©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA). Notice: No material in this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of CABA. ZERO NET ENERGY BUILDING CONTROLS CHARACTERISTICS, ENERGY IMPACTS, AND LESSONS INDUSTRY WEBINAR DECEMBER 8, 2015 CATHY HIGGINS, ALEXI MILLER, MARK LYLES NEW BUILDINGS INSTITUTE

Sponsors These visionary organizations sponsored this research project: THANK YOU! ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 2

Research Team – CABA, NBI, Partners ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 3

An overview of CABA 4

©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 5 The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) is an international not-for profit industry association dedicated to the advancement of connected home and building technologies. The organization is supported by an international membership of over 300 organizations involved in the design, manufacturing, installation and retailing of products relating to the Internet of Things for connected homes and intelligent buildings. About CABA

CABA Board of Directors ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 6 “CABA accelerates growth in the connected home and intelligent buildings sectors.” CABA Vision Statement

Cybersecurity and the Connected Home Other CABA Research you can still be a part of ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 7 Intelligent Buildings and Cybersecurity Improving Organizational Productivity with Building Automation Systems

An overview of NBI 8

New Buildings Institute: The Virtuous Cycle ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. We are an engine of innovation for the energy efficiency industry. We drive research, uncover solutions, and advance industry practices and policies that deliver positive change in the built environment.

1. Research and Market Background 2. Buildings and People 3. Types of Controls 4. Control Design Selection Process 5. User Experience 6. Energy Findings 7. Key Takeaways 8. Conclusions, Implications, Recommendations 9. Questions and Answers Presentation Agenda 10 ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved.

RESEARCH AND MARKET BACKGROUND BUILDINGS AND PEOPLE TYPES OF CONTROLS Alexi Miller, NBI Sr. Project Manager

Background – Getting to Zero Net Energy Buildings ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 12 A Zero Net Energy (ZNE) building generates as much energy as it consumes annually. Also known as Net Zero Energy. » Zero = ‘nothing’ » Net = On-site Energy Production (renewable) minus Energy Use, over 1 year » Energy = All energy (electric, gas, steam, liquid fuel etc.) consumed on site

Background – Getting to Zero Net Energy Buildings ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 13

Background – Getting to Zero Net Energy Buildings ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 14

Case Study Example: VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre, BC (BC Hydro) ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 15 High-Performance Achieved: ZNE+W, Living Building, LEED Platinum » Innovative design & flexible adaptation to actual building needs » Complex systems = complex controls. Training & collaboration required. Image: Perkins + Will

Research Review - Overview ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 16 Investigate Building Energy Monitoring & Controls Systems in Low-Energy and ZNE Buildings Areas of inquiry and participants: 1. The Selection and the System. What did they choose and why. Design Firms 2. The Energy Impact. Savings assumptions in modeling and attribution in use. Design Firms and Operators 3. The Use and User Experience. How is it being used and what is effective and lacking. Operators and Occupants

Research Review – Survey Instruments » Design Team Survey » Operator Survey ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 17 » Occupant Survey

Buildings & People: Buildings Buildings » Zero Net Energy buildings from NBI’s North America Getting to Zero database » Mainly 10,000 – 100,000+ sqft › Some smaller buildings represented » Mainly Offices & Higher Ed › Also Courthouse, Lab, Library, Museum » Climate: CA has most ZNE buildings › Also: Canada, PNW, NE, CO ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 18

Buildings & People: List of Participant Buildings ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 19 ProjectLocationSize RangeBuilding TypeRetrofit Operator Survey Completed 435 Indio WayCA25k - 50k sfOfficeX Bullitt Foundation Cascadia Center for Sustainable Design and Construction WA50k - 100k sfOfficeX Cornell NYC Tech First Academic BuildingNYover 100k sfEducation David and Lucile Packard FoundationCA25k - 50k sfOfficeX DPR Construction's San Francisco OfficeCA10k - 25k sfOfficeX ExploratoriumCAover 100k sfOtherX Hanover Page Mill BuildingCA50k - 100k sfOffice IDeAs Z2 Office BuildingCA5k - 10k sfOfficeX Lane Community College, Downtown Academic Center OR50k - 100k sfEducation Leslie Shao-Ming Field Station at Jasper Ridge CA5k - 10k sfEducation Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Field Headquarters MA25k - 50k sfOffice Morphosis Architecture StudioCA10k - 25k sfOffice NREL Research Support FacilityCOover 100k sfOfficeX Rice Fergus Miller Office and StudioWA25k - 50k sfOfficeX Rocky Mountain Institute Innovation CenterCO10k - 25k sfOffice Sacred Heart Schools Stevens Family LibraryCA5k - 10k sfEducationX San Luis National Wildlife Refuge HQ and Visitor Center CA10k - 25k sfOffice UC San Diego J Craig Venter InstituteCA25k - 50k sfOther UniverCity Childcare CentreBC5k - 10k sfEducation VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor CentreBC10k - 25k sfAssemblyX Watsonville Water Resources CenterCA10k - 25k sfOffice Wayne Aspinall Courthouse and Federal BuildingCO25k - 50k sfCourthouseX West Berkeley Public LibraryCA5k - 10k sfLibraryX

