Efficiency Revolution - Buffalo, NY

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28 MAR Tue 2017

9:00 AM 4:00 PM

Event ended

Hosted by

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

Exciting news for innovative builders, developers, consultants and interested individuals in New York State!

NYSERDA will be hosting educational and networking events throughout the State in the upcoming months. These Efficiency Revolution events will introduce you to new technology, products, and industry players leading the charge for high performance buildings.

Highlights Include:

Exhibitors of complementary products and services aimed at advancing New York State’s building market.
Networking opportunities between developers, builders, HERS Raters, architects, engineers, HVAC technicians, Passive House consultants and NYSERDA personnel.
Workshops throughout the morning, with some sessions repeating in the afternoon:
- Approach to Integrated Project Delivery of Passive House Panelized Wall Systems
  - Presented by: Karan Gupta of Build SMART
- Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) - Extremely Fast and Cost Effective
  - Presented by Steven Bluestone of Helix Rebar LLC & ICF Panels LLC

Passive House presentations

Fostering a Culture of Cooperation within High Performance Building Teams

NYSERDA Clean Energy Fund Housing and Renewable Energy Programs

AIA, PHIUS and BPI CEUs available!

Course Descriptions

Pre-Fabricated Building Envelope Systems in New Construction: Karan Gupta - Build SMART

Karan Gupta, Energy Efficient Design Specialist at Build SMART North America will discuss the use of a specific type of pre-fabricated panel system to achieve high-performance new construction quickly, easily, and cost-effectively. Karan will explain how this system can simplify the design process from the beginning and can be used in a variety of construction types including single family and multifamily construction achieving results up to and including Passive House standards.

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) Panelized Construction – Extremely Fast and Cost Effective: Steve Bluestone – Helix Rebar LLC & ICF Panels LLC

Multifamily development requires adherence to strict building/fire codes. For decades, concrete blocks (CMU’s) have been a favored structural system. While simple to work with, they present drawbacks when attempting to create high-performance buildings. Extra steps are required to deal with air/water/vapor control, thermal/sound insulation, and furring/framing.

Veteran ICF builder Steve Bluestone will introduce a new ICF panelized system using a new code approved reinforcing product that results in shorter construction schedules, safer jobsites, less waste, and a lighter building. The net end results are significant cost reductions across the board. The session will also briefly cover the use of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) panels and blocks for the construction of high performance buildings.

Passive House 101 - Rochester Passive House: Matt Bowers

Interested in Passive House? If so, join this session to hear from Certified Passive House Designer and Trades Person Matthew Bowers about his recently completed and soon to be certified Passive House in Honeoye Falls, NY. Bowers' project is super airtight (0.08 ACH50). He will discuss the high performance components and advanced construction techniques he applied to achieve virtually no air leakage and to meet the stringent energy use thresholds of passive house. Last but not least, Bowers will also talk about the ways passive house features can actually result in construction cost savings which helped him keep his project on track with his budget.

Fostering a Culture of Cooperation within High Performance Building Teams: Michelle Tinner, Robert Grindrod – CLEAResult & Gwen McLaughlin – TRC Solutions

In the field of high performance building, a lack of communication between those who design details and those who install them can lead to increased costs and performance losses. (Designers may not see the potential pitfalls presented in their specifications that a GC may be able to address more effectively. General Contractors may be unfamiliar with certain technical requirements or potential cost savings embodied in the bid specifications. Subcontractors, left to themselves, may apply time-tested but undesirable methods and materials.)

IPD develops a culture of cooperation, provides transparency, and ultimately eliminates waste and inefficiencies. According to Integrated Project Delivery for Public and Private Owners, IPD is “based on principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and reward, collaborative decision-making, early involvement of key project participants, early goal definition and intensified planning, and open communications.”

NYSERDA’s Low Rise Residential and Multifamily New Construction Programs promote higher levels of comprehensive building and energy performance, up to and inclusive of net zero performance. NYSERDA offers project teams technical support and guidance to achieve higher levels of energy performance and health & safety from planning through construction. Through working with the teams over the course of their projects and conducting case studies, we have identified practical applications of IPD. We will present on the solutions project teams have used that can be replicated, with a focus on cost optimization and strategies that recognize operational costs and savings and management of perceived risks.

Presenter Profiles

Karan Gupta

Professional Title: Energy Efficient Design Specialist

Organization: Build SMART

Additional Credentials:

Karan Gupta is an Energy Efficient Design Specialist at Build SMART North America with several years of experience specializing in new construction, building retrofits and energy conservation measures, active energy management strategies, building energy modeling, project design and planning, and financial analysis. He is a Certified Passive House Consultant and a PHIUS Certified Builder. He holds a BA in Economics from New York University and Master’s degrees in Environmental Management and Forestry from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.

Steven Bluestone

Professional Title: Partner/Member

Organization: HelixRebar LLC & ICF Panels LLC

Additional Credentials:

Steve Bluestone, a Builder/Developer/Property Manager of mixed use residential buildings throughout the NYC metropolitan area has been a leader in the field of producing high performance structures for decades.

Matthew Bowers

Professional Title: Certified Passive House Designer, Certified Passive House Tradesman, Certified HERS Rater

Organization: Airtight Services Inc.

Additional Credentials:

Matthew Bowers spent 6 years in the Navy as a nuclear engineer before attending RIT's

Mechanical Engineering Program. He graduated with the highest honors in 2010. Since 2009, Bowers has worked as a consultant, Energy Auditor, and estimator for Airtight Services Inc., a firm specializing in high performance homes. Bowers is a Certified Passive House Designer and Tradesperson as well as a Certified HERS Rater. He lives in Honeoye Falls, NY with his wife and two daughters.

Michelle Tinner

Professional Title: Operations Manager

Organization: CLEAResult

Additional Credentials:

Michelle Tinner is Operations Manager for the NYSERDA Low-Rise Residential New Construction Program implementation team at CLEAResult. Prior to CLEAResult, Michelle founded the BPI accredited company MBT Design in 2009, embracing a building science whole systems approach toward work as a home performance contractor and HERS Rater. Ms. Tinner joined CLEAResult in 2015. She and her team provide program development and technical support to NYSERDA as well as education, outreach and coordination with and for program partners and industry professionals.

Robert Grindrod

Professional Title: Senior Technical Support Analyst

Organization: CLEAResult

Additional Credentials:

Robert Grindrod is a Building Science Consultant at CLEAResult. Grindrod started his career insulating homes in the mid 70’s and over the years evolved to be engaged with many aspects of building energy use, health and safety, and water conservation. He joined CLEAResult in 2006 as a Technical Field Rep in the NYSERDA Home Performance with Energy Star Program and helped lead CLEAResult’s work in NYSERDA’s Multifamily Building Performance Program (MPP).

Gwen McLaughlin

Professional Title: Pipeline Manager

Organization: TRC Solutions

Additional Credentials:

Gwen McLaughlin of TRC Solutions is the Pipeline Manager for NYSERDA's Multifamily New Construction Program. Ms. McLaughlin brings over a decade of experience in program management, field investigation, and green building consulting to her role in MF NCP. Her responsibilities include program development, quality assurance, and coordination with NYSERDA, program applicants, and technical consultants.