What do you think about Core Performance? Please share your thoughts.

Advanced Buildings Core Performance

What is the Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide?
The Core Performance Guide outlines a step-by-step simplified approach to achieve predictable energy savings in small- to medium-sized buildings without the need for modeling. The Guide is the new version of Benchmark 1.1, a nationally recognized resource on how to deliver best-in-class energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality in high performance commercial buildings.

The Core Performance program brings together over 30 criteria defining high performance in building envelope, lighting, HVAC, power systems and controls. With its well-organized and easy-to-use guide, building design and construction professionals will gain access to quantitative and descriptive specifications for exceeding state and national energy standards such as ASHRAE 90.1-2004 by 20 to 30 percent.

Who should use Core Performance?

Each will want to have the Core Performance Guide at their fingertips when they are trying to build that better building. By providing a comprehensive source of technical specifications, Core Performance will save time and money before, during and after the job.

Core Performance can also help you qualify for many of the utility and other programs that reward high performance buildings including U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program. This is a must-have book for all building professionals.

Read an excerpt from the Core Performance Guide (488 KB)
You can purchase the Core Performance Guide at Powell’s Books. The purchase price includes one-year’s exclusive access to our online library of Reference Materials.

When can I use Core Performance?
Elements of the program can be applied to new commercial construction projects of all sizes, but the criteria and analysis supporting the program are designed particularly for smaller scale commercial projects up to 70,000 square feet.

The program is based on the results of an extensive energy modeling protocol used to identify consistent strategies that lead to predictable energy savings across climates. The analysis included more than 30,000 energy modeling evaluations of three major building prototypes (retail, office, school), four high-efficiency HVAC system permutations for each prototype, evaluated for climate variations for 16 U.S. cities. The program also includes guidelines on implementing improved design processes to foster envelope and mechanical system design integration, thereby improving overall building performance opportunities.

To support the Advanced Buildings Core Performance program, a set of online technical reference materials is available to provide additional information on implementation, design practice, research, additional strategies and advanced practices for more effectively applying the program.

How does Core Performance support an integrated design process?
Core Performance comprehensively covers every step of the building process, from pre-design charrette to post-occupancy performance verification. At each phase along the way, requirements for interdisciplinary communications and document preparation ensure that designers, contractors, engineers, etc. are working from the same page to create a building that really performs.

Which climate zones and building types are covered by Core Performance?
The Department of Energy has divided the U.S. into 15 climate zones: from dry to humid and hot to cold. Core Performance has been analyzed using an extensive calculation protocol for all of these climate variants, with multiple building prototypes and system types to represent a wide swath of commercial construction types. The building types used in this analysis represent over two-thirds of the commercial project characteristics in the U.S.

How does Core Performance relate to LEED?
The Core Performance program has been adopted by the U.S. Green Building Council as a prescriptive alternative to energy modeling to achieve up to five LEED points in the Optimize Energy Performance credit (EA credit 1). All LEED buildings are now required to achieve at least two points in this credit in order qualify for LEED certification.

For more information, see Core Performance and LEED 2009.

How do I get started?
The Core Performance Guide is available for purchase for $95. The price includes one year’s exclusive access to our online reference materials.

Home  What is AB  Core Performance  Benefits Guide  Training  
Case Studies  Publications  Sponsors

Advanced Buildings is brought to you by New Buildings Institute

Built and maintained by Cascade Page Design