Developed by:

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING INDUSTRY

Facilitated by:

OFFICE OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY, STATE AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMSENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.EREN.DOE.GOV/BUILDINGS/COMMERCIAL_ROADMAP

A 20-YEAR INDUSTRY PLAN FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

H IGH-PERFORMANCE

COMMERCIALBUILDINGS

HIGH-PERFORMANCE

COMMERCIALBUILDINGSA T E C H N O L O G Y R O A D M A P

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1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 INTRODUCTION

6 TRENDS AND VISION

10 BARRIERS

14 STRATEGIES

18 NEXT STEPS

19 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CO-SPONSORS

High-Performance Commercial Buildings: A Technology

Roadmap is sponsored by the U.S. Department of

Energy in cooperation with the following organizations:

Advanced Building Systems Integration

Consortium, Carnegie Mellon University

Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute

The American Institute of Architects (AIA)

The AIA Center for Building Performance and

Environment

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating

and Air-Conditioning Engineers

California Institute for Energy Efficiency

Carrier Corporation

Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics,

Carnegie Mellon University

Center for the Built Environment, University of

California at Berkeley

Energy Center of Wisconsin

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America

Institute for Research in Construction, National

Research Council Canada

International Facility Management

Association

Natural Resources Canada

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

The Real Estate Roundtable

Southern California Edison

Sustainable Buildings Industries Council

The Urban Land Institute

U S Green Building Council

York International Corporation

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A NEW INITIATIVE

The U.S. Department of Energy’sOffice of Building Technology, Stateand Community Programs (BTS) isfacilitating industry-led initiatives todevelop a series of technologyroadmaps. The roadmaps identifykey goals and strategies for differentareas of the building industry. High-Performance Commercial Buildings:A Technology Roadmap identifies aplan for integrating research, devel-opment, and deployment for thenext generation of commercial buildings in the U.S.

This roadmap initiative is a funda-mental component of the BTSstrategic plan and will help to aligngovernment resources with the high-priority needs identified by industry.The roadmap will guide cooperationamong public and private research-ers, developers, architects, the manyand varied participants in the com-mercial building industry, and otherState and Federal offices to help thisindustry achieve its long-term vision.

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

Challenges for Tomorrow’sCommercial Buildings

Thanks to a steady stream of innovations dur-

ing the 20th century, commercial buildings

have become increasingly comfortable and pro-

ductive places. We often take these marvels of

architecture and engineering for granted, as if

they were inevitable fixtures of the landscape.

Yet there are many reasons to reconsider this land-

scape. Will our current approaches to commercial

buildings fit the changing nature of U.S. businesses

and their workforces? And how can we enjoy the

benefits of flexible, functional workplaces while also

better protecting the natural environment?

This technology roadmap describes the vision and

strategies for addressing these challenges developed

by representatives of the buildings industry. Collabora-

tive research, development, and deployment of new

technologies, coupled with an integrated "whole-build-

ings" approach, can shape future generations of com-

mercial environments that are highly resource-efficient

and that enhance human creativity, productivity, and

quality of life in ways we can only begin to envision.

WHAT IS THE “WHOLE BUILDINGS” APPROACH?

Today’s commercial buildingsemploy complex and diversetechnologies in their construction,operation, and maintenance.Building materials, components,and subsystems traditionally havebeen designed and implementedbased on standardized criteria thatare largely independent of oneanother. For example, water-heatingloads are considered to be solely afunction of building use and are cal-culated independently of a building’splumbing design. Potential interac-tions between the two functions —for example, heat recovery fromoutgoing wastewater for pre-heatingthe incoming supply — are usuallyignored.

Through a whole-buildings approach— sometimes referred to as "sys-tems engineering" — all of the build-ing components and subsystems areconsidered together, along with theirpotential interactions and impacton occupants, to achieve synergies.The fundamental goal is to optimizethe building’s performance — interms of comfort, functionality,energy efficiency, resource effi-ciency, economic return, and life-cycle value. The whole-buildingsapproach crosses disciplines —requiring the integration of planning,siting, design, equipment and mater-ial selection, financing, construction,commissioning, and long-term oper-ation and maintenance. Implement-ing a whole-buildings approach hasbeen shown to enhance air quality,lighting, and other key aspects ofthe building indoor environment. Thenatural environment benefits as well— through energy and waste reduc-tion and more effective land use.

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RETHINKING OURCOMMERCIAL LANDSCAPEThroughout much of human history,work and living spaces coexisted.Farmers lived on their land, mer-chants above their shops, crafts-people next to their forges andlooms. The industrial revolutionchanged all that, as work becameconcentrated in factories andoffices, at first in the vicinity of thelabor force, and later, miles awayalong the trolley line or highway.

The separation between commercialand residential spheres grew eversharper during the 20th century.Modern office buildings becamepossible with the advent of fluores-cent lighting and air conditioning,epitomized, at mid-century, by thesealed, self-contained InternationalStyle glass box. Today, our dailyroutines often take us from one specialized, comfort-controlledcommercial facility to another —to work, learn, shop, and play —then home to distinctly residentialcommunities.

CHALLENGES FOR TOMORROW’S COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

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VISION

By the year 2020 —

• Successful public/private partnerships will deliver highly adaptable, sustainable,cost-effective commercial buildings.

• Advances in building design and operation will provide simple solutions toaddress the complex interactions of systems and equipment.

• America’s commercial buildings will be valued by occupants, owners, builders,and communities as healthy, productive, and desirable places to learn, work,and play.

STRATEGIES

• Performance metrics. Establish key definitions and metrics for high-performance commercial buildings.

• Technology development. Develop systems integration, monitoring, and othertechnologies that enable commercial buildings to optimally achieve targetedperformance levels over their life cycles.

• Process change. Create models of collaborative commercial whole-buildingsdesign and development, and establish the tools and professional educationprograms needed to support these processes.

• Market transformation. Stimulate market demand for high-performancecommercial buildings by demonstrating and communicating compelling economic advantages.

