Deep energy retrofit process

Following this process will enable project teams to realize the most cost-effective energy reductions:

1. Define the specific end-user needs.

   You must first understand what needs and services the building occupants require before obtaining the necessary equipment.

2. Understand the existing building structure and systems.

   Assess the current state of the building. What needs are not being met and why?

3. Understand the scope and costs of planned or needed renovations.

   What requires replacement or renovation for non-energy reasons (and are there any other available funding sources)? What are the costs or interruptions to service or occupancy? Identify the scope early, as it may be possible to combine this with a desired energy efficiency retrofit.

4. Reduce loads.

   Select measures to reduce loads through passive means (such as increased insulation) first, and then by specifying the most efficient non-HVAC equipment and fixtures.

5. Select appropriate and efficient HVAC systems.

   After reducing loads as much as possible, consider what HVAC system types and sizes are most appropriate to handle the drastically reduced loads.

6. Find synergies between systems and measures.

   Look for opportunities to recover and reuse waste streams. Through this exercise, you can often realize multiple benefits from a single design decision.

7. Optimize controls.

   After selecting the most appropriate and efficient technologies, shift focus to optimizing the control strategies.

8. Incorporate renewables.

   Once the energy consumption has been drastically reduced, investigate renewable energy options suited to the climate and site.

9. Realize the intended design.

   Tune the owner’s project requirements and implement measurement and verification as well as continuous commissioning to ensure full realization of the intended design.

Best practices

When conducting a deep energy retrofit, make sure you:

• Set aggressive long-term goals — Clearly state and quantify desired outcomes and consider the interactive effects between projects along your roadmap to ensure that future efforts are not mitigated by uncoordinated short-term projects.
• Engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders — Define project roles, responsibilities, desired outcomes, concerns, and recommendations in a kick-off meeting with stakeholders such as the project development team and construction team; agency representatives and building tenants; contractors and subcontractors; the operations and maintenance team; measurement and verification specialists; and marketing, security, human resources, and information technology representatives. Continuously engage your stakeholders.
• Establish a support system — Create a centralized project management office to support the project team by running project management, providing legal and procedural support, and disseminating information.
• Start with a clean sheet and a beginner’s mind — Previous designs are generally not optimized, so don’t limit yourself to the design constraints of familiar or previous designs. Design your project around the desired end uses instead of specific technologies or delivery methods.
• Use an iterative, holistic design process — When designing your project, consider frequently neglected impacts, quantify synergies between project measures, and use a nonlinear design process to incorporate new information. Use a multi-phase design-build project delivery method to allow for scope edits as you incorporate lessons learned.
• Incorporate feedback and ongoing involvement — Install systems, conduct audits, and incorporate behavior-change and occupant-engagement programs to identify and resolve inefficiencies and preserve savings.