ATLANTA — A new design guide is now available from industry leading organizations to help contractors and designers develop a viable plan for attaining zero-energy multifamily buildings.

“Advanced Energy Design Guide for Multifamily Buildings-Achieving Zero Energy” (AEDG) is the third in the AEDG zero-energy guide series. The design guide outlines strategies for achieving energy targets such as setting measurable goals, hiring design teams committed to those goals, using simulation throughout the design and construction processes, and being aware of how process decisions affect energy usage. In this edition, content has been included on renovation and resiliency along with expanded guidance on hot water and high load in multifamily buildings.

“The design guide can be directly applied to helping set energy goals and achieve those targets by implementing practical how-to tips,” said Paul Torcellini, project committee chair and principal engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “In addition, readers can use this as a training guide for design staff to learn about zero energy buildings. The intent of this guide is to provide insights and perspectives that fall within typical construction budgets while demonstrating technologies used in real-world applications.”

Valuable chapters and sections include:

• Chapter 2 - "Principles for Success" – Describes the important decision points and setting the foundation for success. 
• Chapter 3 - "A Process for Success" – Focuses on building effective teams, getting energy targets and methods to implement. 
• Chapter 4 - "Leveraging Analysis to Drive Success" – Discusses the phases of construction and different building focus areas and how analysis can bring the right decisions to the project at the right time. 
• Chapter 5 - "How to Strategies" provides almost 200 techniques and tips to successfully create a zero-energy multifamily building.

“This guide comes at a critical time as DOE and our partners continue to find and share pathways to decarbonize buildings in an equitable and affordable way,” said Sarah Zaleski, senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office.

The design guide was developed in partnership by the following organizations: the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Office, ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).