Todd Kimmel
Username
Todd Kimmel
Proposer First Name
Todd
Proposer Email
todd.kimmel@rockwool.com
Proposer Last Name
Kimmel
Proposer Job Title
US Senior Manager - Sustainable Solutions
Proposer Additional Info
I am also CPHC (PHI) and on the Board of Directors for NY Passive House. I also co-founded and currently Chair the Rainscreen Association in North America.
Proposed Session Description
Globally, existing buildings account for approximately 30% of final energy demand and CO2 emissions. Typical renovation rates are 1-2% of the building stock per year. We need to ramp up retrofits and learn from examples. This course will review core concepts to consider when implementing energy conservation measures through retrofit & renovation; 3 foam-free case studies are provided to highlight the complexity of renovations and look at the ever-present challenges of extreme weather events.
Why is this session important?
Typical renovation rates are 1-2% of the building stock per year, with an average energy use intensity (EUI) reduction of less than 15%. However, to reach sustainable development and climate targets, EUI reductions should be between 30-50%. In addition to energy and emissions conservations, building retrofits improve occupant health and comfort. In many cases, existing buildings are poorly insulated and leaky, resulting in excess heat loss and reduced thermal comfort. Mechanical systems are often outdated and inefficient, requiring consistent maintenance. With spending most of our time indoors, indoor health and comfort can be a priceless attribute that can be crucial for building renewal investment. Scaled retrofit solutions are urgently needed to meet any of our carbon reduction goals/pledges. Sharing these stories is critical to this mission...particularly looking at thermal solutions that don't rely on combustible materials with higher embodied carbon. This session will highlight best building science practices while supporting circularity and elements of designing for deconstruction.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
We do speak to accessibility of high-performance low energy retrofits on two multi-family buildings including a sizeable affordable housing building in Hamilton, ON. The equity of access to healthier buildings is present in this session as well as the focus on passive survivability which is critical for populations that have limited options to find new temporary housing options during a power outage event.
Learning Objectives
Why retrofit? – Understanding where retrofit and renovation fits in a building's energy conservation strategy and more broadly explain why retrofitting existing building stock contributes to GHG emission targets.
Retrofitting for enclosure durability – Retrofits demand unique strategies for both interior and exterior projects. We will explore design considerations that must be made for both applications, focusing on moisture, drainage, and drying.
Stone wool retrofit solutions – 3 case studies focused on three unique retrofit solutions; highlight critical design considerations that were made, how those criticalities were managed and the resulting assembly design.
Considerations for survivability – Extreme weather events have been on the rise over the past decade. With power outages, flooding, and fire risk becoming more commonplace, this section seeks to understand ways to manage these events – designing for survival as well as comfort.
Has this session been presented before?
Yes
When and Where?
It has been presented to individual architecture/consulting offices in NYC but not in a conference/symposium format.
Additional Comments
Speaker would be open to collaboration and working with other presenters to share the presentation as part of a larger panel with further interaction and Q/A.
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 2 - Some prior knowledge helpful.
NYC 2023 Areas of Focus
Session Format Details
40 minute presentation with 20 minutes of Q/A
Recommended Length
60-minute session
Strongest Content Connection - NYC 2023
Comments about your speaker roster
Todd Kimmel is a seasoned speaker on building enclosure topics, particularly exterior walls. He has presented to national audiences on various subjects representing not just ROCKWOOL, but also New York Passive House, and the Rainscreen Association in North America. He has presented on programming including the National AIA, International Masonry Institute, New York Passive House, AIA/BEC Detroit, and others.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
There is rightful hunger at the moment to gain information on the implementation of retrofit solutions for broad large building typologies in NYC (result of LL97) and the focus on reducing operation carbon in buildings. This program offers guidance on handling over-clad solutions without combustible materials (now limited by NYC building code) and interior deep energy retrofit options for historic buildings (also foam free). While it is heavy on stone-wool/mineral wool solutions, this is where the market is heading. Combining this session with other speakers/synergy topics would be welcome.
Reviewer 1
Bayer, Sara
Proposal #
112
Committee Decision
Rejected