(SI01) Transforming the Status Quo to Achieve School District's Aggressive Energy Goals

The recent half-billion dollar capital construction program of the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) was an opportunity not only to enhance education but also to move its five-million square foot building portfolio toward its goal of Zero Energy-capability by the year 2050. However, the status quo for building design and construction had to be transformed in order to meet high efficiency standards. Their new integrative approach emphasized the continuity of key staff for the entire duration of the project, which included design and engineering teams, energy modelers, commissioning agents, contractors, and BVSD Operations and Maintenance staff. Design charrettes, mechanical system decision matrices, and iterative problem solving were part of the process that resulted in a 24% efficiency improvement for the overall capital program. Because buildings rarely operate as predicted, Monitoring-Based Commissioning completed BVSD’s new process to tune new buildings to full efficiency potential. Through a case study of the Education Center, presenters will demonstrate that difficult projects can be successful due to the team’s commitment to the process. They will describe the implementation of BVSD’s process and share the challenges and lessons learned during this campaign for energy efficiency and avoided cost--despite serious constraints jeopardizing project goals.