Resources

The following recent resources are most relevant to those working towards low-energy commercial buildings:

Daylighting The New York Times Headquarters: This site documents the work we did to assess and quantify the benefits of dimmable lighting and automated shading in a full-scale mockup, develop procurement specifications, then follow-through to the occupancy phase to commission these systems for a Class A building. The underlying approach and technologies are widely useful throughout the sector. The procurement specifications, commissioning package and other support tools developed for the owner to help "guarantee" success are all downloadable from this site.
Switchable Electrochromic Windows: All you wanted to know about switchable electrochromic (EC) windows and more. Includes design guide to understand how EC windows work and what benefits they can provide in commercial buildings.
Commercial Windows Website: We've developed, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, the beginnings of an on-line tool for A/Es or owners to optimize designs and estimate savings quickly from glazing, shading and daylighting strategies. The goal here is to have a well developed site for each city that will use local utility rates, incentive programs. A redesigned version of the site will be launched at Greenbuild.; A companion extensive site for Residential Windows is at Efficient Windows Collaborative in collaboration with University of Minnesota and Alliance to Save Energy.
Commercial Windows Book: Window Systems for High Performance Buildings: Takes you to the WW Norton Books web site for an overview of this 400-page book; much of the information is available on the Commercial Windows web site.
COMFEN: Calculates commercial window/ façade, heating and cooling energy use: Download software to create and assess energy performance of a wide range of façade systems; varying glazing, framing, shading systems, daylighting, etc. for a range of US cities; reports annual and monthly heating/cooling and lighting, daylighting, comfort, carbon impacts, etc. Uses the EnergyPlus calculation engine. A new version is being released at Greenbuild.
Quick Guide for Daylighting: In the daylighting area we have a nice downloadable reference, Tips for Daylighting. This has been reprinted thousands of times by utility programs, etc and is a good, quick checklist-type, "how-to-do-it" reference.
Advanced Daylighting Concepts: A Source Book on Daylighting Systems and Components: Field data and how-it-works information on a number of innovative daylight-redirecting, solar control, and light diffusing systems catalogued by the IEA Task 21 International Daylighting project.
Double Envelope and All Glass Façades: The well-publicized use of all glass, double envelope façades in EU led to significant interest in the US market. What are the benefits and risks of this design approach? This site provides insights into the motivation behind use of these systems, the challenges of using them, and includes interviews with owners and specifiers on applicability to the US market.
National Public Radio's Richard Harris Interviews Stephen Selkowitz, LBNL: "Energy-Saving Windows: A Legacy Of '70s Oil Crisis"
National Public Radio, Morning Edition, October 15, 2008.