Annual Lecture to Focus on Energy Modeling in New Mexico

In an effort to keep local construction industry professionals at the forefront of energy efficient building, HB Construction will host it’s second annual educational lecture entitled: "Energy Modeling: Long-Term Solutions for Improving Building Performance and Cost-Savings," Friday, June 29 from 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History.

"Whether it’s replacing an insulation system, or planning a new school, energy modeling can help gauge the effectiveness of investment decisions before they are made," said Matthew Higgins, energy project manager for Bridgers and Paxton Consulting Engineers. "All owners, designers, and builders can benefit from the wealth of knowledge energy modeling can bring to a project."

The lecture will feature energy modeling expert Matthew Higgins who will cover topics such as optimized building strategies, energy retrofit measures, energy conservation measures in a high-desert climate, energy benchmarking resources and economic valuation of energy conservation measures.

With the widespread use of building information technology (BIM) and a growing number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified projects, energy modeling has becoming increasingly important in recent years as it offers a way to set energy efficiency benchmarks specific to each individual building.

"Energy modeling is primarily used by engineering firms, but more and more architects, building owners, and equipment retailers are beginning to understand the value that this exercise allows," said Higgins. "Tools for modeling are becoming much more visible, and with the advent of BIM, third-generation energy modeling tools are receiving unprecedented industry support."

According to McGraw Hill Construction’s Green Outlook 2011: Green Trends Driving Growth, 78% of Architecture and Engineering firms and 81% of contractors reported that client demand is pushing them toward green building investments and by 2015 an estimated 40-48% of new nonresidential construction by value will be green construction.

Energy Modeling is a process which uses complex algorithms to assess heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting systems and gives an estimated representation of the building’s baseline energy use based on factors such as building materials, layout, design details, historical weather data and external environmental factors.

Lecture attendees will be eligible to receive continuing education credits through the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Matthew Higgins has performed more than 60 extensive energy optimization projects throughout the country and recently co-authored several technical presentations for the Association of Energy Engineers 2011 World Energy Congress.

Higgins holds a specialized degree in sustainable development from the University of New Mexico and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED-AP), an Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Certified Energy Manager and an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASRAE) High Performance Building Design Professional.

Now in it’s second year, The HB Construction Annual Lecture Series continues to provide new educational opportunities for local industry professionals to learn about some of the industry’s most pressing topics.

HB Construction’s 2011 lecture about advances in building envelope science featured Scott "Spiderman" Mullholland, an industry-leading expert from the Building Envelope Science Institute (BESI) who spoke about topics such as water intrusion, material selection and identification and remediation of building envelope issues.