This webinar examined the findings of a study that reviewed energy savings resulting from the implementation of code controls requirements in real buildings, as part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar series.
In the last four cycles of commercial energy codes, about 30% of all new requirements have been related to building controls. Estimates of energy savings from these requirements assume they are designed, installed and operating correctly despite widely-known difficulties in all of these areas. To investigate the real-life energy impact of these controls, PNNL conducted an exploratory study which included (1) interviewing commissioning agents to get a better understanding of their activities as they relate to code-required controls measures and (2) a field study of a sample of commercial buildings to determine whether the code-required control measures are being designed, commissioned, and correctly implemented and functioning in new buildings. The findings of the study will be valuable to building owners and tenants, business owners, code developers, energy planners, designers, and building officials.