This class will look at specific building examples, covering a broad spectrum of building types and architectural styles in multiple climate zones. We’ll review details to understand the building science behind each project. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the broad applicability of Passive House for all building types and climates. New & retrofit, Historic restoration, Commercial & complicated.
Our final class in this series will bring this home to cover the evolution of Passive House design here in California. We’ll review up to four specific projects located in Northern California, including a Sacramento project. Details for each project will be shared to gain an understanding for how this approach varies across our local climate zones, and how Passive House may be cost-effectively implemented in our region. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how the Passive House
Part 1 Setting the Stage: Carbon in the Built Environment This session will take a holistic view of carbon drivers in the built environment. The first part in the series will set the stage for the next two courses, outlining key definitions and drivers and presenting a path towards carbon neutral design. Through case studies we'll explore holistic carbon on recent projects and areas where designers can have the most significant influence.
Globally, the scientific community agrees that we must reduce carbon emissions to significantly reduce the impact of global warming. In the US, buildings account for 40% of carbon emissions. In this class, Steve Easley focuses on the top roadblocks and solutions for a timelier transition to decarbonization and electrification. For wide scale electrification to happen in a timely manner it will have to happen from the customer side of the meter. This class will address how best to make this
This virtual course focuses on requirements in the 2022 Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6) for accessory dwelling units (ADU) in an event supported by Energy Code Ace and BayREN. We will discuss how to identify the ADU type and its impact on Energy Code requirements for envelope, mechanical, photovoltaics (PV), battery storage or battery ready and HERS measures. We will also review how the compliance metrics differ depending on ADU type, including the new EDR source energy metrics for
Building electrification is advancing quickly with over 40 California jurisdictions adopting reach codes to advance electrification, which is critical to meet our local and state goals. In this class, we will discuss the benefits of electrification and the current policy and code considerations, provide an overview of what should be considered in an all-electric multifamily project (both new and retrofit), and explore technologies for electrification for all end uses, as well as the role of solar PV and electric vehicles.
There are 82 million detached single-family homes in the US, and according to the US Energy Information Administration, there are 6.8 million in California. The average cost of energy in US households is about $2,060 per year according to Energy Star with nearly half of that money going to heating and cooling. The average home also adds 7.5 tons of greenhouse gasses each year. Steve Easley will draw upon his building science consulting experience to illustrate the most cost-effective, best
Hybrid (Online and In-Person) Yerba Buena Room (Bay Area Metro Center) 375 Beale Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Questions about the electric grid’s capacity and reliability are coming up as local governments consider policies related to building energy use and electrification. Join us to explore these questions, starting with how the grid works. Speakers will also discuss California’s plans to ensure a reliable and affordable grid powered with renewable energy, the role of utilities, and how local governments are navigating
In this advanced class, the instructors will cover all the issues pertaining to inspecting and permitting of photovoltaic grid-tied systems (PV) and energy storage systems (ESS) in commercial, industrial, small business, multifamily, and residential sectors. This workshop is designed for building inspectors, plan checkers, fire officials, PV installers, designers, engineers, and architects who wish to stay current on the latest code compliance issues to help facilitate safe and long-lasting PV systems. The primary focus is on the National Electrical Code
This course defines demand side management strategies with deep dive exploration of all things demand response. Students will examine the application of both demand side management strategies and the implementation of demand response in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Furthermore, this course unpacks the communication, configuration and platforms of automated demand response and will identify typical virtual node load configurations for ADR strategy implementation.
This course defines demand side management strategies with deep dive exploration of all things demand response. Students will examine the application of both demand side management strategies and the implementation of demand response in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. Furthermore, this course unpacks the communication, configuration and platforms of automated demand response and will identify typical virtual node load configurations for ADR strategy implementation.