FINDINGS

Design Team Participants People » Design Firm Interviewees have extensive experience › In primary building types › With ZNE buildings in general ‒ Average of four ZNE buildings each! » Designers set energy targets and keep tabs › Maintain ongoing performance data tracking and feedback post-occupancy ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 21

Types of Controls » All participants ranked building control strategies “very important” or “critical” to ZNE success » > 90% of buildings use control systems integrated across some or all end-uses » Daylighting is critical to ZNE › Get Glare Control & Shading right! › Light switches are still most common » Most buildings use combination of manual & automatic controls » ¾ of buildings rely on occupant for some part of controls success » The highest-performing buildings have engaged operators and occupants standing on the shoulders of intelligent and integrated controls systems ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 22 Goal: Characterize Controls Technology & Strategies in ZNE Buildings

Types of Controls: Controls Integration by End-Use ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 23

Types of Controls: Plug Loads ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 24 Plug Loads can be 50% or more of total electricity usage in ZNE Buildings! » More devices and occupant-driven misc loads coming online » Regulated loads (Lights, HVAC, Water Heat…) becoming more efficient » Most (64%) buildings surveyed use plug load controls or monitoring

Types of Controls: HVAC Strategies ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 25

Types of Controls: Shading & Daylighting ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 26

CONTROL DESIGN SELECTION PROCESS USER EXPERIENCE ENERGY FINDINGS Mark Lyles, NBI Project Manager

Controls Design Selection Process ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 28 » Rigid execution of design intent » Thorough documentation & specs » Detailed sequence of operations » Flexibility in implementation » Flexibility in operation Designing a successful ZNE Building is a balancing act:

Controls Design Selection Process: Selection Criteria » Prior Experience is the #1 selection criteria › Indicator of the importance of getting key players involved early in the design process › Demonstrates the important role controls play in achieving a ZNE goal Criteria for Selecting a Controls Vendor/Subcontractor ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 29

Controls Design Selection Process: Follow Up ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 30 Despite the focus on performance and the qualification of the design and construction teams associated with these projects… The #1 reason for excessive follow-up: Incorrect installation of controls systems in the field

Control Design Selection Process: Communication Protocols » A majority of designers indicated that they did not feel like communication protocols limited their options during the design phase › There was no correspondence between the designers who did feel limited by conflicting communication protocols and the type of communication protocol implemented » “Integration Issues” were the second most common reason selected for excessive follow-up » This applied to projects that used both open source and proprietary communication protocols ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 31

User Experience: Operations Survey Summary » All agree: bring Operator into design process early › Operator involved in all sequence development efforts › Operator involved in commissioning process » Often, operators learn on the job (without formal training) › Heavy reliance on Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Manual and Commissioning process and report » Building Operator & Controls Vendor – close relationship › Frequent communication in Year 1 » Maintaining Building Performance: Operator should write & use a System Support Manual or Procedure Manual Building Monitoring Responsibility ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 32

User Experience: Occupant Survey Summary ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 33 Occupants generally are satisfied with their ZNE building work spaces » Design teams & operators must balance automation vs. occupant interaction » 75% of occupants satisfied with daylighting – but often want more glare control » Broad satisfaction with natural ventilation, DOAS » Heating systems are well regarded; desire for more control for cooling » Plug load controls are not problematic or obtrusive for most occupants Occupant Interest in Interaction with Lighting and Shade Controls

Energy Findings: Participant Buildings ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 34

Energy Findings: Setting Energy Targets » 100% of design teams set an aggressive low-energy EUI target ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 35 » 100% of design teams considered setting early energy targets as key to the design process & outcomes Energy Targets are Key

Energy Findings: Whole Building Energy Aspects » Baseline: High-Performance/LEED » Energy modeling: More than one software package used › eQuest remains #1, but this is shifting › Radiant systems, natural ventilation modeled with IES/TAS » Keys to ZNE: Building Siting » Keys to ZNE: Envelope Design » Keys to ZNE: HVAC Systems › Ground source heat pumps › Advanced air source heat pumps › Radiant heating & cooling distribution › Variable refrigerant volume ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 36

