The Path to Greener HVAC Refrigerants

Transitioning to Low Global Warming Potential Refrigerants is outlined as a key strategy for New York State to achieve its long-term climate goals. During this session, you’ll gain a better understanding of existing state (focus on NY) and Federal initiatives, regulations, and history impacting the use of refrigerants in heat pumps and other HVAC equipment, the existing equipment and refrigerant options available today, and the challenges facing New York City and its workforce in adopting this technology.

A Successful Approach to Achieving Passive House at Scale

Successful Passive House teams throughout North America follow an approach that, if replicated at scale, can reduce the energy load and carbon output of the built environment at the level needed to address climate change, while improving building quality. Effective scaling requires maintaining an integrated team from early design through construction completion. In this session, we will identify challenges in the Passive House process and share the details of a proven approach to integrating teams, which can be easily and repeatably implemented in projects of all sizes and types.

Prescription for Better Buildings: Phius Prescriptive Path from Start to Plaque

Phius (formerly the Passive House Institute U.S.) introduced a new version of their certification standard in 2021 with the goal of making it easier and more affordable for single-family residential homes to achieve certification. In this presentation, you will learn about this new Prescriptive Path and how it can simplify the design and certification process for single-family homes and make certification available for a wider range of project teams, project sizes and project budgets.

Thermal Bridging '22 What to Know and What to Do

Thermal Bridging can lead to problematic condensation, increased energy usage, reduced occupant comfort, and even noncompliance with energy codes. However, we have the tools to address this challenge. In this session, we will review the three types of structural thermal bridging, briefly cover foundation and slab edge insulation placement and detailing, summarize the conductive thermal requirements of the Energy Codes and, most importantly, identify strategies to calculate the impact on code compliance of structural thermal bridging conditions and mitigated details.

Collaborating for Community Decarbonization

How can the residents of “Energy Town, USA” meet their carbon emissions reduction goal in a way that lifts up their entire community? Working interactively and collaboratively in small breakout groups, participants in this workshop will develop innovative solutions to this challenge. As facilitators, NEEP staff will guide each group with best practices and deep knowledge from their own work in various communities across the Northeast. Context points from real towns will be shared regarding building stock, homebuyer markets, economic parameters, and more.

KEYNOTE - Small But Mighty: The Untapped Potential of Mid-Size Buildings

While regulations and policy discussions often focus on large buildings, much of New York City’s building stock is made up of mid-size commercial and residential buildings, both of which have a unique set of needs when it comes to electrification and decarbonization. This year’s keynote will focus on how to put the right tools and resources in the hands of building owners and contractors, enabling them to be real drivers of change in the market.

Equitable Access to Cooling in New York City Under a Changing Climate

Climate change will have significant impacts on indoor cooling needs in New York City, particularly for vulnerable communities who will see disproportionate health, economic, and other effects. This session will describe the key findings and recommendations from a recent NYSERDA-sponsored project. The project investigated how current cooling usage patterns will change based on climate change and committed building energy efficiency goals, and evaluated the impacts of different technology and policy options to meet future residential cooling needs while minimizing increases in energy use.

Embodied Justice: Healthier Materials to Foster Social Justice and Wellness

For too long, making buildings healthier has focused on occupant health, a narrow view neglecting manufacturing workers and communities around the factories. Truly healthier materials must be free from chemicals of concern throughout the supply chain. Outrage over the injustice embodied in unhealthy products is valuable only if it spurs action, and action means designing out bad product types and pushing manufacturers for safer materials. You can contribute to the movement by lending your voice and your project’s buying power.

Voices for Change: Leveraging Various Certifications for Regenerative Design

While certifications are crucial to pushing the limits of sustainable construction, validating investments, and providing quality assurance, they sometimes risk a narrowed viewpoint, shifting priorities towards meeting a prescribed matrix and away from big picture values better benefitting building occupants and the environment. This presentation showcases individual projects and lessons learned from pursuing single and multiple certifications (LEED, Living Building Challenge, Passive House and WELL), and how they can be leveraged to create truly regenerative buildings.
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