With well-insulated envelopes and newer heat pumps that work in cold climates, some designers and developers are moving away from fossil fuels towards all-electric buildings. This can certainly save infrastructure costs, but what is the effect on operating costs? What about comfort and reliability? This workshop will present findings from research; case studies from the around the Northeast; and best practices for determining if, how, and when to forego fossil fuels.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the impacts of buildings extend far beyond operational energy and carbon. As the thermal standards of buildings improve, attention will shift toward wider life cycle impacts including material production, transport, construction waste, on-site activities, material replacement, maintenance and finally the end of life of the building. These life cycle stages have a considerable impact, yet they are often neglected.

Once we build a high performance building, there are still major challenges with what to do with hot water distribution. Most practitioners are using outdated methods to control distribution piping, plumbing fixtures & appliances, and waste heat that runs down the drain. This workshop will present practical measures you can incorporate into your next project that result in high performance hot water systems and very satisfied customers.