New Buildings Institute Inc

Programs: Zero energy developmentnbi's research, project tracking, convenings and networking, communications, education and thought leadership on "getting to zero" focuses on driving scale of zero net energy buildings. During 2016-2017 year, nbi has broadened its communications, leadership development, and ongoing engagement with innovators leading the charge on zero energy (ze) adoption. Nbi completed and current case studies and other resources offer proof and provide scalable examples showing that ze is a viable performance goal. Successes and lessons learned have been shared and honored for their achievement through presentations, traditional media, social networks, and other strategies that reach the ultimate decision makers. Nbi has grown the base of committed early adopters of ze such as leading policymakers, ngos, advocacy groups, design teams, owners/managers, etc. , to help "tip the scales" towards ze and give them ongoing opportunities to share, learn about, and advance ze concepts. Leading states, cities, and federal agencies, with guidance from nbi, are increasing their adoption of ze codes and policies. The long-term outcome of these efforts is that the messaging, community connections, data, documentation, and resources developed result in disruptive innovation of the status quo where ze buildings become the standard bearer for new construction and major renovations. The getting to zero national forum was held in october 2016 and provided an exclusive opportunity for companies and organizations to share products and services, gain industry visibility, and establish long-term working relationships. Leading designers, owners, operators, commercial real estate professionals, policymakers, manufacturers and others shared perspectives on growth of the zero energy market, discussed the policies driving new projects, engaged in best practices for successful outcomes and collaborated on opportunities for ze to transform the built environment.

codes and policiesenergy codes continued to be a crucial lever in transforming markets for high performance buildings. Nbi's work in this program area included strengthening model building energy codes and increasing their use and usefulness. We also worked on developing the necessary thought leadership to overcome critical issues that are hindering code advancement such as preemption and create the technical basis for progressive code and policy approaches such as outcome-based and stretch codes. Nbi worked directly with leading local jurisdictions to implement these advanced code strategies as well as to develop code and policy roadmaps. Nbi has been expanding on its code innovations to move past the incremental improvements of a three-year code cycle to a more holistic approach-- code and policy development that puts the ze end-goal in mind. Several jurisdictions are developing ze roadmaps that set objectives for each code cycle, moving stringency along a path to ultimately reach ze efficiency levels. Nbi is particularly proud of the progress that have been made in advancing the concept of an outcome-based methodology for using energy consumption data to comply with the international code council's performance code. We recently released guidance to help jurisdictions pursue this goal.

building and program innovationunder program innovation, nbi develops the technical analysis, tool development and advanced buildings guidance that provide critical support for building owners, practitioners, utilities and states or cities that want to develop or enhance programs that favor ultra-efficiency in commercial buildings. Examples of activities include building science research, development of products and services such as the new construction guide, building portfolio diagnostic assessments using firstview, modeling protocols and a building energy performance scale called zepi. A new multifamily guide for new construction projects has been developed by nbi in collaboration with its partners. The latest guidance out of nbi's building innovation program, this multifamily guide and complimentary education and techincal analysis has been created to addresses barriers unique to multifamily construction. Multifamily efficiency solutions is a single, whole-building prescriptive standard that can deliver up to 30% energy savings regardless of whether the project is subject to the residential or commercial code.