NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

The Path to Zero: Ultra-efficient 

Architecture on the NREL Campus: 

S&TF and Master Planning

Nancy Carlisle, AIA

Director, Integrated Application Center, D&MT

World Renewable Energy Forum

May 14, 2012

Denver, Colorado

NREL/PR-7A40-55091
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Presentation Outline

Objective. Describe the aspects of NREL’s S&TF and Campus Master Planning 

in terms of how they have influenced ultra-efficient architecture on NREL’s 

campus.

 Science and Technology Facility

• Processes that aided in accomplishing ultra-efficient objectives

• Building features

• Lessons learned

 Sustainable Campus Planning Process

• Key Features

• Lessons Learned

 Conclusions
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Science and Technology Facility Project Overview

 Completed in August 2006, the lab is 

71,347 ft2.

 The lab is designed to accelerate 

renewable energy process and 

manufacturing research.

 Construction cost was $22.7 million 

($318 gross ft2).

 Designed to IBC H5.

 Architect was the SmithGroup, Phoenix, 

AZ and general contractor is M.A. 

Mortenson.

 The first Federal LEED Platinum Building

 NREL’s first LEED Platinum Building.
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Equally-weighted objectives guided

planning for the facility:

•Build a safe working environment for

 researchers

•Build a functional, flexible facility that 

encourages collaboration 

•Meet aggressive goals for energy efficiency and sustainable 

design

•Complete the project within budget to achieve best value

The RFP as a Tool to Accomplish Project Objectives
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Integrated Project Team (IPT) had representation from:

 Users

 ES&H

 Facilities Dept (cost and schedule)

 Energy perspective

 LEED\Image\Site

NREL formed an IPT to select the A\E team and 

provide project oversight
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Understand Your Building Loads

Skin-Load 

Dominated (small 

building in a cold 

climate)

Internal-Load 

Dominated 

(large building 

in any climate)

Ventilation & 

Process-Load 

Dominated 

(any climate)

H

L C

H

O O

H

L

O

C L C

H = Heating load L = Lighting load C = Cooling load

O = Other, including ventilation & plug loads
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Floor Plans

Second Floor 

First Floor

Separation of laboratories from 

offices allows greater energy 

efficiency and more natural lighting
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Lab Cross-Section 
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SHADING

Solar Orientation

Office section is oriented 7.5 degrees west of due 

south; the laboratories are 15 degrees east of true 

south. Both positions are near optimal for natural 

daylighting. 
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Office/Office Support Area

Computer Simulation

Photo Taken 2/10/06 Open Office Area 7/06

The Office module 

was designed for 

100% ambient 

daylighting between

10:00 am and 2:00 pm
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Daylighting Commentary

 Ambient daylighting in the office area is glare 

free and provides even illumination.

 Views from the labs are a welcomed feature.

 Discussed cost trade offs of other types of 

shade structures (for future projects).

 Lighting controls integration was challenging.

 

 Perceived light pollution issue important to 

teach the occupants how to interact with 

their space. 

Office area with shade 

structure impacting view

Wing walls on the east
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Large view 

window with 

North and 

South 

clerstories in 

the PDIL

Pedestrian 

corridor 

allows 

views from 

labs on the 

south side

S&TF Labs

The “Centerpiece” - 10,425 ft2 Process 

Development and Integration Laboratory 
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Service Corridor and Utilities

A 12 ft wide service corridor with 

“notches” for noise producing equipment

Utility trench from

corridor into PDIL

Easy access to utilities for on-going maintenance is an important 

consideration in design (for energy savings and safety)
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Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs)

In addition to VAV fume hoods -

 Lab ventilation air heat recovery (runaround loop)

 Fan coils for lab sensible cooling w/o requiring extra expensive conditioned 

OA

 Increased supply air temperatures

 Lab fan power minimization and exhaust fan staging

 High efficiency condensing boiler

 High efficiency VSD chiller

 Office under floor air system

 Evaporative cooling

 Process cooling water energy recovery to ventilation

 Daylighting controls for office & labs
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Measure

Incremental 

Cost ($) Savings ($/yr) Payback (yrs)

VAV w/o HR $300,000 $92,120* 3.3

Add HR $80,000 $36,487 2.2

Lab supplementary cooling & 

raised primary SATs

$150,000 $14,873 10.1

Overhangs, & glazing $4,400

Lighting power density $5,694

Daylight controls $10,000 $4,111 2.4

Office underfloor air & evap 

cooling

$20,000 $3,103 6.4

Chiller plant upgrades $33,000 $12,607 2.6

Tower free cooling $60,000 $6,754 8.9

Process CHW for preheat $48,000 $4,752 10.1

Lab AHU evaporative $20,000 $3,758 5.3

Fan pressure drops $19,064

Fan staging $37,500 $4,691 8.0

Boiler & DHW $24,000 $8,972 2.7

* VAV included in the base case

Simple Paybacks for the Energy Efficiency Measures

ECM Results
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System Simulated Measured (4\07-3\08) Measured 4\08-3\09)

