The “Best of the Forum” series of on-demand, no-cost webinars is based on the sessions and topics indicated as the most important to 2019 Forum survey respondents.
Decarbonization Technologies: What We Have, What We Need
Take stock of the current state of the building technologies needed to drive decarbonization at scale. In this webinar, moderated by Clay Nesler, a report is provided on Johnson Controls’ recent Energy Efficiency Indicator Survey. Presenters share developments in heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooking, renewable energy, and energy storage systems, and discuss the options for full electric kitchens and how equipment needs differ in residential vs. commercial kitchens. This session also provides a high-level view of needs and drivers for renewables, including renewable gas, and various forms of storage devices such as batteries and thermal storage options.
Codes and Policies to Advance Zero Goals: Policies for Retrofits and New Construction
States and local governments are actively developing policy approaches aimed at driving towards zero energy and/or zero carbon new buildings and deep emission reductions for existing buildings. Across jurisdictions, successful strategies involve a combination of voluntary programs, policy tools, and codes. Presenters from New York State, Metro Boston and Denver will provide a snapshot of approaches that are being taken in their jurisdictions across North America to achieve energy and carbon goals by leveraging voluntary programs, mandatory and stretch codes, and other local government tools to drive change.
A Call to Action for Zero Embodied Carbon
Original broadcast on April 2, 2020. Getting to zero requires targeting both operating and embodied carbon. Buildings are responsible for 39% of global carbon emissions–28% attributed to operational carbon, and 11% to embodied emissions from materials and construction processes. As the industry responds to the challenge of eliminating operational carbon emissions from the energy consumption of buildings through design improvements, standards and regulations, embodied carbon becomes even more significant. This session will present a theory of change with case studies that aim to be zero embodied carbon discussing the feasibility of building density goals on embodied and operating carbon and explain the role that building reuse plays in achieving a zero carbon future.
GridOptimal: Outcomes and Lessons Learned from the First Pilot Project
Original broadcast on January 30, 2020. The role of buildings in the grid is changing as historic grid infrastructure strains to handle more centralized and distributed renewables, electric vehicles, and smart systems. Learn more about how in this webinar. NBI and USGBC are leading the GridOptimal Buildings Initiative, a collaborative project bringing together a wide range of organizations interested in optimizing building performance to promote grid integration. The first GridOptimal pilot project has recently been completed, at the headquarters office building of Sonoma Clean Power. The design team will share how new considerations, such as hourly marginal carbon emissions, impacted the design process. Presenters share key outcomes and lessons learned from this first pilot project.