by Charles Hendricks | May 12, 2011 | architecture, Commercial Architect
Lower electric bills in a larger building
I just heard from a happy client this morning. We served as a green consultant for the design and construction of his new commercial building built by Glen Stoltzfus. He is seeing lower electric bills in a larger building. The building has ICF walls and roof. It has a raised floor that allows for floor vents below work stations that are controllable by the user of that station. Here are the results of our consulting and a great team of engineers and a contractor that understands value. You might guess he is very happy with our services.
Old Building: 6,000 square feet
New Building: 18,000 Square feet
New electric bills: 33% lower in new building than the old building
So to recap and drive the point home, his new building is 3 times as big as the old building to accommodate his growing business and his energy bills are less than they were before. He is no longer losing money every month paying for heating, cooling, and lighting that is not needed with a well designed building. This is just one example of how common sense green design saves money starting on day one.
by Charles Hendricks | May 10, 2011 | architecture, Commercial Architect, Harrisonburg Architect
On March 1, 2011, the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) update to reference the 2009 IECC and 2009 IRC became effective statewide (it currently references the 2006 versions of these codes). There will be a one-year phase-in period during which builders and designers can still use the current USBC version. Two-day energy code training is planned for 2011 in eight locations for 1,600 code enforcement officials, and similar training is planned for 2012 for 1,600 code enforcers, designers, builders and contractors. Compliance studies will be developed for late 2011 and early 2012.
According to the Building Code Assistance Project (BCAP), if Virginia began implementing the 2009 IECC and Standard 90.1-2007 statewide in 2011, businesses and homeowners would save an estimated $128 million annually by 2020 and $256 million annually by 2030 in energy costs (assuming 2006 prices).
Additionally, implementing the latest model codes would help avoid about 31 trillion Btu of primary annual energy use by 2030 and annual emissions of about 2.2 million metric tons of CO2 by 2030.
A 2010 BCAP analysis indicates that the weighted average incremental construction cost of upgrading to the 2009 IECC in Virginia would be $582.07 per home. On average, the annual energy savings per home would be $225.00, meaning the simple payback for homeowners would occur, on average, in 2.59years. These estimates are conservative and represent the upper bound on incremental cost.
In November 2010, the 2012 International Energy Efficiency Code was adopted at the national level by building officials from across the nation. This energy code for new residential and commercial buildings will increase energy efficiency by 30 percent. The new IEEC codes must now go through the three year review process before it can be adopted in Virginia.
