Final Project Report

Abstract

This project pursued innovations to improve energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in commercial and residential buildings. For commercial buildings, the project developed a testbed for “intelligent nested environmental systems technologies (iNEST),” which monitor and control energy flows and IEQ across a cascade of spaces from individuals’ desktops to office suites to floors to whole buildings. An iNEST testbed was constructed at Syracuse University and was used to assess the use of devices such as personal badges and CO2 sensors to study how reduced energy use and improved IEQ could be achieved. For residential buildings, resources were targeted in support of DoE’s Builders Challenge Program and to recruit Syracuse, NY builders. Three homes in Syracuse’s Near Westside neighborhood were also registered under the program by Syracuse University team, with an additional home registered by one of the builders. Findings from the work at the iNEST testbed facility, and results from other related projects were disseminated through Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) 2008 Annual Symposium, the 9th International Healthy Buildings 2009 Conference & Exhibition, and through SyracuseCoE’s website and eNewsletters to inform the broader community of researchers, designers and builders. These public communication activities helped enhance the understanding of high performance buildings and facilitate further market acceptance.