Building performance analysis including energy modeling, identifies energy-saving opportunities and ensures that the design aligns with the highest sustainability standards. The
California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) is a set of regulations and standards established to promote environmentally sustainable building practices with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of buildings. Compliance is typically required for new construction, renovations, and additions to existing buildings.
The
California Energy Code (CEC) is a set of regulations and standards that govern energy efficiency in buildings energy performance. Its goal is to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable building practices.
Title 24, also known as the California Building Standards Code, is a component of the CEC. Title 24 compliance is typically required when there are changes to elements like windows or exterior walls. Conversely, it is generally not required for the replacement of mechanical or plumbing equipment, especially when the replacement qualifies as a repair rather than an alteration or entirely new equipment. We use building energy modeling software like Elite, Wrightsoft, Carrier HAP, Trane Trace 3D Plus, Energy Pro 9, or open-source CBECC-Com and CBECC-Res for heat gain calculations and Title 24 compliance assessments.
LEED certification, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a globally recognized green building rating system with varying levels of certification to accommodate different sustainability goals. Attaining this certification empowers building owners to significantly diminish their energy and water consumption. Achieve environmental stewardship and cost savings by creating a net-positive regenerative building, starting with selecting a state-of-the-art building envelope and façade that uses high-performing, aesthetically pleasing regional materials. By utilizing regional materials, we minimize the environmental impact of transportation. According to LEED, regional materials are defined in the Materials and Resources (MR) Credit 5 as “building materials or products that have been extracted, harvested, or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project site for a minimum of 10% or 20%, based on cost, of the total materials value.”
Design your building to utilize clean and renewable energy technology, incorporate passive cooling through natural ventilation, and integrate passive solar heating, contributing to a more sustainable future. Architectural design elements such as shading, whether through natural landscaping or building elements such as awnings, overhangs, and trellises, can significantly decrease the energy required to cool your building. Consider incorporating skylights for daylighting and adding a cistern for water collection.
