The Land Grant University for the 21st Century
Washington State University - Agency 365
2009-2011 Operating Budget
Request
Performance Level Decision Package
–Policy Level "CT"
Clean
Technology Initiative, Phase 1, Buildings and Architecture
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Updated Aug 25, 2008
Agency Recommendation Summary:
Washington State University proposes
a $2 million research, instruction and public outreach program which partners
with local government and businesses to accelerate energy efficient building
practices for this state’s
homes and businesses.
This state
budget request would launch what is likely the broadest energy efficiency
strategy for buildings ever invested by the Legislature. It combines both new
and existing faculty and staff from many disciplines, supported by several
funding sources, into a unified WSU effort for the state of Washington:
·
Both WSU basic and applied
research efforts in energy efficiency are expanded and integrated in
architecture and engineering.
·
Hundreds of building
professionals will receive continuing education programs in building efficiency
from WSU.
·
WSU students in
professional programs like engineering and architecture will now graduate with
more expertise in energy efficiency for buildings.
·
Expert WSU assistance
offered to many local governments in the country will now be made available to
Washington counties and cities.
The increase in expertise in the workforce created by the
education programs, coupled with an outreach program to transfer the benefits of
research to the development of state and local policies, will result in more
energy efficient buildings in the state of Washington. Energy efficiency will
make the state more competitive in the future.
WSU has experts working on the various components of sustainable design
that are spread across many disciplines.
These individuals are located in the academic areas that assist with: use
the building site; designing the form, function, and operation of buildings;
producing building materials with recycled and renewable resources; and
assessing the level of sustainability.
When combined with the new energy specialists outlined in
this request, these experts will provide the support required by our state to
navigate complex energy challenges.
Fiscal Details:
Package
Description:
This request
creates seven university teaching, research and public service positions that
will develop new energy strategies and assist local governments with aggressive
new programs to encourage energy conservation. At least 500 industry
professionals will receive continuing education on advanced building codes.
Teaching research faculty will produce WSU graduates who will be expertly
prepared to enter a workforce that improves building efficiency. This 2009-2011
state operating biennial budget request is designed to coordinate the extensive
assets of WSU that currently are applied broadly to the nation and to then
provide an initial focus of improving the efficiency of buildings exclusively in
the state of Washington.
Specifically, the budget request is for:
·
Two non-faculty research
and extension staff members who will advance building efficiencies beyond the
energy code and support energy performance improvements through WSU training and
leadership.
·
Two public service experts
in energy codes and standards who will offer assistance to local governments,
train 500 industry professionals on new code requirements, and promote
construction of buildings that will meet or exceed the minimum code efficiency
standards.
·
One faculty member who will
focus on research, instruction and outreach on energy loads and heat transfer
within the building areas (how heat and air moves from room or room or within
large areas inside the building).
·
One faculty member who will
focus on research, instruction and outreach on the performance of the building
envelope (walls, windows, roof, etc).
·
A Life Cycle Analysis
expert with faculty credentials and an emphasis on assessing the energy and
environmental requirements to manufacture building materials and the energy
expended in the construction process itself.
Life Cycle Analysis is used to quantify the total energy consumption and
the cumulative effects on the environment over the life of the building. This
information can be used to perform a cost-benefit analysis.
Narrative Justification and
Impact Statement:
For buildings,
basic and fundamental decisions are made in design that determine whether the
building is in cooperation or competition with the climate, which then dictates
energy requirements. These decisions
involve the building form and orientation, interior treatments and landscaping
to shade and protect. From a
discipline standpoint, architects, landscape architects and interior designers
make these design decisions, which are then enabled by civil and environmental
engineers and finally implemented by construction managers.
University Assets
WSU has assets in building energy
conservation all over the state. On its Pullman campus, WSU is a pioneer in the
development of new renewable building materials and it has promoted the use of
these materials in homes and small commercial buildings.
