Lead performer: Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh PA
Partner: Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology - Ahmedabad, India
FY16 DOE Funding: $50,000 per year
Cost share: N/A
Project Term: FY 13-FY17
Funding Type: Joint Clean Energy Research and Development FOA (DE-FOA-0000506)

Project Objective

The U.S.-India Joint Center for Building Energy Research and Development (CBERD) conducts energy efficiency research and development (R&D) with a focus on developing Triple Bottom Line (TBL) life cycle justifications (economic, environmental and human) for building decision makers critical to overcome first-least-cost decision making patterns that prevent investments in high performance, energy efficient building solutions.

The research is focused on the identification of economic, environmental and human benefits of energy-efficient technologies and systems for customizable cost benefit calculations including simple payback and net present value.

Project Impact

The TBL cost optimization, including facilities cost savings, carbon credits, and human health and productivity benefits, can influence decision makers to move beyond first-cost decision making to support investments in high performance, energy efficient technologies, while creating market opportunities for US technologies and expertise.

Contacts

DOE Technology Manager: Karma Sawyer
Lead Performer: Vivian Loftness, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA

1. “Investing in Building Energy Efficiency to preserve Natural Capital and Human Capital” accepted to 9th International Conference on Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings and Smart Communities', (IEECB&SC’16), 16-18 March 2016, Frankfurt, Germany.
2. “Investing in Energy Efficiency for Financial, Natural and Human Capital” selected for the Getting the Full Picture: Energy- Efficient Decision-making making in Commercial Real Estate session in ACEEE 2016 National Symposium on Market Transformation, 20-22 March 2016, Baltimore, USA.
3. Loftness, Vivian, Rohini Srivastava, D. Dadia, H. Parekh, and Rajan Rawal. “The Triple Bottom Line Benefits of Climate Responsive Dynamic Facades.” PLEA 2014 International Conference on Sustainable Habitat for Developing Societies. Ahmedabad. 2014.
4. Dadia D., Parekh H.,Loftness V.,Aziz A., Cochran E. “Bio-Climatic Design Enclosure Guidelines for 5 Climate Zones in India, Thesis for the Master of Sustainable Design program in the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University.” 2014.