Press Releases

Online tool helps designers apply real-world experience to create daylit spaces

September 19, 2011—New Buildings Institute (NBI), a nonprofit working to improve energy performance of commercial buildings, announced today the official release of its Daylighting Pattern Guide, an online, no-cost resource to help industry professionals integrate proven daylighting strategies into commercial building projects.

NBI’s technical director honored with BetterBricks Award

February 11, 2011—Mark Frankel, Technical Director at New Buildings Institute (NBI), was recognized for “Outstanding Industry Contribution” during the BetterBricks Awards breakfast today in Portland, Oregon. A licensed architect and experienced project manager and technical consultant, Frankel has spent his career working to improve the energy performance of buildings.

Premier Advanced Lighting Resource ALG Online Launches

November 8, 2010 –New Buildings Institute (NBI), a non‐profit organization working to improve energy performance of commercial buildings, announced today the publication of the inaugural online version of the Advanced Lighting Guidelines (ALG). ALG is a premier resource for energy‐efficient lighting design, technologies and applications representing the latest and best thinking of experts in the field. It is also the latest addition to NBI’s Advanced Buildings suite of tools and services that help design teams create low‐energy buildings.

Historic changes to commercial building energy codes will drive energy efficiency

November 2, 2010—Local and state building code officials last week approved a package of revisions to the commercial section of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) that represent the largest single-step efficiency increase in the history of the national, model energy code. The changes mean that new and renovated buildings constructed in jurisdictions that follow the 2012 IECC will use 30 percent less energy than those built to current standards.

Coalition submits final recommendations for changes to model energy code

July 23, 2010—Two organizations working to make buildings greener and the federal Department of Energy have teamed to propose comprehensive changes to the nation’s model energy code that would help commercial structures use up to 30 percent less energy than current code practice.

Changes to model energy codes could cut energy cost in buildings 25%

June 11, 2009--New Buildings Institute (NBI) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) are proposing comprehensive changes to a national model energy code for new commercial buildings, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which would create buildings that are 20‐25% more energy efficient than what today’s average standards require. NBI is a nonprofit organization working to improve the energy performance of commercial buildings. The AIA is a membership organization and voice of the architecture profession.

Energy Trust, Efficiency New Brunswick offer Advanced Buildings Core Performance

October 16, 2009--The Energy Trust of Oregon and Efficiency New Brunswick join utilities and public benefits administrators around North America as sponsors of Advanced Buildings, a suite of tools and resources on best practices in energy-efficient, high performance building design. New Buildings Institute (NBI) developed and maintains the Advanced Buildings program to help architects, engineers, building owners, and others take advantage of the benefits of energy efficiency strategies in commercial building projects.

NBI's Core Performance adopted as part of Massachusetts stretch code

June 21, 2009--The Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards voted Tuesday to adopt a stretch energy code for the state that would make new commercial buildings under 100,000 square feet up to 30% more energy efficient than base standards and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 40%. The new rules will mean significant energy cost savings for building owners and tenants who pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country.

WMECO joins Advanced Buildings program to improve commercial building efficiency

Sept. 23, 2008--Western Massachusetts Electric (WMECO) is the latest utility to sign on to New Buildings Institute’s (NBI) Advanced Buildings program in an effort to encourage energy efficiency in new commercial building projects. Advanced Buildings is a suite of technical resources, training and information that helps design teams and building owners/developers create commercial buildings that stand out for their energy performance and healthy environments without the extra time or money required for energy modeling.

USGBC accepts Core Performance as a prescriptive option for LEED-NC

October 30, 2007--The Core Performance Guide, newly developed and released by New Buildings Institute (NBI), includes a set of strategies that when taken together provide a prescriptive path for designers, builders, building owners and others to design and construct buildings that operate up to 30 percent better than national building standards.