Beyond Energy*

Historic New England’s approach to weatherization emphasizes preservation over intervention. But as shown by the energy retrofit that achieved an over 60% reduction in energy usage at the Lyman House, a National Historic Landmark, energy performance and preservation can co-exist. This session will discuss HNE’s preservation philosophy and how it guides the organization’s energy conservation projects. We will share an energy usage analysis of all 36 HNE properties and discuss how that information is used to prioritize actions.

The Buckminster Fuller Challenge invites today’s practitioners to answer his call "to make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone.” What would Bucky do? Buckminster Fuller’s legacy is alive.

Over 150 villages in Germany produce all of the electricity and most of the heat they consume.  In these so-called "bioenergy villages," renewable energy systems are driving economic growth.   This session will provide an overview of the growing movement in Germany toward communally-developed and owned energy systems, focusing particularly on two villages in northern Germany.  The development process for these villages will be explored, as will the factors contributing to their success.

Session two will dig deeper into two solutions – both fresher paths forward than the expensive model of centralized-systems solutions. First is a look into cities such as Atlanta, where the cost of water and wastewater have soared but the system and the treatment technologies are working. Second is the promising practice of source-separating urine for fertilizer production—a pilot in Falmouth, MA is demonstrating cost-effective alternative to building a new treatment plant.

This session is in two parts.Water is scarcer. Systems for both fresh and waste water are vulnerable. Water standards are increasingly stringent to protect ecosystems and public health. Since water and energy are so inextricably intertwined, the term, “water grid" provides a unique frame for exploring how to operate a more closed-loop system of water production and use. As architects, engineers, builders and municipal planners, what will we have to rethink and re-do about processing fresh and waste water in developing the next generation of the built environment?

Most of us take the electrical grid for granted. But it is perhaps the most complex technological achievement in human history. After more than a century of relative stability, the grid is changing fast. Our conference plenary will explore the technology and policy solutions evolving to enable a more reliable, resilient, environmentally responsible and affordable electricity grid.

As a follow-up to "Dematerializing Buildings" at BE14, this session will explore how the dematerialization and lightweighting of buildings is being put into practice. Many of the technologies discussed in the March 2014 session are now being put into actual application while more new technologies are entering the pipeline at a rapid rate. Driven by energy and environmental concerns, some projects are now quantifying the material savings and embodied carbon reduction resulting from lightweighting strategies.

As architects, engineers, and municipal planners, how can we rethink the built environment to install more urban food production and distribution in the city? An urban permaculture will frame the session, discussing practices such as: green roofs, pink houses, vertical growing walls, a farm-in-a-box and vertical farms. We will mix short presentations with facilitated conversation about how we, as urban practitioners, can shape the built environment to include urban food.

In the face of extreme weather conditions, the practice of Building Energy must undergo two transformations: (1) What we do differently to alter the built environment;(2)how we better connect people living in a neighborhood. We have learned in the past 2 years of delivering BE 13 and 14 in resilient cities is this: community resilience is as important as resilience of the built environment. For example, creating a network of neighborhood businesses to stay open in a disaster. Developing a public community connectivity rating or altruism index.

Intrigued by the plenary speakers and their visions for the future? The plenary speakers will dig deeper into the conversation in this session and focus on answering your questions about our emerging energy future.

Do you understand moisture dynamics? Do you have a comprehensive plan to control moisture in your buildings? If you answered no to either question, then you run the risks of occupant discomfort, mold growth, excessive maintenance and/or premature building failure. This session will help you avoid these risks. A veteran building scientist and co-author of the EPA Moisture Control Guide will share key measures—from design through operations—for controlling water and moisture in buildings.

This session will explore the building science implications of achieving the Passive House metrics for larger buildings and will highlight the difference in design strategies compared to single family Passive House homes. Multifamily projects of all types, but especially affordable housing developers, appreciate the benefits of achieving Passive House, such as increased durability, low operating and maintenance costs, assured comfort, and superior indoor air quality.

 Why do we need to pay attention to behavior in buildings? You can design a building to the highest energy efficiency codes and specifications, but once it’s occupied, what happens to affect the baseline? People who have done deep retrofits and ZNEB projects can find these efforts undermined if occupant behavior is not addressed. Occupant engagement should ideally address several stakeholder groups, including landlords, facilities management, lessors, and tenant employees. Each of these falls under the label of “engagement” but requires a different approach.

High-R or super-insulated walls are a common component of high performance housing. However, in cold climates, these walls run the risks of cold-weather condensation, and general durability issues due to reduced heat flow. Two practitioners have been monitoring the moisture performance of several high performance walls, and will share their results. Chris Corson has been examining highly vapor-open walls based on classic European Passive House designs, without the use of plastic foams.

Never get the R-15 wool insulation pulled over your eyes again! Separating green from greenwash is getting harder as standards proliferate. Tristan and Paula from BuildingGreen bring you the latest in clever greenwash with this lively and interactive chat on what makes a label truly green. Even if you come knowing nothing about green building labels, you'll leave with new knowledge--as well as new wisdom. We'll show you how to ask the right questions and make your own judgment next time a company tries to convince you that its pet metric or label is the greenest of them all.