Understanding Building Energy Solutions

Open any newspaper, periodical or web page, or turn on any news program and you are certain to encounter the words energy” and sustainable. But what do they really mean? How does all this come together in your world, in your building or in your home?

Over time we have realized the relationship between the built and natural environment. Data from the US Energy Information Administration illustrates that buildings are responsible for 48 percent of all energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions annually. Globally, the percentage is even greater; 76 percent of all power plant-generated electricity is used just to operate buildings.

To meet this challenge of energy consumption and climate change we must do it with a multi-faceted approach including regulation, operation, maintenance and education and training at all levels. Our laws and codes are merely the beginning; regulations are only as effective as the implementation. How we use and maintain our buildings has a far- reaching impact long after the construction is complete and the inspectors are gone.

Recently, the Northwest Energy Codes Group published a white paper that highlights an important point. Driven by concerns about global climate change, policymakers at the national, state and local levels are focusing on energy codes as a powerful tool to reduce energy use and associated environmental impacts. While this increased awareness is welcomed by those who work with energy codes on a daily basis, there are limits to what energy codes can and cannot accomplish. Therefore, we must provide a basis for well-crafted public policies that use energy codes to their best advantage. The paper notes that energy codes do not regulate what are probably the major determinants of a building's ultimate energy use:

• Construction and installation quality
• Equipment maintenance
• Building operations
• Occupant behavior

Ultimately the performance of any component designed to improve energy efficiency depends on the uses of that component. If the component is not used as intended, potential savings are lost.

The cornerstones of building regulation that have shaped the building officials' mission have been health, safety and welfare. Broken down to the next level we can identify these as fire, egress, building structure, ventilation, accessibility, site stability (erosion) and now energy. As stated earlier, the first objective leading to a successful program is to gain a greater understanding of energy, climate change and building performance; as they relate to sustainability. Education is critical.

To meet the education challenge the International Code Council has championed the Code Grant bill S. 970/H.R. 2246. If approved, the Community Building Code Administrative Grant (CBAG) Act / H.R. 2246 will authorize funds for the hiring and training of code officials to save lives, protect property, and reduce the consumption of energy in the built environment. It will also provide grant funding to government code enforcement offices to start or boost the capacity of local building code administration offices.

The grant program will provide capital needs such as computers and vehicles, as well as for training and professional certification for code enforcement offices. It will also enable local governments to use a regulatory model focusing on energy and sustainability through a funding source that assists in establishing, hiring, training and providing resources. This bill, originally sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and House Representative Dennis Moore (D-KS 3rd), has gained widespread attention.

The CBAG Act would establish a competitive federal grant program within HUD to help local governments administer and enforce building codes. So what will the CBCAG Act authorize? The goal is to allocate $100 million over five years where the maximum grant award will be $1 million. Those funds will be targeted toward personnel, training, certification/accreditation and eligible capital expenses. The selection criteria will be based on three points:

• financial need of the community,
• potential benefit to the community and the
• quality of grant proposal.

There is also a local matching funds component but the Secretary of HUD may accept in-kind contributions and waive the match for communities in economic distress. Otherwise, the required matches are - five percent for the very disadvantaged communities, 10 percent for moderately disadvantaged communities and 20 percent for all other communities.

-- Henry Kosarzycki, AIA