Understanding, Delivering and Validating Building Performance

Dr Kerry J Mashford, Chief Executive, National Energy Foundation

CPA Networking Forum, 12th February 2013

Improving the use of energy in buildings

The National Energy Foundation (NEF)

• Charitable Foundation Formed in 1988 – 25 years old

• Established first European Domestic Energy Rating System (NHER) in 1990

• Primary Objective – Improving the use of energy in buildings

• Outcome focussed

NEF – Who are we today?

• Everything we do contributes to our objective to improve the use of energy in buildings

• Provide services for public and private sector to help reduce energy use and reduce carbon emissions, for domestic and non-domestic buildings, be they new or existing

• Focus on energy efficiency and sustainable energy• Work by to:

• Inspiring action by individuals, organisations and communities• Building capacity and capability• Advancing knowledge• Provide robust tools and advice to help close the Performance Gap

• Most projects in UK, but some in Europe/Asia

• Work in partnership with Energy Efficiency Partnership for Buildings (EEPB) which is now a subsidiary of NEF

NEF work in performance & closing the performance gap

• Field trials, engagement, technical assessment

• Process issues with installation, use etc. – root

cause analysis

• Stock modelling and portfolio planning

• Different scales, points in lifecycle run research

and investigation projects, information

programmes, policy investigation and advice.

“In theory, theory and practice are the same……

…..in practice, they aren’t”

Understanding the

Performance Gap

When does assured performance succeed or fail?

Hand over &

use

Procurement &

Construction

Testing &

Com

missioning

Design &

Planning

Briefing &

Specification

Technology Strategy Board - Building Performance Evaluation Programme

• New-build domestic and new-build + refurbished

non-domestic

• Over 100 projects

• Studies at • completion, handover and early occupation

• in-use – 2 years

• Benefits to study building, future buildings,

building and refurb delivery process

Building Performance Evaluation Programme – non-dom by sector

Credit: Technology Strategy Board

Building Performance Evaluation Programme –domestic by structure

• Total number of dwellings in the programme is 366, • Represents developments with a total of 3989 dwellings

= equating to a 9% assessment of all developments.

Credit: Technology Strategy Board

Outputs from TSB BPE programme

Emerging themes

• Commissioning

• Sub-meters and

reconciliation

• BMS

• Controls / complexity

• Lighting – too much

and inability to

control

• Fabric performance

• MVHR systems

Current analysis• Production of ~8 case studies

• Overview of the BPE programme building

portfolio

• Non-domestic Initial Studies – summary

report

• Early learning from non-domestic projects

• Industry capability, costs and appetite for

BPE

• Seeking the best strategy for low carbon

homes

• Meta-study of MVHR systems in new

housing

Mat Colmer – Lead TechnologistCredit: Technology Strategy Board

Delivering Performance

Improvement

• New buildTSB BPE - individual studies, Evaluator support, generic

learning

Design specification, test and inspection guidance

• Retrofit and RefurbishmentGreen Deal GDPG – making the Green Deal deliverable

Re:Start Local – local SME retrofit supply chain

Green Deal Pioneer Places – early uptake

SuperHomes – open days planned for March

Non-domestic green deal surveys

Whiscers – IWI solution (with SEA)

• Performance in practice – field trials etc.• Communal heating scheme study

• Energy use feedback impact study – individual & community

• Ground Source Heat Pump Association

• Carbon Trust Standard

• Corporate carbon footprinting

• EEPB• Windows, doors and conservatories

• Microgeneration specific SAP

WHISCERS – partnership with SEA

1. A 3D laser scanner measures the internal dimensions of a room. The digital data is then downloaded to an off-site cutting machine.

2. The machine cuts the insulation boards with great accuracy. Software optimises the cut to minimise wastage.

3. The boards are delivered to site as a kit and are then fitted to the walls with the minimum of noise, mess and disruption.

WHISCERS - Benefits

• Developed with residents in mind: speedy process that

minimises mess and disruption in the home.

• Accuracy of measurement: high accuracy laser scanning

• Speed of measurement: the dimensions of a typical wall can

be collated in 10 minutes c.f. 30 minutes by traditional methods -

typical three bedroom house surveyed in 60 to 90 minutes.

• Automated, off-site cutting using a CNC cutting machine:

little mess in the home, greater accuracy and lower material

costs than hand-cutting. Less material waste.

• Faster Installation: boards arrive on site and can generally be

fitted in 90 minutes per room or less, with lower labour costs.

• Residents can remain at home: Less disruption, no relocation

costs, minimum noise, mess and faster process.

WHISCERS - Benefits

• WHISCERS™ is a win, win solution for housing providers

and residents for transforming hard-to-treat properties

into easy-to-heat homes.

• 2011: Inside Housing Innovation Award; and the Energy

Institute Innovation Award.

• 2012: 'Building Fabric of the Year' category at the Retro

Expo Awards 2012. The judges commented: "The system

demonstrated great process innovation with high potential

impact".

Post refurbishment monitoring being undertaken part of TSB

R4tF project and planned for Eracobuild project

Validating Assured

Performance

Performance cycle

Measure & monitor

Compare & quantify

Implement response

Devise response

Root cause analysis

Four application areas for BPE

• Validate and debug a newly delivered building (or newly

refurbished building) - ≈ 10- 30% energy saving

• Establish the performance of a building prior to

refurbishment and inform investment decisions – greater

energy savings per £ invested

• Track and inform continuous improvement of existing

buildings as an FM process – avoid rising energy demand –

(+0 >energy demand >- 3%)

• In a product development cycle where the product is a

particular building type, model or element – performance

confidence, reduce risk

Building an Evidence Base

Measure & monitor

Compare & quantify

Implement response

Devise response

Root cause analysis

Understand measurement & monitoring protocols and reporting methodologies

Tailored benchmarking & performance databases

Really unpick the reasons for prediction and practice being different

Report findings and share knowledge

Need to address the cause not the symptom

www.nef.org.ukkerry.mashford@nef.org.uk