Integrated Energy Analysis

Energy codes across the country are progressively getting stricter and increasing the threshold for a baseline building’s energy performance. California’s Title 24 Energy Code is pushing towards net-zero energy for all new construction residential buildings by 2020, and all new construction commercial buildings by 2030. This makes it increasingly important for architects and engineers to collaborate to ensure that the architectural intent of a building can be maintained while meeting energy code.

Typically, architects create models early on to orient the building massing and layout. Once the general building design has been solidified, engineers and energy analysts will be brought on board to assess more detailed design options. While these energy models can impact the HVAC system design, glazing selections, and window performance, it is often too late to improve upon or adjust the overall building massing or envelope design. This can lead to missed opportunities to optimize the overall building design.

Using Hollywood & Gower, a high rise residential project, as an example, this paper discusses how architects and engineers can work together in the conceptual and entitlement phases (a pre-development phase whereby The City grants development rights to a specific parcel) to optimize a building’s design and ensure the design intent can meet California’s strict energy code. The architects, began by running a parametric energy analysis for various external shading options. This helped to understand the effectiveness of various shading devices to reduce solar heat gains. Energy analysts then used the architectural geometry to build an energy compliance model to assess the impacts of the shading strategies compared to Title 24 energy code. This process allowed for the team to understand the effect of design decisions on Title 24 energy code compliance.

This paper will showcase the Hollywood & Gower integrated work flow, how this dynamic can be applied to other projects, how design can be as aesthetically sophisticated as it is performative and how it can be expanded in the future.