Topic: Creating a World of Zero Energy Buildings

Date / Time: April 19th, 2022 - 4:45pm - 8:00pm

Location: Marriott Hotel Downtown - 110 9 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 5A6

OR Virtual Presentation Only - Webinar link sent with Registration

Presentation Synopsis:

With the advancement of energy efficiency and the rapid decrease in cost of solar electric systems, the concept of creating a building that produces as much energy as it consumes is becoming a reality. This presentation will look the definition of a zero energy buildings, communities, and cities, how to achieve this goal including the process for achieving success, and some of the technologies that can be used. The lecture will dive into the decision making process that was used for actual zero energy building including data and lessons learned from these early adopters.

Presented by: Paul Torcellini

Paul Torcellini has 30 years of experience examining how energy is used in buildings including delivery mechanisms, design, system integration, and operations. His focus is on creating buildings that have minimal environmental impact because of their operations including very low energy buildings and zero energy buildings.

Paul received his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. He received a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering specializing in heat transfer and modeling of buildings and a Ph.D. in building controls from Purdue University (W. Lafayette, Indiana).

Paul is a 25-year ASHRAE member and has received two ASHRAE Technology Awards for his energy-efficient buildings work and has been a key contributor to the Advanced Energy Design Guide Series, published by ASHRAE as a collaborative effort of AIA, ASHRAE, IES, and USGBC. He has led the technical analysis of several of the guides and has chaired two of the guides including the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 Schools: Achieving Zero Energy (January 2018) and the recently released Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small to Medium Office Buildings: Achieving Zero Energy (June 2019). He has been a speaker on two ASHRAE Webcasts including one focused on Zero Energy Buildings. He is active in TC2.8 (Building Environmental Impacts and Sustainability) and has been involved in several Society level efforts including MTGs, position documents, and Project Monitoring Subcommittees.

Paul and his family live in a zero energy home in northeastern Connecticut and run a sustainable farm focused on soil restoration growing a variety of farm products. (See High Performing Buildings, Spring 2018 for more information on the house.)