Energy Findings: System Energy Aspects ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 37 » Lighting Controls: Daylighting first, then other electric lighting controls. » HVAC Controls: Passive first: natural ventilation, night flush, thermal set point controls. Then, optimize mechanical system control and monitoring. » Glare Controls (Shading & Blinds): 33% got thermal savings => Reduced thermal loads & thus HVAC system needs. » Plug Load Controls: up to 50% of usage in some ZNE buildings. Designers are still experimenting with different control approaches. Number of Responses

10 KEY TAKE-AWAYS CONCLUSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS Cathy Higgins, NBI Research Affiliate

» Are Controls important to get to ZNE? – Yes: 100% The Value of Controls ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 39 “Over three-quarters of the participants (78%) thought that the value of a wider range of control systems is increasing or majorly increasing, even while building energy use is being reduced from other factors such as passive design and improved technology efficiencies.” » Would you select the same controls again? – Yes: 77%

Problems and Some Solutions » 82% of the designers agreed or strongly agreed that control communication platforms and protocols between systems need improvement’ » 87% of designers agreed that “Controls always have some problems” ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 40 Problem: “The principal issue with every ZNE building that I have studied carefully has been control systems, measurement and verification.” Suggested Solution: It’s a matter of writing a detailed sequence of operations, having a great relationship with your vendor and requiring accountability for integration.

Advice and Occupants » What would you do again & What advice would you offer to designers? 1. Integrate the controls contractor - not just the controls 2. Meter and monitor then track and share actual performance 3. Design the building right first 4. Design for “Off” 5. Select leading technologies and incorporate system controls for high performance 6. Simple is smart. Keep it simple Alternate point – Make it work 7. Optimize settings and strategies » Occupants – how do you ensure they contribute to low-energy goals? › Education and training › Early involvement › Feedback › Engagement ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 41 Controls are a sub-trade of a sub-trade - they should be a first-tier (separate) contractor. DPR San Francisco Offices Courtesy Honeywell

Surprises! » Collecting energy data is rare! » Systems were not interoperable » Contractor resistance and skills are an issue » ZNE goes well beyond the traditional commissioning (Cx) process » Occupants waste energy » Conflicts with complex sequences and system architecture and controls » Lack of accuracy in electrical sub-meters and difficulty in setting them up » Lack of correlation between actual and predicted performance » Staging of various outcomes, including the solar, is hard » Lack of granularity ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 42

Emerging Trends » Integrated and lower cost control systems › Integration capabilities and networks with automated control system management are improving › Cost of interconnectivity is decreasing › Adaptive controls: occupant-based and weather responsive » Monitoring and feedback › Building dashboards and simple monitoring systems › Fault detection with early warning for energy use or equipment failures » Energy Model-based Control » Utility Demand Response » Other: › Robotics › DC building systems › Energy storage › Protocol standardization ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 43 October 2015 cover of Building Operating Management Magazine

Conclusions » ZNE is driven by good design, High Performance Systems and Shading » Controls are at the Nexus of Energy Performance » New Roles and Old Relationships » Occupants are a new Operator ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 44

Conclusions: Game Changers Game Changers: 1. Integration and low cost sensors – I o T 2. Feedback / dashboard systems to occupants and operators – 3. Utility programs and pricing – new two-way transactions and load shifts driven by renewables and ZNE Industry Implications: 1. Large new market for new products 2. Complexity and communications issues hinder adoption and outcomes 3. ZNE buildings will remain grid connected and districts and aggregation of bldgs. will increase 4. Getting to zero is both a market and a policy trend ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 45

Five Recommendations 1. Prioritize Passive Strategies – then layer in controls to optimize the whole building outcomes 2. Integrate the Controls Contractor – controls contractor needs to be a primary team member from design through occupancy 3. Increase Operator Training and Support – bring controls training and improved hand-off documentation to operators and ongoing access to the design team and controls contractor 4. Provide Occupants Control but Backup with Default Settings – occupants want some engagement and control access but a ‘hybrid’ system that returns controls to default settings and “Off” is necessary 5. Build Industry Awareness and Knowledge of Emerging Trends – of a) integrated, wireless and adaptive controls, b) feedback and dashboards, c) DC systems and renewable integration, d) utility load management, price and program issues, and e) ZNE policy drivers ZNE©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 46

Questions and Answers Rice Fergus Miller ZNE Retrofit

Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) 1173 Cyrville Road, Suite 210 Ottawa, ON K1J 7S6 Toll free: CABA (2222) New Buildings Institute (NBI) Contact Us ©2015 Continental Automated Buildings Association. All rights reserved. 48