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Yet in the past few decades, somehave begun to question how wellcommercial building technologiesand practices serve emergingneeds. Can we afford the environ-mental consequences of carryingthe 20th century model into thefuture, or can we create commercialspaces that produce less waste,consume less energy, reducereliance on cars, and minimize landuse? Will specialized commercialfacilities remain the norm, or willmixed-use buildings and communi-ties better suit the way we live andwork today? How must commercialbuildings evolve to enhance humanhealth and productivity, and to sup-port the increasingly mobile, digital,and team-based nature of today’sbusinesses?

Developers of this technologyroadmap document put these andmany other questions on the tableover the past two years. They alsoevaluated the promise of new tech-nologies and practices in thedesign, planning, siting, construc-tion, and operation of commercialbuildings and environments.

MEETING NEW DEMANDS Their conclusion? That commercialbuildings can be dramaticallyreshaped in the coming decades bycombining the results of sound, butseparate, research in such fields asenergy-efficient building shells,equipment, lighting, daylighting,windows, passive and active solar,photovoltaic, fuel cells, advancedsensors and controls, and combinedheating, cooling, and power. Suchtechnologies — together with awhole-buildings approach thatoptimizes interactions among build-ing systems and components — willenable commercial buildings torespond effectively to the changingneeds of today’s businesses, whilealso helping to meet our nationalgoals of environmental protectionand sustainable development.

Specifically, participants craftedtheir vision for the year 2020 (seesidebar), identified barriers to beaddressed, and defined strategiesthat will help make their vision areality. Each strategy, as well asassociated activities and mile-stones, is discussed in detail inthis document.

BOLD STEPSNew technologies will be essentialin realizing the vision for high-performance commercial buildings.At the component level, increasedprivate and public investment isneeded in research and develop-ment of energy-efficient buildingmaterials and equipment, advancedsensors and controls, on-site powergeneration, and other enabling technologies.

However, pathways for componenttechnologies are the subject ofother technology roadmappingefforts being facilitated by DOE andare not described in this document.Instead, the roadmap focuses onfour strategic challenges:

• How the benefits of high-performance buildings can beaccurately defined and measuredand conveyed to the buildingsindustry.

• How the best existing technolo-gies, as well as future technolo-gies, can be integrated moreeffectively within a whole-build-ings (systems) context.

• How cross-discipline collabora-tion can become the norm in thesiting, design, construction,commissioning and start-up,and operation and maintenanceof commercial buildings — aprerequisite to a whole-buildingsapproach.

• How market demand for high-performance commercial build-ings can be stimulated.

AN INDUSTRY-LED PROCESS

FOUNDATION FORPARTNERSHIPSWhat demands must commercialbuildings meet in the future? Whatare our "ideals" for future commer-cial buildings, and how do we getthere? How can we speed technol-ogy development and deployment incommercial buildings in the nextdecades? These questions havebeen at the heart of this technologyroadmap process, spearheaded byrepresentatives from many sectorsof the commercial building industry.

The Federal government has partici-pated alongside industry in thisprocess. As the largest owner andoperator of commercial facilities inthe Nation, the government has astrong interest in acceleratingresearch, development, and deploy-ment (RD&D) of innovative buildingtechnologies. Facilitation ofroadmap meetings and documenta-tion has been performed by theDepartment of Energy’s Office ofBuilding Technology, State andCommunity Programs (BTS), whichmanages the largest buildingsRD&D program in the Federalgovernment.

In a series of four workshops, par-ticipants — including architects,engineers, lighting and otherdesigners, equipment manufactur-ers, researchers, building ownersand developers, facility managers,building trades representatives, utility and energy service company

representatives, and financiers —discussed the current state of theindustry, significant trends andopportunities, and ways to alignpublic and private RD&D with real-world needs. They also identifiedareas of market transformation andeducation where industry partici-pants could cooperate and wherethe Federal government could playan expanded role. In all, more than250 individuals from 150 differentorganizations participated in theworkshops and the roadmapdevelopment.

JOINING FORCESBy defining the industry’s long-termvision and strategies, the technol-ogy roadmap can help focus bothpublic and private RD&D invest-ments on the industry’s highest pri-orities. It can also ensure moreeffective partnerships betweenindustry and government, ascertain-ing that Federal programs enhance,but do not duplicate, industryefforts, and accelerating the transferof research results from Federallaboratories to the private sector.

In joining forces to implement thistechnology roadmap, leaders in theindustry will lay the foundation forcommercial buildings that areincreasingly healthy, comfortable,durable, flexible, secure, energy-and resource-efficient, cost-effec-tive, and attractive to owners,occupants, and communities.

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

“With this roadmap, which represents the work of thefinest industry thinkers andpractitioners, commercial buildings can be transformedinto attractive, affordable, productive workplaces. We are proud to help turn visionsof high-performing buildingsinto reality.”

— Mark Ginsberg Deputy Assistant SecretaryBuilding Technology, State and Community ProgramsU.S. Department of Energy

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EXECUTIVE FORUM

When and where: July 27, 1998, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, New York, New York Who participated: 36 representatives of the building industry, building-related associations, and

interested parties from government and academiaChallenge: To develop a vision statement and strategic goals for commercial buildings in

the year 2020Results: Participants defined the history of a whole-buildings approach, explored the current

commercial buildings marketplace, and developed a vision statement and strategic goals.

STEPS IN THE ROADMAP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

BUILDING DELIVERY WORKSHOP

When and where: October 22-23, 1998, Cosmos Club, Washington, DC Who participated: 66 designers, developers, and representatives from the building trades, as well as

equipment and component manufacturersChallenge: To examine the forces driving or impeding whole-buildings approaches to design, siting,

construction, and commissioningResults: Participants developed the information contained in the Trends and Barriers sections of

this roadmap and explored strategic issues.

BUILDING OPERATION WORKSHOP

When and where: January 11-12, 1999, The Presidio, San Francisco, CaliforniaWho participated: 76 representatives of the building industry, related associations, government, and academiaChallenge: To define the principal gaps and needs in technology and processes related to the

commissioning, operation, and maintenance of commercial buildings of the future Results: Participants created detailed action plans to meet identified strategic needs, such as

performance targets and first/next steps.

