Techniques and Methods for Decarbonized and Energy Efficient Building Design

This class explores innovative methods for designing, developing, and financing zero carbon and zero energy buildings. At this pivotal moment, as building codes in California and around the world move towards decarbonization and all electric buildings, this class will ideally position students to enter the field of the built environment with the tools to tackle the quickly changing industry. Students will learn best practices to reduce energy and integrate solar PV generation and battery energy storage in commercial buildings in pursuit of Net Zero Energy and Net Zero Carbon buildings. The class is taught by Peter Rumsey, a widely recognized global leader in energy efficiency and sustainable building design. Lectures include presentations and panels featuring foremost experts and practitioners in the field of green buildings. Optional site visits to the Bay Area's most notable decarbonized and green buildings. CEE 176A and CEE 156/256 or similar courses are recommended prerequisites. All students participate in a group-based, term project focused on the design of a Net Zero Carbon building. Topics covered in this course include: understanding the importance of building envelopes in a successful design, designing a heating system without natural gas, calculating building energy use, optimizing daylighting and electrical lighting, reducing plug load power use, quantifying embodied and lifetime operating carbon emissions from buildings, sizing photovoltaic and battery storage systems, and financing energy efficiency, PV, and battery systems.