A building's components — from the foundations
to the roof
— are literally the building blocks that make the building. These
components can either degrade the energy efficiency of the building
or enhance its performance and increase occupant comfort.
Many new energy-saving components are coming to market. These products
do double duty, performing their primary jobs while also saving
energy. Roof shingles, for example, are coated with heat-reflective
coatings
that send the sun's heat away from the building, rather than being
absorbed into it. Roof shingles can even generate
electricity for us in the building. Compact
fluorescent lights use less energy and put less heat into the
building. and advances in HVAC
technology mean more comfortable spaces that use less energy.
The benefits from these components won't be realized without being
integrated into the whole-building
design. Building components influence each other. To make sure
they perform optimally, component performance should be modeled
during the design phase. This applies to new construction as well
as building renovations. Be sure to see Design,
Construct, and Renovate for more about using these components
in your whole-building design. Operate
and Maintain provides tips to ensure components perform as designed.
You'll find the latest information about building components in
this section, as well as product information links and links to
the emerging research for each technology.
Building components in this section include the following:
Appliances
and Equipment — ENERGY STAR-rated
office equipment and appliances
Electricity
— solar (PV) cells and other renewables
Building Envelope
— windows, doors, insulation, foundations, framing, roofs
Heating and Cooling
Systems — passive and active solar, heat pumps, other options,
ventilation
Lighting and
Daylighting — interior and exterior options
Water Heating
— solar hot water, other energy-saving systems
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