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7x7x7: Design Energy Water is an innovative program by the Division of the State Architect that encouraged California school districts to develop long-range master plans that reduce energy and water consumption on campuses and improve the quality of educational spaces. The State Architect engages seven architectural firms to develop seven conceptual case studies that reduce school energy and water consumption and result in better learning environments on seven different types of campuses (six K-12 schools and a community college). The seven campuses are representative of typical building types from different eras constructed across California’s varied climate zones. The purpose and primary goal of this program is to enable all existing K-14 facilities to be zero energy by 2030.

This guide primarily applies to facility managers and energy managers of large existing office buildings larger than 100,000 square feet, but also includes considerations for small and medium office buildings. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as financial payback metrics for the most common energy efficiency measures, this guide provides a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements for existing buildings.

Retail buildings in the U.S. are second only to office buildings in total energy consumption and represent approximately 13% of energy use in commercial buildings nationwide. The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Retail Buildings presents general project planning guidance as well as more detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures to provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. This guide is primarily designed for facility managers and energy managers of existing retail buildings of all sizes.

This guide was created to help healthcare facility decision-makers plan, design, and implement energy improvement projects in their facilities. It was designed with energy managers in mind, and presents practical guidance for kick-starting the process and maintaining momentum throughout the project life cycle.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Grocery Stores was created to help grocery store decision makers plan, design, and implement energy improvement projects in their facilities. It was designed with energy managers in mind, and presents practical guidance for kick-starting the process and maintaining momentum throughout the project life cycle.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for K-12 Schools is one of five retrofit guides commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as more detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures, the guides provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. The K-12 Schools guide provides convenient and practical guidance for making cost-effective energy efficiency improvements in public, private, and parochial schools.

Energy savings can be achieved in corridors and other secondary spaces with an occupancy-based adaptive lighting system. Such a system is generally composed of occupancy sensors, dimmable ballasts and a communication platform. The system automatically lowers light levels to the minimum footcandles required by safety codes during vacancy and raises light output to the recommended level for occupant comfort during occupied periods. The adaptive lighting system installed at the Latham Square office building is based on Lutron’s Energi TriPak solution, a stand-alone platform for adaptive lighting that employs cost-effective wireless control devices and programmable dimming ballasts.

The California Lighting Technology Center partnered with Finelite, Inc. and Adura Technologies to develop and demonstrate a unique, wireless task/ambient office lighting solution ideally suited for the retrofit market. The system consists of two key elements: a task/ambient lighting system and advanced, wireless lighting controls. The combination substantially reduce energy use and improves lighting quality, and provides personal lighting control for individual work spaces, and does not require additional wiring or rewiring of existing luminaries or lighting circuits. The system has three specific components: adaptive ambient lighting, light-emitting diode task lighting, and wireless controls.

To maximize the respective benefits of open- and closed-loop systems, and minimize their limitations, the California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) developed a dual-loop photosensor control system for skylight applications. The system features a control algorithm that monitors the open- and closed-loop photosensors and controls the electric light to provide the designed light level. It also automatically recalibrates nightly to adjust to long-term changes to the interior space. Results show the dual-loop technology delivers more consistent lighting and greater energy savings.

The California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program sponsored development of bi-level parking garage luminaires for the University of California, Davis that integrate intelligent controls with bi-level electronic drivers or ballasts to control light output based on garage occupancy. Luminaires operate at a reduced level during vacancy and switch to full light output upon occupancy. Many of the products may be combined with traditional photocontrols to maximize energy savings.