Integrating Passive House standards with CALGreen for Multifamily Buildings — Across California’s Climate Zones

A Webinar for Multifamily design, construction, & jurisdiction Professionals | Presentation + Q and A

• Passive House protocols work synergistically with other standards and deliver extremely high performance in terms of energy efficiency, healthy IAQ, and resilience.
• Passive House standards enable the most aggressive reduction of energy consumption and make the path to zero energy and zero carbon more predictable and less risky.
• Early collaboration of an integrated project team creates Metrics-based Owners Project Requirements (OPR) and employs Physics-based modeling & simulation in order to identify and deliver optimum combination of first cost and ongoing value for each specific Climate Zone.

Description

Passive House is the most cost-effective and reliable method to achieve Zero Energy.  The standard has been successfully delivered in every climate zone.  Using Passive House building science ensures we squeeze out as much efficiency as possible before relying on renewable energy to deliver Net Zero performance.  Many California developers are aware that Passive House protocols deliver superior energy efficiency, IAQ, and resilience but, our milder climate, particularly along the coast, requires sophisticated analysis of key metrics to make informed choices.

Using live tools and holding a new pre-certified Passive House building constant, we will demonstrate the impacts that changing climate assumptions have on predicted energy performance.  We will walk through the five key principals of Passive House impacts to these building attributes from the changes to climate zone.  At all times, we will demonstrate these impacts on whole-building performance key metrics defined by Passive House.

Because the Passive House standard yield broad-reaching benefits beyond energy and carbon, we will demonstrate the building science behind benefits like indoor air quality, thermal comfort, acoustical benefits, outdoor air quality, weather events, power outages, etc.

As project teams have gained experience with Passive House, we will share learnings on the tools teams are using to reduce the risks of investing in sustainability and increase the likelihood of the realization of performance.   Attendees will walk away understanding the following tools:

• Metrics-based Owner’s Project Requirements
• Physics-based modeling and simulation & Open-Sourcing for Team Collaboration
• Carbon Accounting and the Decarbonization Tool
• Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and the Construction Schedule

Once the benefits and design challenges of Passive House are thoroughly debated using tools and evidence, we will turn our attention to the cost consequences of Passive House.  We will use the Auros database of project data to compare project costs of traditional/code-based construction versus Passive House buildings.  We will also share available cost mitigations in the forms of CEDA, Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and other programs available in California.

The live session will demonstrate how Passive House targets can be met in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento Climate Zones.

Overview

In order to mitigate the impacts of climate change, it is critical that we take steps to design and build multifamily buildings (affordable multifamily in particular) to the optimal decarbonization potential. For the health, safety, and welfare of occupants, it is equally important that that we provide optimum indoor air quality and resilience to extreme weather, fires, smoke, and power outages as we adapt to climate change. Passive House standards are the most cost effective and reliable protocols for the achieving the above mitigation and adaptation.

This webinar will address the use of Passive House standards for multifamily projects across California’s many Climate Zones.

Learning Objectives

1.     Attendees will be introduced to the underlying logic, strategies, tactics, and tools to specify and achieve climate zone specific and optimal decarbonization, indoor air quality and resilience in the design and construction of multifamily buildings.

2.     Attendees will learn about integrated project teams developing metrics-based Owners Project Requirements (OPRs) and using physics-based modeling/simulation to identify the optimum performance (efficiency, IAQ, resilience, durability, ongoing maintenance, and occupant experience) in different Climate Zones.

3.     Attendees will learn about the process and steps to assertain and achieve optimum performance of the same multifamily building when designed for, and constructed in, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Sacramento.

4.     Attendees will be informed about Federal, state, utility, and other incentive programs (rebates, tax credits, financing options, etc.) available for designing and constructing high-performance multifamily buildings in California.

5.     Attendees will be introduced to economic analysis that incorporates both first cost and ongoing value in order to ensure that the design and construction of high-performance multifamily buildings “pencil out” in any Climate Zone.

REGISTER HERE

Presenters

Beth Eckenrode, BS-IE, MBA
Throughout her distinguished career in executive leadership, Beth Eckenrode developed a track record as a results-focused leader of high-performing teams in roles like Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for the H.J. Heinz Company and Vice President of NOVA Chemicals. In 2015, Beth decided to use her skills and abilities to address some of the world’s most challenging issues.  Beth co-founded the AUROS Group in 2017, to provide building owners more confidence in their sustainable building investments.  Beth co-authored the book, “The Power of Existing Buildings–Save Money, Improve Health and Reduce Environmental Impacts” (Island Press, 2019) and is the holder of two U.S patents. Beth holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters Business Administration (MBA) from Northwestern University, and holds many industry accreditations.  Her commitment to community is evidenced by her role on the local school board.  Prior to her role on the school board, Beth co-founded a local task force committed to promoting educational excellence.  She is co-founder of a Pittsburgh Executive Women’s Network, and she previously served as Board Chair of Make A Wish for Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia.

Craig Stevenson, MS-MIS, MBA
With extensive training and  experience in building science, construction, and technology, Craig Stevenson is known for his innovative approaches to building project management. Before leading AUROS Group, he spent 27 years as a construction industry executive, where he led the charge for better estimating, management, and project-delivery methods. His dedication to using technology to drive buildings to ultra low energy and ultra high indoor air quality ultimately led to his creating the AUROS360™ system and co-founding of AUROS Group.  Craig co-authored the book, “The Power of Existing Buildings–Save Money, Improve Health and Reduce Environmental Impacts” (Island Press, 2019) and authored a much-referenced ASTM technical paper, “Project Case Studies and the Lessons They Teach About Whole Building Envelope Air Leakage Testing”. Craig holds an MBA and MS-MIS from Duquesne University along with eight professional certifications in formal sustainability programs. In addition to his passion for sustainable building, he is a tireless volunteer in his community, sharing his expertise through a variety of positions. He serves as the current Chair of the Passive House Network, is a founding board member of the Passive House Western Pennsylvania organization, is an alumni volunteer with Duquesne University, and is a member of several professional committees focused across the spectrum of building science and data science.  

Matt Bowers, Director of Building Science​

Throughout a distinguished career based on service, Matt Bowers uniquely and authentically integrates his engineering skills with a passion to alleviate the consequences of global warming in the built environment.  Matt brings to AUROS Group over 20 years of hands-on experience modeling, simulating and optimizing building performance to reduce energy consumption to the lowest levels possible.  Matt is considered an expert in Passive House design, thermal bridge modeling, air infiltration and exfiltration testing and the requirements necessary to certify to many building performance standards. Matt served in the United States Navy for six (6) years as a Naval Nuclear Engineer, serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. After his service Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) with Highest Honors. Matt has a deep resume of passive design and project executions for both new and existing buildings.