FINAL WORKSHOP

When and where: October 25-26, 1999, Washington Plaza Hotel, Washington, DCWho participated: 79 representatives of the building industry, related associations, government, and

academia, many of whom attended previous roadmap workshopsChallenge: To develop a prioritized list of activities for joint industry-government work to

further the whole-buildings approach within the commercial building sector Results: Participants prioritized activities and identified key steps to successful

implementation of the strategies defined in this roadmap.

BUILDING TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP

When and where: April 27, 1999, Morrison-Clark Inn, Washington, DCWho participated: 9 futurists and visionaries Challenge: To develop a vision of the technology of the built environment in 2050Results: Participants brainstormed vision of high-performance commercial building technologies

50 years into the future.

RESPONDING TO CHANGING NEEDS

T R E N D S A N D V I S I O N

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THE ENERGY DIMENSION

Today, the 4.6 million commercialbuildings in the United Statesaccount for approximately one-sixthof total national energy consump-tion, or 16 quadrillion BTU1 and32 percent of total national electric-ity consumption. Consumption ofelectricity in the commercial build-ings sector has doubled in the last18 years, and can be expected toincrease by another 25 percentby 2030 if current growth ratescontinue.

Making commercial buildings moreenergy- and resource-efficient repre-sents an enormous opportunity tosave money and reduce pollution inevery community across the country.Indeed, with annual energy expendi-tures in the commercial buildingssector of $100 billion, an efficiencyimprovement of 30 percent wouldyield $30 billion per year in bottom-line savings. Benefits to the environ-ment would also be substantial,including reduced emissions ofsulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides,and carbon dioxide from fossil-fueled power generation.

Such a 30 percent improvement inenergy efficiency can be realisticallyachieved in the coming decades byapplying existing technologies. Evenmore dramatic improvements —ranging from 50 to 80 percent —could be achieved with aggressiveimplementation of this technologyroadmap, including a long-termapproach to research and develop-ment. Ultimately, the appropriate useof combined heating, cooling, andpower systems, optimized buildingcontrols, solar and other forms ofrenewable energy, and energy-effi-cient building shells and equipmentcan produce commercial buildingsthat become net electricity genera-tors rather than consumers.

THE SHAPE OF COMMERCIALBUILDINGS IN 2020Major social, economic, technologi-cal, and environmental trends arechanging the way we work, learn,and play. These changes, in turn,will create new demands on com-mercial buildings of the future. Hereare some of the most evident trendsand their possible implications inthe coming decades.

Knowledge-based work. With theongoing growth of the information-based economy, people will beincreasingly engaged in highly visualand analytical work. Commercialbuildings will be expected to pro-vide reliable, continual, and instan-taneous connectivity to informationand electronic communicationsresources. Information technologieswill no longer be captive in desktopcomputers, but will be distributedwithin the commercial environment,integrated into everything from furni-ture to windows. Demand will growfor personalized control of lighting,temperature, ventilation, and otheraspects of the interior environmentto enhance the productivity ofknowledge workers.

Collaborative, reconfigurableworkplaces. Advanced communi-cations and computing technologieswill enable coworkers to collaborateever more effectively from remotelocations, decreasing the need tospend the workweek in sharedphysical spaces. When colleaguesdo work together, they will moreoften require flexible and reconfig-urable space, to accommodateteam-based activities and frequentorganizational and operationalshifts. Education will also becomemore reliant on electronic technolo-gies and team-based activities,redefining the requirements forfuture schools, libraries, and otherlearning facilities.

An aging, shifting populationbase. The mean age of the U.S.population continues to trendupward, increasing the need forease of access and mobility withincommercial facilities. Population willcontinue to increase in our desertsand on our seacoasts, two fragileecosystems, requiring increasedattention to resource efficiency,energy efficiency, and sustainablepractices in commercial buildings.

Urban rebirth. Another trend havingan effect on commercial building isthe rebirth of urban centers and thecorresponding need to reconfigureexisting buildings for new uses. Tostem over-development in suburbanareas, increasing numbers of com-munities will enact zoning and cre-ate incentives to encourage themovement of businesses and resi-dences back into the city.

1 Source: Energy InformationAdministration estimates.

Construction labor shortages.Demographic and economic shiftswill continue to reduce the pool ofskilled construction workers, neces-sitating less labor-intensive buildingmethods and technologies in thefuture.

Environmental and health issues.Increasing public concern aboutenvironmental issues, coupled withthe potential for more stringent environmental regulation, will drivemarket demand for commercialbuildings that minimize resource useand waste in their construction andoperation. Demand for healthier andmore comfortable indoor environ-ments will also grow as environmen-tal awareness encompasses indooras well as outdoor areas.

Energy issues. Greater cost-com-petitiveness of photovoltaics, fuelcells, and combined heat and power— coupled with the purchasing flex-ibility created by utility restructuring— will make on-site power genera-tion an increasingly viable option forcommercial buildings. Shrinkingcapacity margins in baseload powergeneration, and resulting concernsabout the reliability of power, willfurther fuel this trend. Demand willalso grow for energy-efficient build-ings, particularly in areas withrelatively high power costs or relia-bility concerns. Any future controlson carbon dioxide emissions willaccelerate the demand for "green"power, renewable energy, andenergy efficiency.

Insurance and liability issues.Insurers will exert pressure on thecommercial building industry toincrease the safety and longevity ofbuildings. Insurance will be increas-ingly expensive or unavailable forbuildings constructed "in harm’sway," e.g., in flood plains or seismichot spots. Insurers will increase theirinvolvement in building code devel-opment and enforcement. Bothbuilders and building componentmanufacturers will be subject tohigher liabilities for failures. Lawsuitsrelated to indoor air quality andother health issues will becomemore prevalent.

CREATING THE VISIONAgainst this backdrop of key trends,developers of the high-performancecommercial buildings technologyroadmap defined their vision for thefuture:

By the year 2020 —

Successful public/private partner-ships will deliver highly adaptable,sustainable, cost-effective commer-cial buildings.

Advances in building design andoperation will provide simple solutions to address the complexinteractions of systems and equipment.

