High-Performance Buildings Research Case Studies

Commercial buildings account for 18% of U.S. energy consumption. This number continues to increase, primarily because the floor area continues to increase and the life span of buildings exceeds 30 years. Energy consumption will continue to increase until buildings can be designed to produce more energy than they consume; based on this conclusion DOE's Building Technologies Program (BT) has established a goal for marketable zero-energy buildings (ZEBs) by 2025. NREL studied six buildings in detail to understand the issues related to the design, construction, and operation of the current generation of low-energy buildings.

These reports summarize findings from research that was conducted at NREL to assess the energy design and performance of six high-performance buildings, and uses this information to recommend future research on commercial buildings to meet BT goal for creating marketable ZEBs by 2025.

Deru, M.; Torcellini, P.; Pless, S. (2005). Energy Design and Performance Analysis of the BigHorn Home Improvement Center. 120 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34930. (PDF 2.1 MB)

Deru, M.; Torcellini, P.; Sheffer, M.; Lau, A. (2005). Analysis of the Design and Energy Performance of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Cambria Office Building. 85 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34931. (PDF 2.4 MB)

Griffith, B.; Deru M.; Torcellini, P.; Ellis, P. (2005). Analysis of the Energy Performance of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Philip Merrill Environmental Center. 145 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34830. (PDF 3.0 MB)

Pless, S. D.; Torcellini, P. A. (2004). Energy Performance Evaluation of an Educational Facility: The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. 155 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-33180. (PDF 2.8 MB)

Torcellini, P.; Long, N.; Pless, S.; Judkoff, R. (2005). Evaluation of the Low-Energy Design and Energy Performance of the Zion National Park Visitor Center. 156 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34607. (PDF 3.4 MB)

Torcellini, P.; Pless, S.; Griffith, B.; Judkoff, R. (2005). Evaluation of the Energy Performance and Design Process of the Thermal Test Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 144 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-550-34832. (PDF 2.7 MB)