High-Performance Sustainable Design
Sustainable design integrates environmental, societal and economic goals into the design, construction and operation of a building. This approach includes minimizing energy use and ecological impacts and maximizing occupant satisfaction and community benefits, while adhering to sound life-cycle cost principles.
PNNL staff accredited under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) rating system use an integrated systems approach to support sustainable design in individual building projects and multi-building sites. Researchers study the benefits and costs of sustainable design and develop software tools, such as the Environmental Design Guide for Engineers, or EDGE, to provide design assistance. The whole building performance of sustainably-designed buildings is being investigated using a data collection and analysis protocol.
Energy efficiency is a primary focus within PNNL's approach to sustainable design. Our engineers use building simulation models, such as EnergyPlus, BLAST, DOE-2 and TRACE, as well as more specialized component models to study building energy loads. They develop strategies for decreasing energy use through improved use of high-efficiency equipment, lighting, the building envelope and architectural elements. PNNL's building energy simulation capability is the foundation for many of our building analysis projects.
PNNL, together with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and other collaborators, recently completed a series of Advanced Energy Design Guides to provide recommended approaches for dramatically decreasing energy consumption in commonly built commercial buildings. PNNL's technical documentation of the analysis behind these design guides is available for small offices, retail buildings and warehouses.
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