Ashrae Journal - November 2008 - B22

BACnet is helping to future-proof Dockside Green by using BACnet as the main networking protocol, making possible the future integration of additional door control, card access, security, and lighting control. According to the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford in Great Britain, and many international studies, changes in consumer behavior result in a reduction of energy consumption by between 3% to 15%, with the higher savings realized by integrated customer education programs. Energy—Renewable. Throughout the development, various renewable energy systems and environmental techniques will be demonstrated, including photovoltaics used for compactors, street traffic signals, and lighting for bus and harbor ferry shelters. Other demonstrations include solar heating products and wind turbines on building roofs. Additional innovative measures incorporated into the development include extensive on-site tree planting and green roofs, the use of environmentally friendly building materials such as fly ash cement and cork, bamboo, and ecocarpet flooring. Other features are new parks and rejuvenation of shoreline habitat, and the incorporation of products from the bioregional economy. Designs also include human elements such as the development of an affordable housing strategy, a First Nations job training program, and the commissioning of First Nations art, including a grand totem pole. When complete, green spaces punctuated by waterways and walking trails will carpet this sustainable community, which will also feature a Smart Car sharing program, minitransit system, boat launch, bike trail, amphitheater, public art, and dock facilities. The developers were able to use sustainable woods in their construction in the community by using a revolutionary underwater harvesting technology that uses guided submersible tree fellers. Dockside Green was able to use wood products from preserved trees submerged behind British Columbia’s large hydroelectric dams and incorporate them into the frames of the Dockside Green townhouses. With 45,000 major dam reservoirs around the world containing an estimated 300 million trees, submerged forests represent a significant source of nonliving timber that can be used for a wide variety of industrial and consumer applications. These bold initiatives have traditional as well as nontraditional conservationists seeing green, but how will the developers achieve this grand design? A robust “triple bottom line” development model was endorsed in which developers balance financial profits with environmental and social dividends. The term triple bottom line was originally coined by John Elkington in 1994 and was later expanded and articulated in his 1998 book, “Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business.”1 According to Joe Van Belleghem, DevelopB22 ment Manager for Dockside Green and founder of the Canada Green Building Council, “We wanted to demonstrate that it is possible for developers to embrace ecological regeneration and social principles in a development while being economically successful.” The BAS installed at Dockside Green is much like the water filtration system or the sewage treatment system, in that it is one of many components that contribute to the community’s commitment to sustainability. The BAS that best fits into the community’s design is a BACnet system. BACnet mirrors the triple bottom line development model used at Dockside Green by offering its own financial, sociological, and environmental returns. The financial return on investment of BACnet is well recognized with an open international standard that is extendable by the consensus of ASHRAE members and volunteers. The BACnet protocol monitors and controls building operational efficiency and comfort, and in doing so, pays an environmental dividend of reduced energy consumption and conservation of water. The rich diversity of objects, services, and networks within BACnet delivers outstanding communication ability. This allows meaningful performance data to be quickly gathered, calculated, and communicated to the occupant so they can readily view the impact of their behavior, helping them make healthy and informed choices. The BACnet building control systems installed in the development’s first two phases, Synergy and Balance, have already begun to closely monitor and control each residential unit’s environment and keep an account of the tenant’s carbon footprint. In addition to local access within the individual suite, residences have Web access to their suite’s environment control system from anywhere around the world using the Internet. Communicating energy, water, and carbon emission information to each occupant is an important aspect of a sustainable community. Communications from the B-AAC to the resident begins with metering in each suite for: • Domestic water; • Fan-coil energy calculation; • Domestic hot water; and • Electrical consumption. Domestic water meters used in each suite are standard water meters with a scaled pulse output (i.e., 1 pulse = 1 U.S. gallon [3.78 L]). B-AACs read the pulses and totalize the volume daily, weekly, and year-to-date. Hydronic fancoil units are each used to calculate hot water November 2008 B A C n e t ® To d a y | A S u p p l e m e n t t o A S H R A E J o u r n a l

Ashrae Journal - November 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ashrae Journal - November 2008