Perkins+Will Offering 2030e2 Energy Measurement Tool
No-cost online program helps target energy reductions
Summary: Architecture giant Perkins+Will has developed an online tool to help project teams set energy mix goals toward the 2030 Commitment, which calls for an immediate drop in carbon emissions of buildings by 50 percent in the following year and total carbon neutrality by 2030. The Perkins+Will tool allows one to enter a building’s location and energy-source information to determine its goals toward that end.
The online resource Perkins+Will provides is 2030e2, which covers
- Efficiency and Conservation
- On-site Renewable Energy
- Off-Site Renewable Energy
- Green Power (renewable energy sources).
A current challenge with the 2030e2 results is the database, and that is where AIA architects are in need. To establish a valid baseline, the developers require further development by the community. Even then, the 2030e2 results are goals and should not be used as predictions of how a specific design will perform, the developers point out. 2030e2 is not an energy modeling program or a carbon calculator.
Specifically, the tool enables users to set targets for energy efficiency, on-site and grid-supplied renewable energy, and green power offsets when designing new buildings or retrofitting existing buildings.
The 2030e2 tool enables designers to make energy-saving design changes before the building process begins, ensuring maximum reductions that save money and adhere to the American Institute of Architects 2030 Goal global initiatives.
This free online tool was created to assist Perkins+Will’s 1,500 designers in designing buildings to achieve the 2030 Commitment. Specifically, 2030e2 allows users to set target goals for four key areas: energy efficiency, on-site and grid-supplied renewable energy, plus renewable energy credits (RECs) when designing new buildings or retrofitting existing buildings. In response to the urgency of global climate change, Perkins+Will has decided to make the beta tool publicly available.
“Perkins+Will is committed to meeting the 2030 Commitment and has proactively built the estimating tool to support our designers as they strive to achieve these reduction goals,” says Senior Associate Doug Pierce, AIA, LEED AP™ in Perkins+Will’s Minneapolis office. “We created an easy-to-use tool that would help us set energy goals to comply with all aspects of the design phase and meet the benchmarks of the 2030 Challenge. The data it provides are highly useful, so it made sense to us to make this tool publicly available for everyone’s benefit.”
The 2030 Challenge is a global initiative endorsed by the American Institute of Architects that addresses the need to reduce building energy use. Currently, buildings use about 76 percent of electricity produced in the United States and contribute approximately 48 percent of the annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions through energy use, construction, and maintenance. The 2030 Challenge calls for the aggressive reduction of energy in all new and existing residential, commercial and institutional buildings over the next 20 years with the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
The 2030e2 Estimating Tool allows designers to explore different percentages of the four elements to achieve the 2030 goals. Additionally, the tool can be used over and over to confirm 2030 compliance throughout the life of the project.
The beta-version of the 2030e2 Estimating Tool is available for anyone to use. It can be found on the Perkins+Will Web site. The tool will be updated when needed to incorporate feedback and add new functionality. For questions about this tool or to receive a demo, contact Amanda Sturgeon at amanda.sturgeon@perkinswill.com.
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