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This resource provides energy models from the Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) for K-12 Schools that have been incorporated into Building Component Library (BCL). The AEDG series provides design guidance for buildings that use 50% less energy than those built to the requirements of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2004 commercial code, and are specific to prominent building types across each of the eight U.S. climate zones. More information on the AEDGs can be found at http://energy.gov/eere/buildings/advanced-energy-design-guides and http://www.ashrae.org/aedg. The Building Component Library (BCL) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s comprehensive online searchable library of energy modeling building blocks and descriptive metadata. Novice users and seasoned practitioners can use the freely available and uniquely identifiable components to create energy models and cite the sources of input data, which will increase the credibility and reproducibility of their simulations. More information about the BCL can be found at https://bcl.nrel.gov.

These models are EnergyPlus version 7.0 and were completed in 2011. A Technical Support Document (TSD) that details these models can be found at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/51437.pdf. This Technical Support Document (TSD) describes the process and methodology for the development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings: Achieving 50% Energy Savings Toward a Net Zero Energy Building (AEDG-K12). The AEDG-K12 provides recommendations for achieving 50% whole-building energy savings in K-12 schools over levels achieved by following ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (Standard 90.1-2004). The AEDG-K12 was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Case study on how Fontana Unified School District in southern California used grant money to install 201 high-efficiency Carrier rooftop units (RTUs) in 30 buildings across four schools, resulting in $214,000 saved per year.

It is possible for K–12 new construction projects to achieve zero energy in all climate zones throughout the continental United States. This study includes:

• Energy use intensity (EUI) targets for all climate zones (Tables 23-26) to help users set goals for their zero energy school designs.

• A pathway for how to achieve these EUIs by climate zone, including values for the building envelope, fenestration, lighting systems (including electrical lights and daylighting), HVAC systems, building automation and controls, outdoor air treatment, and SWH.

• Case studies of actual K–12 school applications which demonstrate the business case and practicality of achieving zero energy schools.

This feasibility study was developed with input and guidance from a panel of industry experts. In many ways, this feasibility study is a simple interface to a complex analysis performed using EnergyPlus energy modeling. The combination of strategies contained in a single table should help facilitate increased energy efficiency in new buildings.

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.

This paper illustrates the challenges of integrating rigorous daylight and electric lighting simulation data with whole-building energy models, and defends the need for such integration in order to achieve aggressive energy savings in building designs. Through a case study example, we examine the ways daylighting – and daylighting simulation – drove the design of a large net-zero energy project.