An Intro to the Advanced Energy Retrofit and Design Guides – with Dr. Paul Torcellini
This is an introductory presentation by Dr. Paul Torcellini describing the Advanced Energy Retrofit (AERG) and Design Guides (AEDG).
More information on these resources is available at: http://energy.gov/eere/buildings/commercial-buildings-integration
Additional context is provided below in the direct quotes from the
US Dept of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy website.
Paul Torcellini, Ph.D., P.E.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, USA
Paul Torcellini is a Principal Engineer for Commercial Buildings Research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which is a Department of Energy national laboratory. He works on developing methods and technologies to achieve substantial energy savings in commercial buildings—both new and retrofit. This work has been recognized by many awards, peer-reviewed technical papers, and other publications. Paul has been at the NREL for 20 years. Paul is a registered Professional Engineer and holds a PhD from Purdue University
Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs)
“The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) were created to help decision makers plan, design, and implement energy improvement projects in their facilities. With energy managers in mind, they present practical guidance for kick-starting the process and maintaining momentum throughout the project life cycle. These guides are primarily reference documents, allowing energy managers to consult the particular sections that address the most pertinent topics.. Useful resources are also cited throughout the guides for further information. Each AERG is tailored specifically to the needs of a specific building type, with an emphasis on the most effective retro-commissioning and retrofit measures identified by experts familiar with those unique opportunities and challenges. The guides present a broad range of proven practices that can help energy managers take specific actions at any stage of the retrofit process, resulting in energy savings for many years to come.
One of the most important gaps in the current literature is reliable and actionable cost and energy savings methods and data. The AERGs address this gap by providing very comprehensive analytical methods for calculating the cost-effectiveness of retrofit measures. These methods are supplemented by examples using the Pre-1980s Commercial Reference Buildings, and by detailed case studies demonstrating how organizations have successfully implemented similar measures in commercial buildings. All of the AERGs are available for free download” – (AERG Quotation from DOE, 2014)
Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs)
“The 50% AEDGs provide practical approaches to achieve 50% energy savings compared to base code requirements. Download them free from ASHRAE:
- Small and Medium Office Buildings
- K-12 School Buildings
- Medium to Big Box Retail Buildings
- Large Hospitals
The Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs) accelerate the construction of energy efficient buildings by providing prescriptive solutions to achieve significant energy savings over minimum building energy codes. The AEDG project represents a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ASHRAE, American Institute of Architects, U.S. Green Building Council, and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES).
The AEDG series provides design guidance for buildings that use 50% less energy than those built to the requirements of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2004 commercial code, and are specific to prominent building types across each of the eight U.S. climate zones. Using the AEDGs, those involved with designing or constructing commercial buildings can easily achieve higher levels of energy savings using available technologies and without requiring detailed energy calculations or analyses.
The AEDGs for achieving 50% savings are all available for free download from ASHRAE:”- (AEDG Quotation from DOE, 2014)