The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association announced the grand opening of the Zero Net Energy Center (www.znecenter.org).
Located in San Leandro, Calif., the ZNE Center is the first commercial building retrofit designed to meet the U.S. Department of Energy’s requirements for a “zero net energy” building.
The 46,000-sf structure is an educational facility for 2,000 electrical workers that will participate in a program run by IBEW Local 595 and the Northern California Chapter of NECA. The ZNE Center officially opens its doors as the educational facility for over 2,000 apprentice and journey-level electricians in Alameda County and to serve as an industry-wide resource.
Courtesy Environmental Building Strategies (EBS). CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE.
“The building is a true game changer for our industry,” said Victor Uno, Business Manager for IBEW Local 595. “We are proud to push the envelope in the areas of energy conservation efforts, renewable energy promotion, job creation, work-force training and labor-management cooperation.”
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
The ZNE Center exceeds the state of California’s 2030 energy efficiency effort by meeting the zero net goal 17 years in advance. It also exceeds the energy conservation goals of the Obama administration’s Better Buildings Challenge.
“We look forward to sharing how we utilized new technologies, advanced building designs, and innovative construction methods to achieve a dramatic and unprecedented 75% reduction in energy use when compared to similar existing commercial buildings in the country," said Don Campbell Executive Director of NECA’s Northern California Chapter. “This energy savings lowers the ZNE Center’s carbon footprint by 175 tons of CO2 per year, equal to the carbon emitted by 30 passenger vehicles annually as well as a savings of 500 barrels of oil each year.”
The ZNE Center exemplifies the importance of deep and early collaboration of the entire design and construction team. Under the leadership of IBEW/NECA, the team included Environmental Building Strategies (EBS), NOVO Construction, FCGA Architects, Belden Consulting Engineers, Red Top Electric, ACCO Mechanical, and Cubed Energy Solutions.
Project overview and sustainability stats
· The ZNE Center is the new home of the IBEW Local 595 and the Northern California Chapter of NECA Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee program, where apprentices will train on the renewable energy and passive design systems incorporated into the building.
· Their goal is to make the ZNE Center the hallmark of energy efficiency and training for the construction industry nation-wide, incorporating a vision for a more sustainable world where young men and women will be trained for good paying jobs and careers in the electrical industry.
· The 46,000-sf building is the first retrofit of an existing commercial building for education and training that meets the U.S. Department of Energy standards for a “zero net energy” building. It exceeds California’s 2030 zero net energy goal 17 years in advance, and also exceeds the goals of Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge.
· 50% lighting energy reduction through daylighting, occupancy sensors, LEDs, solar tubes and more
· 80% HVAC energy reduction
· 90% computer energy reduction by upgrading equipment to Energy Star certified
· 75% reduction in energy use compared to similar U.S. buildings, and 29% energy use reduction compared to new commercial construction in California.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture Billings Index drops to lowest level since June
Another stall in the recovery for the construction industry as the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dropped to its lowest level since June. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the August ABI rating was 41.7, down slightly from 43.1 in July. This score indicates a decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings).
| Aug 11, 2010
RTKL names Lance Josal president and CEO
Lance K. Josal FAIA has been named President and CEO of RTKL Associates Inc., the international planning, design and engineering firm. Josal succeeds RTKL’s current President and CEO, David C. Hudson AIA, who is retiring from the firm. The changes will take effect on 1 September 2009.
| Aug 11, 2010
Balfour Beatty agrees to acquire Parsons Brinckerhoff for $626 million
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, investment and services group, has agreed to acquire Parsons Brinckerhoff for $626 million. Balfour Beatty executives believe the merger will be a major step forward in accomplishing a number of Balfour Beatty’s objectives, including establishing a global professional services business of scale, creating a leading position in U.S. civil infrastructure, particularly in the transportation sector, and enhancing its global reach.
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction unemployment rises to 17.1% as another 64,000 construction workers are laid off in September
The national unemployment rate for the construction industry rose to 17.1 percent as another 64,000 construction workers lost their jobs in September, according to an analysis of new employment data released today. With 80 percent of layoffs occurring in nonresidential construction, Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, said the decline in nonresidential construction has eclipsed housing’s problems.
| Aug 11, 2010
Billings at U.S. architecture firms exceeds $40 billion annually
In the three-year period leading up to the current recession, gross billings at U.S. architecture firms increased nearly $16 billion from 2005 and totaled $44.3 billion in 2008. This equates to 54 percent growth over the three-year period with annual growth of about 16 percent. These findings are from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Business of Architecture: AIA Survey Report on Firm Characteristics.
| Aug 11, 2010
CHPS debuts high-performance building products database
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) made a new tool available to product manufacturers to help customers identify building products that contribute to sustainable, healthy, built environments. The tool is an online, searchable database where manufacturers can list products that have met certain environmental or health standards ranging from recycled content to materials that contribute to improved indoor air quality.
| Aug 11, 2010
ICC launches green construction code initiative for commercial buildings
The International Code Council has launched its International Green Construction Code (IGCC) initiative, which will aim to reduce energy usage and the carbon footprint of commercial buildings.Entitled “IGCC: Safe and Sustainable By the Book,” the initiative is committed to develop a model code focused on new and existing commercial buildings. It will focus on building design and performance.
| Aug 11, 2010
Green Building Initiative launches two certification programs for green building professionals
The Green Building Initiative® (GBI), one of the nation’s leading green building organizations and exclusive provider of the Green Globes green building certification in the United States, today announced the availability of two new personnel certification programs for green building practitioners: Green Globes Professional (GGP) and Green Globes Assessor (GGA).
