SESSION DETAILS - Improving Building Operations

Session Description:
Building operators and managers need to know and understand the wide range of operating practices available to them for reducing the energy use of their facility.  Many of these available practices are directly related to the building type and use, as well as regional/climate conditions.  It is important to understand these strategies in order to select the most effective strategies available.

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Session Description:
Using EMCS effectively can reduce energy use dramatically, while at the same time providing appropriate comfort levels throughout the facility.  Information outputs can be used to program the building to be a more responsive and energy efficient environment.  A range of EMCS protocols and interfaces will be presented and information exchange between the various other related building systems will be examined.

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Session Description:
A significant barrier to reducing energy use in a building is the reaction of the building's occupants and tenants to any real or perceived comfort level deterioration.  A more complete understanding of when and how to reduce energy use while continuing to provide comfortable work environments is needed to reduce ever increasing energy costs.

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Session Description:
Once you have gone through all the pain and expense to have your building designed, constructed, or retrofitted to become LEED® certified you need to know how to operate your building as a sustainable facility.  The facility manager/operator needs to understand the design team's assumptions for the effective operation of the facility in order to operate the building within the building's original design intent.

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Session Description:
Building operators should become knowledgeable about the new ASHRAE Guideline 0: The Commissioning Process, which provides guidance on commissioning the total building including roles, responsibilities, and procedures.  ASHRAE Guideline 1: Technical Requirements for Commissioning the HVAC&R System will be presented providing the specific technical guidance for commissioning the building's mechanical system.  Much of this guidance has direct bearing and implications on the operation of the facility.

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Session Description:
Over 170,000 users presently utilize information found on the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG).  Much of the information is directly applicable and useful to facility operators and maintainers of Federal buildings.  This session addresses a major element of WBDG – the National BIM Standard, and examines its applicability to building operators and maintainers.

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Session Description:
A high performance building is defined as a building that is designed, constructed, operated and maintained to integrate and optimize all major high performance building attributes, including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.  A major element of the MOU signed by all Federal agencies is the implementation of common strategies for planning, acquiring, siting, designing, building, operating, and maintaining High Performance and Sustainable buildings.  The Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct an assessment of whether the current voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for high performance buildings are consistent with the current technological state-of-the-art.

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Session Description:
Buildings can be operated to provide healthier environments through reduced mold and mildew formation.  This session will discuss specific operating strategies to retard the growth of mold and mildew.

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Session Description:
Many Federal facilities are required to maintain operational capacity after a catastrophic event.  Most buildings are not designed to provide this capability but utilizing new government criteria could be retrofitted to provide several days operation after losing their public utilities. This session will discuss retrofitting criteria and present design strategies for new buildings as well.

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