Better Buildings Challenge Multifamily Newsletter: July 2022

In This Issue:

• Key Announcements
• ASHRAE’s New Advanced Energy Design Guide for Multifamily Buildings
• Spotlight on Partner Successes: RiseBoro Community builds first Passive House affordable housing building in New York and Foundation Communities completes construction of new LEED Certified 88-unit building in Austin

Key Announcements

• Is your state committed to a clean energy future? The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) has compiled a list of legislative initiatives committing states to a carbon-free grid that shows that more than half of Americans live in states that have committed to a 100 percent Clean Energy future.
   
• Presentations from the 2022 Better Buildings, Better Plants sessions are now available for download (in PDF form) on the Better Buildings Solutions Center. You can also now watch the Summit Sampler webinar, featuring Summit presentations from Commercial, Financial, Industrial, and Multifamily sectors – a rare chance to catch one of the talks you might have missed!
   
• Check out upcoming July webinars hosted by ENERGY STAR, including a series on how to make the most of Portfolio Manager, ranging from basics to advanced features, and an overview of best practices for responsible water use in landscaping.

ASHRAE’s New Advanced Energy Design Guide for Multifamily Buildings

As noted in a previous edition of this newsletter, an Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) for Multifamily Buildings was recently published and made available for download by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This multifamily-focused volume is the third in the AEDG zero energy guide series, which is the product of a collaboration among ASHRAE, AIA (American Institute of Architects), IES (Illuminating Engineering Society), USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) and the DOE (Department of Energy).

The Design Guide was developed to assist building owners and operators, design professionals, developers, and other multifamily professionals in achieving zero energy buildings in a way that is “financially feasible, operationally workable, and readily achievable.” Reflecting the broad target audience, the Guide’s scope ranges from construction techniques and design parameters to strategic planning at an organizational level and staffing considerations. As such, it can serve as a set-by-step guide covering the entire process – from goal setting to verification of outcomes – for organizations contemplating whether or how to pursue zero energy buildings, but also as a reference manual for professionals currently engaged in that pursuit.

The guide also aligns with DOE’s Better Buildings Challenge (BBC) and Better Climate Challenge (BCC) programs, helping users set energy use intensity carbon emission goals and prioritizing energy efficiency as a pathway to decarbonization. BBC and BCC partners are encouraged to review the guide as they consider their next steps in the programs, as well as to bookmark it as a resource for future reference.

Spotlight on Partner Successes

• RiseBoro Community Partnership has built New York State’s first Passive House-certified 100 percent affordable multifamily building. Knickerbocker Commons is a 24-unit building in New York City’s Bushwick neighborhood serving households earning no more than 30 percent, 50 percent, and 60 percent of the Area Median Income. The building’s careful design and energy efficient features, including energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems, generate an estimated 60 percent savings against comparable buildings.
   
• Foundation Communities completed construction of its $5 million Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and Austin Energy Green Building-rated Laurel Creek property for 88 low-income families. The design of the property allows residents to keep utility costs low and includes ENERGY STAR appliances®, mini-split heat pumps, and LED lighting.