High Performing Buildings - Winter 2009 - (Page 4)

Editor’s commEntary I The Information Gap t’s surprising that some owners of “green” buildings don’t track energy performance. What’s more, many professionals involved in the design and construction of a building have limited information on performance after their buildings are occupied. The issue is important on many levels. One obvious problem is that building owners and designers end up working in a vacuum, often pursuing unproven technologies and techniques. Another is the damage that accrues to the “green” brand from technologies and designs that don’t work as intended. Adam Hinge, P.E., and Don Winston, P.E., both members of this magazine’s advisory board, write about this issue in, “Documenting Performance: Does It Need To Be So Hard?” Their column covers some of the causes of this information gap, the problems that result and steps the industry is taking to fill this need. The column is important as the mission of this magazine is to provide case studies with actual performance data and discussion to help building professionals. Case studies in this issue include 5 Houston Center, a Class A office tower owned by a real estate investment trust (REIT). This building is designed and operated to maximize convenience and comfort of tenants. The tenants also save at least 8% each year on energy, according to a study of 150 similar properties in Houston and Dallas. The Atlanta office of Skanska is in leased space in an Atlanta highrise. The Swedish construction giant turned its Atlanta office into a sustainability showcase to establish brand identity that reflects a progressive international reputation. It has an energy use intensity of 56.98 kBtu/ft2/yr. 641 Avenue of the Americas describes the transformation of the penthouse of a historic New York City building into an architectural firm’s office. Since the building’s calculated energy use intensity is only slightly better than the baseline average, the firm is installing a 12 kW photovoltaic array to offset 13% of the firm’s electrical use. The Oregon Health & Science University Center for Health & Healing is the largest and most complex building in the U.S. to receive the LEED® Platinum certification. It is 61% more efficient than Oregon code and 50% more efficient than ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004. While there are other issues that motivate owners to produce sustainable buildings, saving energy is the single most important driver. The case studies in this issue include the best available energy performance data for these buildings. We hope you enjoy this edition, and learn from what others are doing. Please let us know what you think. The Editors 1791 Tullie Circle N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329-2305 Phone: 404-636-8400, Fax: 404-321-5478 www.HPBmagazine.org, E-mail: info@HPBmagazine.org Editorial advisory Board H igh P erforming b uildings Allan Daly, P.E., Taylor Engineering Roger Frechette, P.E., Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP David Grumman, P.E., Grumman/Butkus Associates Sheila Hayter, P.E., National Renewable Energy Lab Adam W. Hinge, P.E., Sustainable Energy Partnerships Donald Winston, P.E., The Durst Organization Editorial Fred Turner, fturner@ashrae.org Sarah Foster, sfoster@ashrae.org associate editors Rebecca Matyasovski, rebecca@ashrae.org Charlotte Tubbs, ctubbs@ashrae.org Christopher Weems, cweems@ashrae.org copy editor Jeri Eader, jeader@ashrae.org editor managing editor dEsign Susan Carabetta, Carabetta Hayden Design PuBlishing sErvicEs publishing services manager production David Soltis Jayne Jackson, Tracy Becker Greg Martin, gmartin@ashrae.org Vanessa Johnson, advErtising advertising sales manager advertising production coordinator vjohnson@ashrae.org c i r c u l at i o n circulation specialist David Soltis, dsoltis@ashrae.org PuBlishEr W. Stephen Comstock m i s s i o n s tat E m E n t High Performing Buildings describes measured performance of practices and technologies to promote better buildings, presenting case studies that feature integrated building design practices and improved operations and maintenance techniques. issn 1940-3003 (print) and 1940-3054 (digital) Published Quarterly Copyright 2009 by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., 1791 Tullie Circle N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329-2305. Standard class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia, and additional mailing offices. subscriptions High Performing Buildings is free to qualified subscribers. Nonqualified subscriptions cost $19 in the U.S. and Canada and $31 outside the U.S. and Canada. Single copies are $6 in the U.S. and Canada and $12 outside the U.S. and Canada. Subscriptions can be completed at www.HPBmagazine.org/subscribe. Postmaster Canadian Agreement Number 40064709. Canadian return address: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. E-mail: returnsIL@imex.pb.com. change of address Send current address to High Performing Buildings, P.O. Box 1254, Skokie, IL 60076 or visit www. HPBmagazine.org/addresschange. customer service Contact High Performing Buildings, P.O. Box 1254, Skokie, IL 60076 or HPBsubscriptionmanagement@ halldata.com. digital copies High Performing Buildings can be viewed digitally at no cost by visiting www.HPBmagazine.org. Environmental impact statement High Performing Buildings is printed on ST Generation II, surface treated opaque paper containing 30% recycled post-consumer fiber, EcoLogo certified and manufactured using Biogas Energy. Publication disclaimer ASHRAE does not necessarily agree with any statement or opinion in this publication. The appearance of any technical data, editorial material or advertisement in this publication does not constitute endorsement, warranty or guarantee by ASHRAE of any product, service, process, procedure, design or the like. aBc Application applied to Audit Bureau of Circulations. http://www.HPBmagazine.org http://www.HPBmagazine.org/subscribe http://www.HPBmagazine.org/ http://www.HPBmagazine.org/ http://www.HPBmagazine.org http://www.fsc.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of High Performing Buildings - Winter 2009

High Performing Buildings - Winter 2009
Contents
Commentary
OHSU Center for Health & Healing
Documenting Performance
Cook+Fox Architects Office
5 Houston Center
Skanska's Atlanta Office
Advertisers Index

High Performing Buildings - Winter 2009