A GIS-Based Methodology for Speedy Energy Efficiency Mapping: A Case Study in Bologna

The paper reports a methodology developed to map energy consumption of the building stock at the urban scale on a GIS environment. Energy consumption has been investigated, focusing on the shift from the individual building scale to the district one with the purpose of identifying larger homogenous energy use areas for addressing policies and plans to improve the quality and the performance levels at the city scale. The urban planning zoning concept was extended to the energy issue to include the energy behavior of each zone that depends on the performance of its individual buildings. The methodology generates GIS maps providing a district scale visualization of energy consumption according to shared criteria. A case study in Bologna city (Italy) is provided. In the specific case, the last update of Emilia-Romagna regional urban planning regulation required a mapping action regarding energy efficiency of homogeneous urban portions defined by the General Urban Plan. The main achieved results are (a) a methodology to identify homogeneous areas for analyzing energy consumption; (b) an updated energy map of Bologna Municipality

Study of sustainability opportunities during construction

textConstruction Sustainability involves the processes, decisions, and actions during the construction phase of capital projects that enhance current and future environmental, social, and economic needs while considering project safety, quality, cost, and schedule. Most of the currently available published literature and advances in project level sustainability practices have focused on the early Concept Planning and Design phases of capital projects. Knowledge of sustainability practices during the Construction phase of capital projects is still in the early development stages and is highly fragmented; information regarding the selection, assessment, and implementation of construction sustainability solutions has remained largely unavailable or underdeveloped. Moreover, capital project owners and constructors increasingly seek practical guidance and resources to better integrate and evaluate sustainability decisions and actions within project construction services. The dearth of research on effective sustainability practices during the construction phase suggests that higher levels of sustainability attention and effort are needed in this area, in addition to the creation of support guidance and tools. To fill this gap in knowledge, this research has identified 54 unique actions that project teams can apply during construction to enhance the overall sustainability of their project. These construction phase sustainability actions (CPSAs) have been cataloged, characterized, and evaluated to facilitate their consideration and implementation by project teams. To further support the selection process and implementation of these actions, the research team developed a high-level strategic work process, a spreadsheet-based CPSA Screening Tool, and additional in-depth guidance for three CPSAs. In addition, both input- and output-oriented construction sustainability metrics have been developed and identified. Equipped with the findings from this study, owners and construction contractors will be better prepared to implement sustainability actions during the construction phase of capital projects.Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin

Contributors to Student Satisfaction With Special Program (Fresh Start) Residence Halls

Perceptions of student satisfaction living in special Fresh Start residence halls were collected (N = 1,160, 40% female, 11% minority, 72% freshmen). Satisfaction was influenced by out-of-state residency, satisfaction with two residence staff positions, and Fresh Start policies, as well as house comfort interaction factors and living in a suite or a renovated residence hall

Evaluating the Effect of Local Historic Preservation and Climate Change Action Policy on the Promotion of Operating Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings

The built environment offers significant potential for achieving climate change mitigation goals. Located within these goals is the strategy to drastically reduce of greenhouse gas emissions through renovating and reusing existing buildings. As a small portion of existing buildings, designated historic buildings play an important role in reducing emissions in urban environments in addition to their role of providing architectural and cultural value. The 2015 Paris Climate Agreement marked an urgent change in urban policy to target greenhouse gas emissions, with fast approaching deadlines. As preservation expands the number of buildings designated on local, state, and federally historic building lists, the number of existing buildings deemed historic will continue to grow, creating the need for historic buildings to contribute meaningfully to energy efficiency improvements and climate change mitigation goals. Operating energy efficiency fits into the larger climate change narrative as an opportunity to reduce long-term building energy consumption and switch to renewable energy sources. Preservationists already use historic building operating energy consumption as an advocacy approach, citing the building’s inherent energy saving features alongside embodied energy saved and sustainable land use opportunities. However, historic buildings consist of a diverse group of buildings that do not necessarily feature inherently sustainable design features. Additionally, current policy frameworks do not back up these claims, often incentivizing historic building reuse projects through ease in energy regulations, specifically energy conservation code exemptions. Conflicts exist among preservationists surrounding historic buildings and energy efficiency due to the potential negative impacts energy retrofits could have on architectural and material character, and the debate has remained remarkably stagnant for the past forty years. Through close evaluation of local regulatory conditions, climate change action initiatives, and project level decision-making, this thesis defines opportunities for changes in the regulatory environment to improve the promotion of operating energy efficiency in historic buildings. By forging the conversation between regulatory officials, historic preservationists, building professionals, and sustainability advocates, this thesis supports further exploration of how historic preservation can serve the present-day need of climate change mitigation

Trends in Mandatory Municipal-Level Energy Benchmarking Policies for Large Commercial Buildings in the United States

Mandatory municipal energy benchmarking for commercial buildings are a novel form of policy emerging across cities in the United States. These benchmarking policies require the owners of covered buildings to report on energy consumption to a targeted group of stakeholders with the goal of attaining a variety of benefits including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, more efficient real estate markets, and energy savings for rate-payers. Energy benchmarking policies are rooted in new governance literature in which non-state actors adopt some or all of the decision-making authority of government, and targeted information disclosure literature which seeks to stimulate specific policy outcomes by incorporating new information into the decision-making process of both the targeted company and information consumers. Early research on municipal energy benchmarking policies for commercial buildings has focused on the underlying reporting frameworks for benchmarking and minimal research has yet to examine the interplay between the many components of an energy benchmarking policy—everything from the size of building that is covered by the policy, to the disclosure trigger and penalty for non-compliance. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether the design of benchmarking policies conform to the expectations of new governance and targeted information disclosure theories. The principal approach employed within this thesis is that of comparative policy analysis with documentary analysis of seven active municipal benchmarking policies in the United States. This study concludes with an analysis of the gap between theory and practice, refinement of the theories that explain benchmarking, and highlighting of opportunities to improve the practice of early adopters. This study finds that while differences in design exist between the individual policies, energy benchmarking policies do largely align with the expectations of new governance and targeted information disclosure theories

Compliance Verification Paths for Residential and Commercial Energy Codes

This report looks at different ways to verify energy code compliance and to ensure that the energy efficiency goals of an adopted document are achieved. Conformity assessment is the body of work that ensures compliance, including activities that can ensure residential and commercial buildings satisfy energy codes and standards. This report identifies and discusses conformity-assessment activities and provides guidance for conducting assessments

RESIDENTIAL THERMOSTATS: COMFORT CONTROLS IN CALIFORNIA HOMES

This report summarizes results of a literature review, a workshop, and many meetings with demand response and thermostat researchers and implementers. The information obtained from these resources was used to identify key issues of thermostat performance from both energy savings and peak demand perspectives. A research plan was developed to address these issues and activities have already begun to pursue the research agenda

The Critical Role of Public Charging Infrastructure

Editors: Peter Fox-Penner, PhD, Z. Justin Ren, PhD, David O. JermainA decade after the launch of the contemporary global electric vehicle (EV) market, most cities face a major challenge preparing for rising EV demand. Some cities, and the leaders who shape them, are meeting and even leading demand for EV infrastructure. This book aggregates deep, groundbreaking research in the areas of urban EV deployment for city managers, private developers, urban planners, and utilities who want to understand and lead change