America’s commercial buildings willbe valued by occupants, owners,builders, and communities ashealthy, productive, and desirableplaces to learn, work, and play.

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The Intelligent Workplace at Carnegie Mellon University,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Photo: Alan Steel

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THE SHAPE OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN 2020

LOOKING FORWARDHow might these “healthy, produc-tive, and desirable” commercialbuildings look and perform? Tomor-row’s high-performance commercialbuildings are likely to:

Incorporate smart, responsivetechnologies. Commercial buildingswill become almost "alive," using"smart" materials and systems thatsense internal and external environ-ments, anticipate changes, andrespond dynamically. Through wire-less sensors and controls, energy-using components will monitorwhen and how much they areneeded and will adjust their opera-tion accordingly. Individualized con-trol of lighting, ventilation, andthermal conditioning will becomepossible, and "user profiles" thatspecify personal environmental pref-erences will follow an individualthrough a building (or group ofbuildings). Uniform protocols willallow control devices to talk to eachother and communicate externally.Buildings will aggregate perfor-mance information, self-diagnoseand correct problems, and alertusers to causes of substandardoperation.

Reflect sound environmentalpractices. Tomorrow’s commercialbuildings will be highly resource-efficient and will make use of envi-ronmentally sustainable (lowembodied energy) materials. Theywill also operate efficiently, using 30to 80 percent less energy than 20thcentury buildings. Some will evenbe net electricity exporters, generat-ing their own power through suchon-site technologies as fuel cellsand photovoltaics, and supplyingexcess power back to the grid. Sun-light will be used increasingly toproduce electricity as well as fordaylighting. Passive solar construc-tion and natural ventilation will beregularly incorporated. Buildings willbe designed for much greater flexi-bility and adaptability to reuse,resulting in longer life. Componentsand materials will also be designedfor complete recyclability at the endof their lifetimes.

Be an integral part of sustainablecommunity development. Com-mercial buildings will become moreclosely integrated with the sur-rounding environment. Buildingphilosophy will shift from design ofsingle, stand-alone buildings tocampuses or even communities.Resource management will be opti-mized across the entire community— through strategies such as dis-tributed power generation. Morebuilding space will perform doubleduty as both commercial and resi-dential space. Fewer but better

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“ ‘Smart materials’ that canrespond to external conditionsby changing their color, shape,stiffness, or permeability to airor liquids could become thestuff of the future cities whosebuildings are more comfortableand better able to field suddenviolent challenges from earth-quakes or terrorist bombs. Smart materials also could leadto cities whose infrastructurecan sense — and even auto–matically compensate for — thewounds of corrosion, metalfatigue, age,and other slingsand arrows of urban decay.”

— Ivan AmatoStuff, The Materialsthe World Is Made Of

buildings will be constructed as aconsequence. Communities willbenefit from better land andresource use, better quality of life,and lower investments in highwaysand transit, and will structure taxand zoning policies to encouragewhole-building development.

Be recognized for their bottom-line benefits to businesses anddevelopers. By enhancing occu-pant productivity, health, and safety— and reducing life-cycle energyand operating costs — high-performance commercial buildingswill make measurable contributionsto the bottom line of tenant busi-nesses. Financiers and insurers willacknowledge high-performancebuildings through favorable lendingand underwriting practices, and willalso market high-performancebuilding modifications as an optionto their customers. Developers willrealize better asset value as a resultof the strong market appeal, adapt-ability, and long life of high-performance commercial buildings.

Be designed for simplicity andsafety. Future buildings will be eversimpler to construct and operate.Design and building techniques willenhance construction safety, reducedevelopment and construction time,and cut labor intensity. Buildingcontrols and subsystems will beintuitive and elegant, requiring mini-mal technical expertise to operateand maintain.

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A MODEL IN MANHATTAN

Project: 4 Times Square

Developer: Durst Organization

Project Architect:Fox & Fowle Architects, P.C.

Construction Manager:Tishman Construction Corporation

Project Engineer:Cosentini Associates

4 Times Square, at the intersection ofBroadway and 42nd Street, is thefirst Manhattan office tower to incor-porate "green" standards — energy-efficient design, indoor ecology,sustainable materials, and on-sitepower generation. Highlights of this1.6 million-square-foot, 48-storybuilding include:

• The ability to generate some of itselectricity with on-site fuel cells —large, natural gas "batteries" thatcreate power through a chemicalreaction. They run cleanly and quietly 24 hours a day. No combustion is involved and wasteproducts are hot water and CO2.

• The use of building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) panels on limitedareas of the facade. Peak output isabout 15kW, enough electricity torun five suburban homes.

• The use of DOE-2, state-of-the-artsoftware for analyzing a building’senergy use. It can accuratelymodel and compare potentialenergy savings from a variety oftechnical options.

• A ventilation system that providestenants with 50 percent more freshair than required by code.

Use of whole-building standards hasreduced energy costs at 4 TimesSquare by an estimated $500,000annually compared to expected costsin a traditionally constructed building,resulting in a payback period of fiveyears or less.

4 Times Square, New York City

Photo: Andrew Gordon,

Fox & Fowle Architects

RELATED TECHNOLOGYPATHWAYS

Component-level technologies —such as lighting, windows, buildingenvelopes, and heating, ventilation,and air conditioning systems —are the subject of other technologyroadmap efforts under way byindustry experts, with the facilitationof DOE’s Office of Building Technol-ogy, State and CommunityPrograms. As these roadmap activi-ties progress, and particularlythroughout the implementationphases to come, High-PerformanceCommercial Buildings: A TechnologyRoadmap will evolve as well, toreflect improvements in capabilitiesand costs at the component level.

Similarly, improved technologiesfor on-site power generation —including photovoltaics and fuelcells — will benefit high-perfor-mance commercial buildings.While mapping the RD&D pathwaysof these technologies is beyond thescope of this technology roadmap,it is expected that advances incomponent technologies will beclosely monitored and exploitedby high-performance buildingadvocates.

NEED FOR INNOVATIONBy 2020, high-performance com-mercial buildings can be makingsubstantial contributions to sustain-able community development andenvironmental protection, and alsoreturning healthy bottom-line bene-fits to tenant businesses in the form of energy savings, operational savings, and productivity improve-ments. What will it take to getthere?

