IDeAs is pioneering electrical distribution concepts which will help to reduce energy use or use of toxic materials.  This includes using extra high efficiency CSL3 transformers, which will use significantly less energy at normal loading.  We also use up sized wiring concepts to reduce wire losses on circuits that are highly loaded and are researching tying remote controlled circuit breakers to security systems to shut down equipment to reduce vampire loads when buildings are unoccupied.

Electric lighting typically accounts anywhere from 20-50% of the energy consumption of a building.  By using the latest lighting technology including efficacious light sources, high performance luminaires and fully integrated controls, a good lighting design can dramatically reduce the energy consumption of a building.

A key sustainable design strategy is the use of natural daylight to provide the ambient lighting needs of interior spaces throughout the day – “daylighting”.  There are many benefits for daylighting a building that fit into two main categories: energy savings and quality of light.

Due to the high cost of onsite power generation, demand side reduction of electrical and plug loads is critical for success of the design of a NZEB. Plug loads in a high efficiency building can reach over 40% of the total energy use of a building, through thorough analysis and control of all building loads, especially plugged in equipment, plug load usage can be reduced 30%- 50%.

Data systems technology is advancing rapidly to allow efficiency in materials used as well as energy used. Voice over IP (VoIP) and power over ethernet (POE) allows for the use of one cable in lieu of two separate cables, one for power and one for data, hereby reducing the materials used. Server virtualization is another technology that can be implemented to save energy and space by combining multiple servers on a single platform.

The final strategy for a NZEB is to produce the necessary power on-site from a naturally occurring, non-diminishing “renewable” resource.  The two most common approaches for commercial building projects for generating electricity on-site are photovoltaics and wind turbines.

Monitoring a building's energy usage allows occupants and building owners to view and analyze a building's energy performance. This valuable feedback ensures the building can operate as initially intended in the efficient design.

By using an integrative approach to solve problems, a creative engineer is able to respond with a technical expertise that leads to new and innovative discoveries in building design that may break through the barriers of conventional engineering practices.