Building Energy Performance Specification – ENERGY STAR® for Building Design
The following text specifies that the building design should result in a facility that’s designed to earn the ENERGY STAR®.
The project architecture/engineering firm can designate buildings that are designed to earn the ENERGY STAR with a special graphic from EPA. The design firm must demonstrate that the final estimate of the building’s energy use corresponds to a score of 75 or better using the U.S. EPA’s Energy Performance Rating tool – Target Finder.
The building owner receives the ENERGY STAR plaque by demonstrating that, after at least one year of operation, the building: (1) scores 75 or better; and (2) meets specific indoor environmental quality standards.
This specification may be modified to suit various conditions – a client may use it in a request for proposal, or it may be incorporated in the contractual arrangement between client and architecture firm and/or in the construction documents.
Including this ENERGY STAR specification signals a commitment to design, build, and operate a building with superior energy performance—one whose energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs-to-operate are lower than 75% of comparable buildings nationwide.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Drawings and general provisions of the Contract, including General and Supplementary Conditions and other Division 1 Specification Sections, apply to this Section.
SUMMARY
Project Identification: Project
Project Location:
Owner:
The Work consists of
Project shall utilize integrated design principles to achieve an energy performance rating that achieves ENERGY STAR®. All members of the design team, including representatives from engineering disciplines, owner, and contractor where applicable, shall confer at set intervals beginning with contract award, to insure that the resulting building operates as a high-performance system.
WORK SEQUENCE
The Work shall be conducted in five phases.
Phase 1:
Schematic Design. Design team members shall explore strategies to achieve ENERGY STAR (a minimum final building energy performance score of 75 or greater) using U.S. EPA’s Energy Performance Rating tool, Target Finder, at www.energystar.gov. Work of this phase shall be complete within of [Contract Award.]
Phase 2:
Design Development. Design team members shall fine tune original strategies and add additional methodologies. Energy performance shall be adjusted and evaluated using U.S. EPA’s Target Finder. Work of this phase shall be complete within of [Schematic Design Approval.]
Phase 3:
Construction Documents. Design team members shall fully develop and document energy-performance strategies and methodologies for the project. Design team shall review progress and adjust strategies and systems to meet energy design target using U.S. EPA’s Target Finder. Work of this phase shall be complete within of [Design Development approval.]
Phase 4:
Construction. Contractor shall strictly adhere to products, methods, and quality levels specified in the construction documents. Design team members shall be contacted immediately in the event that discrepancies or omissions are encountered. No substitutions are permitted without approval of the design team. Work of this phase shall be complete within of [Construction Document approval.]
Phase 5:
Commissioning. The Architect shall arrange building commissioning with an outside consultant. Work of this phase shall be complete within of building occupancy and operation.
SPECIFICATION FORMATS AND CONVENTIONS
Specification Content: The Specifications in the Project Manual shall include and reference the “Statement of Energy Design Intent” (from U.S. EPA’s Target Finder) generated at construction document completion. This document will be included as evidence in the application to U.S. EPA, showing that the energy design intent meets ENERGY STAR standards.