Overcoming technology barriers willcertainly be vital. Achieving the inte-grated, "smart" buildings of thefuture, together with higher levels ofenergy- and resource-efficiency, willrequire continued research anddevelopment, with a focus on sys-tem integration and monitoring,as well as component optimization.

Although technology challenges aresignificant, they are dwarfed by theneed for:

• Clear performance metricsthat make a compelling economiccase for and help define high-performance commercialbuildings,

• Changing the process by whichbuilding planning, design, con-struction, and operation andmaintenance are conducted —enabling a collaborative whole-buildings approach, and

• Market transformation, to over-come the current lack of demandfor high-performance commercialbuildings.

The developers of this technologyroadmap emphasize the need forincreased investment by both theprivate and public sectors toaddress fundamental barriers in allfour areas: performance metrics,technology development, processchange, and market transforma-tion. Challenges in each area arediscussed below.

NEED FOR CLEARPERFORMANCE METRICSA compelling case for high-perfor-mance commercial buildings mustbe proven. The whole-buildingsapproach seeks to achieve low totalcosts over the life of the building,by minimizing energy and resourceconsumption, simplifying opera-tional and maintenance require-ments, and extending building life.However, the "first costs" for awhole-buildings development canoften be higher than for traditionalapproaches. For example, thewhole-buildings approach mayentail higher capital expenditures forsophisticated lighting and windows,nontraditional construction to maxi-mize daylighting, and investments inon-site power generation equip-ment. It may also require additionalupfront investments by the owners,developers, designers, contractors,and other key parties.

FACING THE KEY ISSUES

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B A R R I E R S

Justifying higher initial costs inorder to realize lower life-cyclecosts is a difficult sell in the com-mercial development world, wherethe driving force is to keep firstcosts as low as possible. Life-cycleoperational costs and performanceissues — such as the quality of theindoor air or functionality of lighting— are seldom on the table at con-tract-signing time. Developers andbuilders generally have no stake inthe long-term operating costs orperformance of the building, andare rewarded based on their abilityto control first costs. The ultimatebuilding occupants typically havelittle voice in design and construc-tion decisions, and are seldom ableto quantify how the benefits oflower operational costs or improvedbuilding performance might justify ahigher initial investment.

Measurable, defensible, and repro-ducible financial returns will beneeded to create markets for com-mercial whole buildings. What arethe broad-based, life-cycle benefits— in energy and resource use,operational cost savings, assetvalue, productivity of tenant busi-nesses, and sustainable communitydevelopment? And what returns willdevelopers and communities realizeby investing in high-performancebuildings? Anecdotal evidence,while valuable, is not sufficient tospark widespread adoption ofwhole-buildings approaches, partic-ularly given the large investments

and risks involved in a typical com-mercial building. Determining whichperformance metrics are of greatestvalue, and their most reliable meansof measurement and reporting, arecore challenges.

TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGESResearch, development, anddeployment efforts will be essentialin realizing the vision for high-per-formance commercial buildings.Improvements are required in build-ing components and equipment, aswell as in how these elements areintegrated within a whole-building,and even whole-community, sys-tems context.

Systems integration challenges —rather than component-level tech-nologies — are the focus of thistechnology roadmap. (Key compo-nents and subsystems are the sub-ject of other DOE-facilitatedtechnology roadmap efforts, asdescribed in "Related TechnologyPathways.")

Despite tremendous advances incomputing and control technolo-gies, most buildings are still rela-tively "dumb" in their operation. Forexample, even though heat gener-ated by lighting and office equip-ment is integrally related to buildingheating and cooling loads, thesebuilding functions are generallyoperated independently and areoften at odds. Interior offices arecut off from natural light. Ventilation

systems are out of sync with theconfiguration of offices and hall-ways. Buildings respond reactivelyto external conditions rather thanproactively anticipating them, andinefficiencies abound. The resultsare utility bills higher than necessaryand tenant dissatisfaction.

The commercial buildings visioncalls for new technologies to over-come the inefficiencies. In particu-lar, it foresees whole-buildingdesign tools and smart, inte-grated building controls thatenable optimized interactionsamong such subsystems as heat-ing, lighting and daylighting, ventila-tion, and the building envelope.Whole buildings will be designed foroptimal utility, environmental perfor-mance, and life-cycle value, and willessentially control themselves tomaintain targeted performance.Critical barriers that must beaddressed include lack of standardprotocols for interoperability, diffi-culty and expense in retrofittingexisting buildings, and restrictivebuilding codes. In addition,advances will be needed in the per-formance and cost of sensors andwireless control technologies.

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NEED FOR INNOVATION

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REQUIREMENTS FORPROCESS CHANGESDeveloping a high-performancecommercial building is a teameffort, requiring close collaborationamong building owners, architects,engineers, financiers, managers andoperators, building trades represen-tatives, contractors, and other keyplayers. The starting point: to reachagreement on the system require-ments — i.e., the performance (economics, energy, productivity,resource, recyclability) targets to beset for the building. Collaboration is needed throughout the siting,design, construction, and commis-sioning process to make the holisticevaluations and tradeoffs leading tooptimal solutions. In the years tofollow, ongoing collaboration is alsoneeded to monitor building perfor-mance and evaluate lessonslearned.

This kind of integrated buildingdesign and construction processdeparts radically from the approachused today, in which each disciplinein the fragmented developmentprocess performs its work largely inisolation from the others and oftenwith very different driving goals. Itswidespread adoption will requirenew channels, tools, and method-ologies for collaborative communi-cation, problem solving, anddecision making across these disci-plines. Restructuring compensationand incentives may also be neces-sary — for example, basing a por-tion of fees, commissions, andrental incomes on how successfullythe building achieves targeted per-formance requirements. Liabilityissues — such as those associatedwith making performance informa-tion public and tracking responsibil-ity for design changes — must beaddressed as well.

