation, we will review three case studies with different approaches
to central domestic hot water plants in cold climates with heat pumps as the primary
heating system. Each system has a varying degree of estimated efficiency and complexity.
Each case study will highlight product selection techniques, system design challenges
and how they were overcome, and strategies for streamlined implementation of air to
water heat pump technology for domestic hot water generation.
Session: The Sustainability Benefits of Right-Sizing Domestic Water Systems - A Multi-Family Real World Example
Presenters: Peter Skinner, Owner/Principal, Earth Environmental Group, LLC; John MacArthur, Engineer V, Beardsley Architects + Engineers; Gary Klein, President, Gary Klein & Associates, Inc.
Abstract:
As improvements in building envelopes and mechanical systems have reduced their impact
on energy use, domestic water heating has become one of the most dominant energy uses
in residential buildings. Similar improvements in plumbing fixtures and codes have
reduced water consumption in buildings however the design of typical residential water
distribution systems has not kept pace and consequently many residential systems are
oversized. Oversizing a domestic water system increases energy use, water waste and
the embodied energy and carbon of the plumbing system. We will present an alternative
design methodology that results in a domestic water system appropriately sized for
the population it serves and demonstrate its application in the redesign of a plumbing
system for a multi-family building.
Session: SUNY Oneonta Ford Hall Renovation - Design Optimization for Deep Energy Savings
Presenters: Joseph DiSanto, Senior Energy Engineer, Ramboll; Jodi Smits Anderson, Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY; Lachlan Squair, Chief Facilities Planning & Safety Officer, SUNY Oneonta
Abstract:
SUNY Oneonta’s Ford Hall (Residence) is undergoing a complete gut renovation of the
existing 60,000 gross square foot (GSF) four-story building originally constructed
in 1966, including the construction of a new 5,000 GSF four-story addition. The Campus
is targeting less than 50 kBtu/GSF site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) and the building
design is subject to State University Construction Fund (SUCF) Directive 1B-2 Net
Zero Carbon New Buildings and Deep Energy Retrofits of Existing Buildings.
Ramboll was engaged through the NYSERDA Commercial New Construction Program (NCP)
to provide building energy simulation modeling to inform the design for deep energy
savings. Ramboll worked closely with the Campus and the design team, JMZ Architects
and Planners and Delta Engineers, beginning at schematic design through design development
and construction document phases. Various energy efficiency improvements and design
alternatives were developed and continually refined, including:
- Improved thermal performance of exterior building envelope
- High-efficiency HVAC systems with advanced controls
- Hydronic heating system designed for future district low temperature water distribution
- Exhaust air energy recovery
- Smart Building and Real Time Energy Management with deep submetering
- Solar thermal domestic water heating system with geothermal heat pump system for supplemental heating capacity
- Low LPD LED lighting system and vacancy/occupancy sensor controls
The final building design achieves a site EUI of 38 kBtu/GSF, performs 49% better than the ASHRAE 90.1-2016 PRM baseline, achieves 60% regulated energy savings, and reduces district heating energy by 66%. The building design aligns with the future transition of the campus district heating system to low temperature water as defined in the Clean Energy Master Plan developed by Ramboll and SUNY Oneonta.
Session: A Commercially Viable Net Zero Office Building: Technology, Beauty and Meaning
Presenters: Andrew Schuster, Principal, Ashley McGraw Architects; Sara Berg, Principal, Ashley McGraw Architects
Abstract:
Drawing on Passive House strategies, the design sets a regional standard in sustainability
- from both economic and performance perspectives. The SEF building will consume about
75% less energy than comparable commercial structures in the region while generating
30% more energy than it needs on site. Several design and technological strategies
were deployed for achieving this high standard of efficiency while delivering the
project within budget limitations:
- The building is oriented on its site—within an existing apple orchard—to take maximum advantage of sun and shade, with its surfaces and openings positioned to minimize energy expenditures while enhancing the interior environment
- An array of photovoltaic panels mounted on the roof of the single-story building will generate all necessary energy for the operation of the facility
- The building envelope is designed for high performance, with continuous insulation and an an air leakage rate below the PHIUS standard of 0.08CFM75
- All building systems—from HVAC to plumbing to electrical and lighting—are selected and engineered for optimal performance
In this session, the design team will immerse participants in the SEF design process. Participants will work in small groups to share ideas on how to achieve not only Net Zero Energy, but also deep sustainability and resilience. The design team will share how developed energy budgets and specific technological solutions are combined with regenerative thinking to create a building that embodies the vision and mission of the Sustainable Energy Fund.
Session: Zero Place: Design + Construction Strategies for a Zero Energy Multi-Family Building
Presenters: Pasquale Strocchia, Building Performance Consultant, Integral Building + Design; Anthony Aebi, Builder, ZeroNetNow
Abstract:
Zero Energy Buildings (NEB) are no longer a futuristic concept and have become a rapidly
growing sector of the new single-family housing market. However, Zero Energy multi-family
and mixed-use buildings are still emerging, given some of the unique challenges related
to high-density buildings. Zero Place, a mixed-use new construction project designed
for Zero Energy performance is currently in the final stages of construction. Zero
Place project is also a recipient of the NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence Award. This
session will provide an overview of the design and engineering strategies, construction
techniques and challenges in bringing this project to completion. The presenters have
designed and constructed numerous ZEB's and will draw on their prior successes as
well as unanticipated challenges.
Session: Measuring What Matters: In-Use Building Energy Performance from old Amsterdam to New Amsterdam
Presenters: Lisa A. Chase, Research and Communications Principal, Two Willows Consulting, LLC; Dan Ciarcia, Founder, Two Willows Consulting, LLC
Abstract:
Given that buildings account for as much as 40 percent of energy use, maximizing operational
building efficiency to reduce CO2 emissions and mitigate global climate disruption
is critical. From the European Union (EU) to the U.S., governments are enacting aggressive
regulations to curb building energy consumption and meet CO2 reduction goals. Yet
the only way to ensure that energy efficiency rules are achieving their environmental
goals is to rigorously measure buildings’ operational performance. Architects and
real estate developers have commonly assessed energy use based solely on pre-construction
design, an unrealistic measurement of environmental impact. Recent regulations in
New York City and the EU require in-use building performance assessment and reporting,
a trend likely to expand. This presentation will use case studies from Princeton University,
London, Amsterdam and Zagreb to illustrate the value of operational building performance
measurement in guiding best-practice design and construction. Examples will include
comparisons of pre-construction and occupied building performance using Life Cycle
Assessment and building benchmarking tools.