Ventilation 9.6 kWh\gft2 10.1 kWh\gft2 10.5 kWh\gft2

Cooling 4.8 kWh\gft2 13.0 kWh\gft2 11.9 kWh\gft2

Lighting 2.3 kWh\gft2

Process\Plug 21.3 kWh\gft2 15.7 kWh\gft2 (1) 17.6 kWh\gft2 (1)

Heating 91.9 kBtu\gft2 136.7 kBtu\gft2 132.7 kBtu\gft2

Total (electric and gas) 223.4 kBtu\gft2 269.0 kBtu\gft2 269.0 kBtu\gft2 (2)

1. Process\plug and lighting are combined

2. In Oct 2010, we changed the humidity set point form 28% to 20% , this resulted 

in a reduction on natural gas use of 32% and a reduction in water use of 20% 

Note: we added a 94 KW PV system since the building was built

Taken from the Labs for the 21st Century S&TF Case Study (www.labs21century.gov)

Simulated and Measured Energy performance for the S&TF –

24% less than Standard 90.1-2004 Appendix G Performance Method

ECM Results
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Keys to Success

 Understanding how energy was used in the building –guided the 

building zoning.

 RFP as a design tool – specifically setting measurable 

energy\sustainability goals and criteria for A\E selection.

 Having “champions” committed to energy efficient design .

 Use building simulation as a tool in the design process

 Through measuring the performance overtime, we have been able to 

continue to find improvements in energy efficiency

 Energy savings strategies

• Significant savings beyond VAV are technically & economically feasible

• Indirect\direct evaporative climate works well in our climate. 

• Daylighting controls\zoning needed

• Recent reduction in humidity level resulted in significant energy\water savings 

and researchers are content 
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Developed the NREL-wide Campus-wide 

General Development Vision in 2003

 Planning allows you to look at energy supply 

and demand as one integrated system.

 Campus planning establishes a framework for 

building orientation, transportation, parking, 

storm water management, campus amenities, 

establishing density, and maintaining open 

space. 

 It provides opportunities for using renewables 

that go beyond the building boundaries.

“NREL’s vision is to develop a world-renowned, 

high-performance research center that showcases 

energy technology innovation and leadership and 

embraces the best in energy and ecological 

conservation practices.” - James L. Spigarelli, 

President and CEO of the Midwest Research Institute
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Energy Goals for the NREL Campus

Demand reduction

 Understand how buildings uses energy ; implement the cost-effective 

energy and water efficiency retrofits

 Use principals of energy efficiency and low energy design to reduce 

energy demand in all new construction

 Operate central plants efficiently 

 Alternative transportation 

Supply side options

 Use combined heat and power systems 

 Use on-site renewables for demonstration and where it is cost-effective

 Buy green power (over the next 25 years) so that 100% of our power will 

be from renewable sources 
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NREL’s Sustainable Campus Planning 

Current Site and Facilities
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NREL’s Overall Campus Plan
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NREL Campus On-site Renewable Energy
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Developing a Sustainable Campus

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 Highly Efficient Buildings 

approaching net zero energy

 Onsite Renewable Power 

Generation Capacity > 15 MW 

• PV arrays rated at 4.6 MW 

• Research turbines 10+ MW 

• Renewable Fuel Heating Plant 

rated at 2.5 MW thermal 

output

 Alternatively Fueled Vehicle Fleet

DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

• Safe, secure and sustainable

• Iconic facilities

• LEED Platinum/Gold certified facilities

• Carbon neutral

• Highly efficient, near-net zero energy 

buildings

• Living Laboratory
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Existing and Future Onsite PV at STM*

720kW PV

450 kW on

on RSF 1 rooftop

94 kW PV

on STF rooftop

IBRF

525 kW on visitor 

parking structure

408 kW on 

RSF2 rooftop

1404 kW PV on

Parking garage rooftop 

*Plus 1083 KW at the NWTC
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NREL Campus Build-out Vision as Living Lab

 RSF (office) and STF (lab) both LEED 

Platinum; 

 Campus is a model of sustainability: Over 15 

MW of Renewable energy (PV at 4.6 MW; 10 

MW research turbines & 2.5 MW thermal)
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What were the key factors that led to this 

innovative campus plan? 

• Buy-in from the top

• Vision that recognizes and 

balances competing needs 

• Consensus building regarding the 

plan (“Bring the right people 

together”) 

• From the energy point of view –

Hierarchy of Actions – People, 

Conservation; Renewables; 

Offsets

• A Portfolio of actions required 

for Deep Savings

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future
Thank you!

Thank you!!