Commercial buildings are those designed, built,

and operated for any use other than residential,

including everything from schools to hospitals,

offices to grocery stores. These buildings can

be dedicated to a single, homogeneous use

such as a corporate headquarters, or they can

be a complex combination of rooms for public

interaction, space for commercial activity,

classrooms, workspaces, cooking and dining

facilities, and even living quarters, such as

those found in dormitories.

Owens Corning Headquarters, Toledo, Ohio

Photo: Timothy Hurfley

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MARKET-TRANSFORMATIONCHALLENGESStimulating market demand forhigh-performance commercial build-ings hinges on demonstrating acompelling economic case, asdescribed under “Need for ClearPerformance Metrics.” In addition,several critical barriers must beovercome:

Fragmentation within the com-mercial buildings "industry." Adefining characteristic of the U.S.building sector is its fragmentation.Hundreds of thousands of compa-nies of all sizes design, build,finance, equip, own, or managecommercial buildings. Collaborationand communication among thesecompanies is minimal, even in thecontext of a joint building project.People designing buildings typicallydo not own them, and the peopleproviding financing are not thosewho will inhabit them. Carpenterswork independently of plumbers,who in turn work separately fromelectricians, who wire componentsalready installed by the heating,ventilation, and air conditioningcontractors. Component manufac-turers generally sell through repre-sentatives and have no directconnection to designers, develop-ers, and owners or users.

The high degree of industry frag-mentation greatly complicates theprocess of implementing and mar-keting commercial whole-buildingconcepts, since no single company

or professional association influ-ences the full range of disciplinesand functions involved. It also limitsprivate-sector research, develop-ment, and deployment of new tech-nologies. Individual companies areseldom large enough to risk size-able investments on their own or tocapitalize on any resulting innova-tions, and mechanisms for jointinvestments by the diverse industryparties are virtually nonexistent.

Financing barriers and tax disin-centives. Commercial building is bynature speculative and uncertain.Financing tends to reward conser-vative practices and impede inno-vation. When tax incentives andspecial financing options areoffered, they are usually for individ-ual components (such as HVACsystems) rather than for whole-building design approaches. As aresult, developers and designersfirst pursue options for which incen-tives are offered, and design strate-gies for whole-buildings may besuboptimal or neglected altogether.In addition, the current tax codeactually discourages saving energy:energy costs are deductible againstincome — thus saving energy mayactually increase a building owner’sincome tax liability.

Lack of holistic regional planning.Commercial building locations arestill determined based on an under-lying assumption of cheap trans-portation and continued roadbuilding. As a result, many commu-nities are marked by a sharp dis-tinction between where people workand where they live. Given the longlifetime of such infrastructure,regions can be locked into ineffi-cient patterns for decades. In con-trast, a commercial whole-buildingsapproach to urban planning and sitedevelopment might engage regionaldecision-makers in evaluating thecost savings and environmentalbenefits of building fewer roads andreducing commuter traffic, andmight weigh these factors in a totalcost/benefit evaluation. Effectivemodels of holistic regional planningwill be required, together with metrics that demonstrate the financial returns to communities.

“The High-Performance Commercial Buildingsroadmap initiative represents a unique and impor-tant opportunity for whole-building integration andoptimization of the many factors that impact howour buildings consume energy, impact the environ-ment, and affect our lives as building occupants.”

— Steven Winter, FAIAChairman, U.S. Green Building Council

MOVING FORWARD

TAKING BOLD STEPSFour interrelated strategies will bekey to advancing the high-perfor-mance commercial buildings vision.Each strategy must address theunique requirements of rehabilitationprojects, as well as of new con-struction.

• Performance metrics.Strategy: Establish core defini-tions and metrics for high-performance commercial buildings.

• Technology development.Strategy: Develop systems inte-gration, monitoring, and othertechnologies that enable commer-cial buildings to optimally achievetargeted performance levels overtheir life-cycles.

• Process change. Strategy:Create models of collaborativecommercial whole-buildingsdesign and development, andestablish the tools and profes-sional education programsneeded to support theseprocesses.

• Market transformation.Strategy: Stimulate marketdemand for high-performancecommercial buildings by demon-strating and communicating com-pelling economic advantages.

Ongoing cooperative efforts by bothprivate and public sectors will beessential in implementing thesestrategies. New alliances must beformed among such diverse groupsas building owners (BOMA), facilitymanagers (IFMA plus Federal, e.g.,Department of Defense, GeneralServices Administration, Departmentof Energy), architects (AIA),engineers (ASHRAE), realtors (NAR),insurance industry representatives,bankers, appraisers, union repre-sentatives, property developers(ULI), community planners, acade-mics, and researchers, plus policy-makers at the regional, State, andFederal levels.

The Federal government has keyroles in cost-shared research, devel-opment, and deployment projects;standards-setting that supportshigh-performance buildings; spon-sorship of demonstration projects atgovernment-owned facilities (e.g.,through the General ServicesAdministration); and ongoing imple-mentation of the technologyroadmap (e.g., convening, facilitat-ing, documenting, and disseminat-ing information).

S T R A T E G I E S

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Commercial buildings and their corre-

sponding energy and resource use cast

long shadows into the future. One indi-

cation: in 1995 more than a third of

existing commercial building floor

space had been built prior to 1960.2

Efforts to promote high-performance

commercial buildings practices must

take existing buildings into account, as

well as new construction.

2 Source: Energy InformationAdministration, CommercialBuildings Energy Consump-tion Survey.

Thoreau Center for Sustainability, San Francisco

Photo: Courtesy of the Thoreau Center

P E R F O R M A N C E M E T R I C S

STRATEGY—Establish core definitions and metrics for high-performance commercialbuildings.

Activity

Define what to measure — i.e., determine the central characteristics of high-performance commercial buildings.As part of this effort, conduct market research to determine what characteristics would be most highly valued bydifferent categories of customers.

Define how to measure — i.e., determine methods for measuring performance of commercial whole buildingsover time (building performance indices), and for collecting representative data on a valid scale.

• Develop national protocol(s) for organizing, storing, and retrieving this information. Draw on methods alreadybeing used in the marketplace, for instance the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, DOE’s International Performance Measurementand Verification Protocol (IPMVP), and industry standards such as ASHRAE’s Standards 55, 62.1, and 90.1,and Guidelines 10, 14, and 18.

