Educating LEED Professionals on the possibilities of net-zero energy buildings.
Project
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC), a global, nonprofit organization, working to improve human health, sustainability, and resilience in the built environment, was offering grants for organizations to develop educational content for their new online education platform.
Approach
As a Board Member and consultant to the San Diego Chapter, I applied and was awarded a grant to develop an online course highlighting green buildings and sustainability efforts in the San Diego and Tijuana region on behalf of the Chapter.
Recognizing the opportunity to showcase the region’s innovation to the green building community, it was decided that the course would feature the J. Craig Venter Institute, the first net-zero energy laboratory in the United States, located in La Jolla, California.
I partnered with the J. Craig Venter Institute, ZGF Architects, Point Energy Innovations, Integral Group, Chris Giles Images, and the San Diego Chapter to conceptualize and create a course that highlighted the key sustainability and LEED features of this innovative laboratory.
Result
Together we created “Designing a Net Zero Energy Laboratory: J. Craig Venter Institute,” a 3-part on-demand course focused on the key elements of the space.
The series includes 20+ videos and interviews with key stakeholders, a “talk show” style conversation with the lead architects, and a walking tour with the lead engineer. Given the technical details associated with the net-zero facility, we opted for a video-based format with graphic overlays.
The course was available through the USGBC Education platform and achieved a 5-star rating. It was also recognized as a model for online educational programming. Courses using a similar format can be seen today in their learning platform.
Selected Content
Part 1: Concepts and Strategies in Planning, Design, Engineering, and Construction
About
This session delves into the planning, design, engineering, and construction of the J. Craig Venter Institute, the first net-zero energy laboratory in the United States, and LEED 2009 Platinum building. This session provides insider information and an inspiring example to others interested in building a net-zero energy laboratory. In this session, you will hear from Ted Hyman and Doss Mabe of ZGF Architects, professional engineer Peter Rumsey, John McDonald of Integral Group, and Robert Friedman of the J. Craig Venter Institute as they discuss strategies and concepts, LEED category alignment, and the challenges and solutions for creating the first net-zero energy laboratory.
Objectives
- Describe the primary motivators for building a net-zero energy laboratory
- Discuss how energy, water, and overall building performance needs influenced the building design
- Identify LEED BD+C strategies used to achieve maximum performance
- Recognize how strategies used in this project align with LEED V4 system goals
- Evaluate the viability of innovations used in this facility for potential use in your own future projects
- Identify key strategies used to increase the performance of mechanical systems
Module 1: Introduction, Project Intent & Design
One of the goals for building the J. Craig Venter Institute as a net-zero energy laboratory was to set an example and inspire others to adopt similar practices in their facilities. This module emphasizes the project’s intent and how this intent shaped the overall design and functionality of the space.
Part 2: Integrative Design Process – A Conversation
About
Join Barbara Fanning and Doss Mabe and Ted Hyman of ZGF Architects for a candid conversation about the integrative design process. Hear how a “what if” strategy was implemented and discover more about the planning, design, and development of the first net-zero energy laboratory in the United States.
My Role
Strategy
Grant Writing
Director/Producer
Instructional Design
Interviewer
Collaborators
Chris Giles Images
San Diego Green Building Council
J. Craig Venter Institute
ZGF Architects
Point Energy Innovations
Integral Group