Looking for a thorough guide to increase the performance of commercial buildings?  Today, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) and National Laboratories released new data that will help commercial building owners achieve their energy goals.  The technical data, being released today for the first time, includes a “how to guide” for achieving 50% energy savings in four key commercial building segments:

• General Merchandise (PDF 3.5 MB)
• Grocery Store (PDF 2.6 MB)
• Lodging (PDF 987 KB)
• Medium Office (PDF 1.2 MB)

These technical support documents were created by DOE national labs as part of the DOE’s Building Technologies Program.  These technical guides represent significant progress – especially when you consider that it was less than two years ago that the DOE launched its Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative, which seeks to achieve cost-effective net-zero commercial buildings by 2025.

In addition to including sets of energy upgrade recommendations, DOE’s  “how-to” guides (linked above), describe the assumptions, methodologies and analyses used to reach 50% energy reduction over ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 for each building sector addressed.  These technical support documents are meant to demonstrate how higher levels of energy performance can be achieved in commercial buildings.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.