There is considerable energy efficiency teaching and research expertise
in construction management, engineering and design disciplines. In Olympia,
there are more than 60 WSU employees, not directly supported by state funding,
that work through the university’s
Extension Energy Program office. The work of all 60 employees is focused on
increased energy efficiency in many arenas, especially buildings. On the Spokane
Riverpoint campus, the Interdisciplinary Design Institute focuses on solving
problems with buildings and communities that bridge across the design
disciplines (landscape, interior design, building architecture, etc).
These efforts are producing outcomes that have the potential to develop
building designs and interior treatments that improve natural day lighting and
reduce lighting costs.
The WSU Wood Materials and
Engineering Laboratory, and WSU’s
faculty in civil engineering have expertise which ranges from materials
discovery to structural building design and codes.
Although this group currently works with industry worldwide, most of its
efforts are focused on the structural, rather than the energy performance of
these new building materials and systems.
Coordinated efforts between wood materials researchers and architecture
faculty yielded award-winning building designs. Additional faculty positions
contained in this proposal for building envelopes and life cycle analysis will
integrally connect these efforts to new materials and building systems with
improved energy performance.
The WSU Extension Energy Program is
funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal government agencies,
federal power marketing agencies, the nonprofit Northwest Energy Efficiency
Alliance, by electric or gas utilities and others in the private sector. Because
of the funding sources, the benefits of the work of these employees, located in
Olympia and Spokane, are often not directed specifically at communities within
this state. WSU manages and operates
the national energy efficiency and renewable energy information center on behalf
of the U.S. Department of Energy. The center answers energy efficiency
questions, including intricate engineering inquiries, from large industrial
corporations and others from all over the United States and its territories. WSU
also operates the federal government’s
Northwest Building Efficiency Center. The center serves Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, Montana, and Alaska and provides experts to answer questions from
building managers and other facilities workers in the region.
The university participates in the Building America program
–
the federal research, development and demonstration program focused on advanced
energy efficiency strategies for housing. While some states purchase WSU support
for development, analysis or implementation of energy codes, the
state of Washington has not provided such
funding to support its local governments.
This budget request is intended to
fill key gaps facilitating the university’s
ability to serve as a unique resource in education, research and outreach
activities. Most importantly, this
proposal is intended to point many more of those energy-saving WSU assets
–
currently tied largely to national funding sources
–
to buildings in the state of Washington.
Outcomes:
1.
New energy faculty members
will provide instructional support that will give WSU’s civil engineering,
construction management and architectural graduates expertise in designing and
implementing advanced energy-efficient building codes. Current enrollment in
these programs is about 1,000 students.
2.
The new faculty positions
will complete the expertise necessary for a WSU Institute for Sustainable Design
that will generate $14 million more in external funding. The institute will
include academic areas such as civil engineering, construction management,
architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, mechanical engineering.
3.
All seven faculty and staff
positions requested will have public outreach responsibilities to provide direct
expert consultation to local governments, manufacturers, design firms, small
businesses, etc.
4.
By 2011, at least 4,000
homes in Washington State will be built to Energy Star Standards because of this
program. That would be up from less than 1,500 homes in 2007.
5.
Washington is likely to
consider adopting a statewide code that would lead to stricter energy building
standards. The analytical support provided by this request would expedite
implementation of the approved advanced code proposals which are likely to be 30
to 50 percent beyond current code levels.
6.
500 existing builders and
industry professionals in Washington will be trained on new code compliance.
7.
New support materials on
code implementation will be provided to professionals and the general public.
8.
At
least 750 homes will be built to the Department of Energy’s
Builder’s
Challenge levels during the next biennium. Less than 10 certifications were made
in the last fiscal year.
9.
At least 12 training
sessions will be provided for builders and professionals that support builders
on advanced building design and operations for non-residential buildings.
Calculations:
For more information, contact Larry Ganders, Assistant to
the WSU President, Olympia, at 360-534-2333
