Transforming Design Practices: A Statewide Program For Nonresidential New Construction

Nehemiah Stone, Douglas Mahone, and Catherine Chappell, HESCHONG MAHONE GROUP
Grant Duhon, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Keywords

Abstract

Three of the largest utilities in California, Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric, collaborated to develop a commercial new construction program aimed at encouraging greater design team cooperation and integrated building design. Each utility had nonresidential new construction programs in the past based on owner incentives, but they wanted to create a program to have a larger, more direct effect on the design process. This new program is called "Savings By Design," and is exceptional in that:

Implementation is coordinated between three investor owned utilities
It focuses on sustainable changes in design practices
It offers a variety of design tools and approaches
It fosters an integrated approach to energy-efficient design

The program was designed to address the major barriers to design teams using a whole building analysis approach. The use of a consistent energy savings calculation methodology across the three utilities provides the program with a consistent look statewide. The program rolled out in mid-1999 and each utility met its regulatory milestones for program startup. Determination of its success in reaching the design community and transforming design practices will have to wait for a longer duration of program operation.