Determine how to apply the metrics to enable key audiences to evaluate costs and benefits of high-perfor-mance building investments (including opportunities to improve the performance of existing buildings, as well as to optimize projected life-cycle value of new buildings).

• Establish methods for evaluating total life-cycle costs and benefits for owners (e.g., asset value); occupants(e.g., productivity gains, lower insurance and workers comp, energy and O&M cost savings); and communities(e.g., enhanced land use, regional development, environmental protection).

T E C H N O L O G Y D E V E L O P M E N T

STRATEGY—Develop systems integration and monitoring technologies that enablewhole buildings to achieve optimal, targeted performance over their life cycles.

Activity

Develop verifiable design and performance analysis models and tools that enable component and systemoptimization (e.g., automated decision-support tools).

Develop methods to improve interoperability among architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and otherkey building subsystems, working with standards organizations.

Develop cost-effective, reliable monitoring and control technologies (e.g., indoor air quality sensors,wireless sensors and controls) to ensure that performance targets are met throughout building life.

• Promote "plug-and-play" simplicity and integration for monitoring and control technologies.

• Gauge the cost-effectiveness of sensor systems and increase the reliability of volumetric airflow sensors,self-diagnosing sensors, and self-calibrating sensors.

• Apply sensors technology to building cleaning and maintenance.

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TAKING BOLD STEPSS

TR

AT

EG

IE

S

P R O C E S S C H A N G E

STRATEGY—Create models of collaborative high-performance commercial buildingdesign and development, and establish the tools and professional education programsneeded to support these processes.

Activity

Develop, pilot, and document new models of collaborative whole-building design and development, and createimplementation guidelines for applying such processes.

• Evaluate existing models and tools for collaborative design, such as charrettes, retreats, and web-basedprocesses.

• Research the current dynamics of commercial building financing, permitting, design, contracting, andprocurement processes, and identify key barriers that must be addressed in whole-building models.

• Develop models of high-performance commercial building design, construction, and operation processesthat extend beyond the boundary of the building (e.g., approaches to clustered development such aseco-industrial parks).

Create tools (e.g., software, communications) to support integrated decision-making in commercial buildingdesign, construction, operation, and renovation.

Establish educational programs for professionals who are key to implementing and supporting commercialwhole-buildings approaches.

• Establish whole-building curricula as an integral part of formal education and continuing education forarchitects, designers, and engineers.

• Establish a new architectural specialty — the building producer — that focuses on the collaborative processfacilitation and systems integration requirements of whole-building development.

• Develop educational initiatives for contractors and unions on commercial whole-building processes, includingapprenticeships and professional development programs.

MILESTONES (Examples)

YEAR 2 YEAR 3

Pilot projects to model and document whole-building develop-ment processes are initiated.

Foundation dedicated to sustainable whole-building develop-ment is established.

Banks offer high-performance commercial mortgages.

Change is made in tax laws to revise depreciation schedules.

Harvard Business Review (HBR) article is published on topic.

Whole-building processes are featured at a professional association national conference.

At least one integrated tool for collaborative design isdeveloped (year 3).

Five cities or government agencies adopt whole-buildingprotocols.

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M A R K E T T R A N S F O R M A T I O N

STRATEGY—Stimulate market demand for high-performance commercial buildings bydemonstrating and communicating compelling economic advantages.

Activity

Demonstrate and document the economic case for high-performance commercial buildings through pilots andcase studies.

Define and promote tax and financing incentives that would support commercial whole-building approaches.

• Pursue tax incentives (e.g., revised depreciation schedule), financial market discounts, favorable insurancepolicies, Federal subsidies for research, and required changes in building codes and standards.

Develop and implement a strategic communications and marketing plan addressing all key audiences(e.g., architects, engineers, builders, facility managers, building trade unions, financiers, insurers, policymakers,community planners, researchers, environmental groups, general public).

• Communicate successes and best practices (e.g., through general and business media, trade media, industryevents, and professional development programs).

• Sponsor competitions and conferences; work with organizations such as the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Build-ing Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), andprofessional societies to develop awards programs to showcase new best practices.

Develop and promote a "brand name" and identity for high-performance buildings (e.g., a simple, well-commu-nicated program similar to the ENERGY STAR model).

YEAR 5 YEAR 10 YEAR 20

First high-performance building REIT (RealEstate Investment Trusts) is formed.

GSA and other Federal agencies adoptwhole-buildings approach as standard prac-tice for new construction and retrofit projects.

First draft of building performance indices isavailable for public use.

25% of new buildings and majorrehabilitation projects employwhole-building design.

70% of new buildings and majorrehabilitation projects employwhole-building design.

FRAMEWORK FOR PARTNERSHIPS

A VIEW OF A POSSIBLE FUTURE

Commercial buildings in 2020 will feature:

• Organic, dynamic envelopes (like human skin)

• Microscale thermal conditioning sources, individually controlled

• Dynamic, personalized ventilation (decoupledfrom conditioning)

• Organic composite materials

• “Plug-and-play” components and systems

• Waste source materials

• Solid-state sources for lighting, coupled withdynamic levels and daylighting

• Distributed energy resources at the site level(photovoltaic, fuel cells, combined cooling,heating, and power)

• Water resources, biological treatment integratedwith technological, zero discharge

• Digital wireless microsensors, personalizedbuilding controls, and metering

• Product as service: lease rather than purchase

Buildings will be considered as part of a larger“whole community” (where the best building maybe no building). The focus of building finance willbecome long-term, taking into account life-cyclebenefits (versus today’s 3-year horizon).

N E X T S T E P S

High-Performance Commercial Buildings: ATechnology Roadmap outlines an ambitiousvision for the buildings industry. It serves asa resource for both the public and privatesectors and offers a framework for greatercollaboration across the industry in creatingnew market opportunities for high-perfor-mance commercial buildings. The roadmapalso provides guidance for the Department ofEnergy and other agencies in planning futureactivities, particularly in forming research anddevelopment partnerships with industry.

The technology roadmap intentionallyexcludes detailed implementationapproaches. These will be jointly developedbetween government and industry as theroadmap’s strategies are analyzed andenriched. One early implementation step willbe to investigate existing efforts alreadyunder way and determine how these mightbe leveraged to further the commercial build-ings vision and avoid duplication of effort.

Feedback on the technology roadmap is welcome. In particular, DOE and other spon-soring organizations welcome input on whichof the identified activities most directly relateto your organization’s goals and needs, andwhether your organization would want to bean active participant in implementing theseactivities. To become involved, contact oneof the co-sponsoring organizations, or

U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Building Technology,State and Community Programs1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington DC 205850-0121202-586-1510www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/commercial_roadmap

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COMMERCIAL BUILDINGSROADMAP WEB SITE

For up-to-date information onimplementation, refer to the High-Performance CommercialBuildings Roadmap Web site atwww.eren.doe.gov/buildings/commercial_roadmap

A NOTE FROM…Drury Crawley, Team LeaderHigh-Performance CommercialBuildings: A Technology Roadmap

As team leader of the roadmapdevelopment process for DOE’sOffice of Building Technology, Stateand Community Programs (BTS), Iwish to thank the hundreds of orga-nizations and individuals that con-tributed to this significant effort. Inparticular, I want to acknowledgethe crucial guidance of the Com-mercial Roadmap advisory group:Bill Browning, Rocky MountainInstitute; Jim Cole, California Insti-tute for Energy Efficiency; RickFedrizzi, Carrier Corporation; JimHill, National Institute of Standardsand Technology; Steve Kendall,Housing Futures Institute, Ball StateUniversity; Gail Lindsey, DesignHarmony; Tom Phoenix, MoserMayer Phoenix Associates; and Jim Yi, Johnson Controls.

Without Sean McDonald andBruce Kinzey of Pacific NorthwestNational Laboratory, this roadmapcould not have happened — theyorganized the workshops (and theparticipants), documented the work-shops, and summarized material —creating the first drafts of thisroadmap. I would also like to thankDoug Brookman, Public Solutions,for his expert creative facilitation forthe four workshops — craftingmeaning and structure out of thechaos. Finally, I want to thankKaren Marchese, Nancy Reese,Karen Snyder, and Julie Tabaka, ofBrandegee, for their vision and cre-ativity in bringing the roadmaptogether into the document you seetoday.

Throughout the development of theroadmap, the participants havebeen an extraordinarily inspired,energetic, and expert group. Welook forward to working with themand many others in realizing theirvision for high-performance com-mercial buildings.

The organizations that participatedin developing this roadmap include:AEP

AFL-CIO

Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration

Institute

Alfred University

Altieri Sebor Weiber Engineers

American Express Company

American Gas Cooling Center

The American Institute of Architects

American Iron and Steel Institute

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating

and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Antares Group

Armstrong World Industries

Arthur D. Little

Ball State University

Barry Donaldson & Associates

Bevilacqua-Knight

Brandegee

British Columbia Buildings Corporation

Bromley Companies

Buildings in Use

Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates

California Energy Commission

California Institute for Energy Efficiency

Carnegie Mellon University

Carrier Corporation

CEDRL, National Resources Canada

Center to Protect Workers' Rights

The Chattanooga Institute

CH2M Hill

City and County of San Francisco

City of Oakland

City of Seattle

Con Edison Solutions

Constructive Technologies Group

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

(continued on next page)

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AC

KN

OW

LE

DG

EM

EN

TS

Cornell University

Design Harmony

Don Prowler & Associates

Durst Organization

Earth Day New York

Electric Power Research Institute

Eley Associates

Energy Center of Wisconsin

Energy Management Solutions

Engineering Resource Group

Enron Energy Services

ENSAR Group

Exergy Partners

F.W. Dodge/McGraw-Hill

FEMP U.S. Department of Energy

Fire-To-Ice

Fox & Fowle Architects

Gas Research Institute

Gensler Associates

Georgia Institute of Technology

Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium

Halton Group

Haworth

Hayden McKay Lighting Design

Herman Miller

Heschong Mahone Group

Hewlett Packard

Honeywell

IBACOS

ICF Kaiser

Illuminating Engineering Society of

North America

Institute for Market Transformation

Interface Research Corporation

International Alliance for Interoperability

International Brotherhood of Electrical

Workers

International Facility Management Association

John A. Clark Company

Johnson Controls

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Lighting Corporation of America

Marinsoft

Marymount University

Susan Maxman, Architects

McClure Engineering Associates

William McDonough and Partners

Montgomery County Government

National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

National Research Council Canada

Natural Resources Canada

New York State Energy Research and

Development Agency

North American Insulation Manufacturers

Association

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oakland Redevelopment Agency

Oberlin College

OmniComp/Enron

Ove Arup & Partners Consulting Engineers

Owens Corning

Pacific Contracting

Pacific Energy Center

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Passive Solar Industries Council

Portland Energy Conservation

Price Waterhouse

Prime Group Realty Trust

Public Solutions

The Real Estate Roundtable

Real Estate Technologies Group

Renewable Energy Policy Project

Rocky Mountain Institute

Rudin Management Company

Sachs and Sachs

SC Johnson Wax Company

Sequoia Architecture Group

Seventh Generation Strategies

Siemens Building Technologies

Solar Design Associates

Southern California Edison

SRC Systems

Stanford University

Steven Winter Associates

Sustainable Buildings Industries Council

Taylor Engineering

Texas A&M University

U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and

Engineering Laboratory

U.S. Army Construction Engineering

Research Laboratory

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Department of State

U.S. General Services Administration

U.S. Green Building Council

United Brotherhood of Carpenters

United Technologies Research Center

University of California, Berkeley

University of Colorado

University of Massachusetts

The Urban Land Institute

Visionwall Technologies

Walt Disney Imagineering

The Weidt Group

York International Corporation

(continued)

For more information, contact:

Office of Building Technology, State and Community ProgramsU.S. Department of Energy1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20585-0121202-586-1510

Call the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse at:1-800-DOE-3732

Or visit the Commercial Buildings Roadmap Web site at:www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/commercial_roadmap

June 2001DOE/GO-102001-1343