A building's envelope has long been an overlooked area of energy savings in commercial buildings. The envelope (windows, walls, roofs) accounts for approximately 30% of the primary energy consumed in commercial buildings. As such, it plays a key role in determining the comfort of the building, the role of natural light, and how much energy is required to heat and cool the space.
The Building Envelope Campaign (BEC) helps building owners and managers create more energy-efficient buildings by improving the performance of building envelopes in both new and existing buildings. This will be achieved by setting goals for building envelope performance, determining available energy savings, and providing technical support to building owners and managers. Contact us if you would like to get involved!
The BEC works towards three goals:
- Motivate action and increase awareness of the value of investing in high-performance building envelope technologies for both new and existing commercial buildings
- Recognize leaders adopting and achieving high-performing building envelope systems
- Demonstrate and document energy and cost savings with integrated design, construction, commissioning, and maintenance from the implementation of high-performing envelope systems
How can I get involved?
The BEC provides two pathways for involvement: participants and supporters.
Building owners and managers (or those contracted by them) who are seeking to improve the performance of their building envelopes are PARTICIPANTS. Joining as a participant allows your organization to:
- Access Campaign resources and technical expertise in evaluating envelope options;
- Stay informed on innovative envelope technologies and resources produced by the Campaign; and
- Gain recognition through the BEC website, achievement awards, and participation in case studies (pending submitting validation information and building completion).
Manufacturers, energy service companies, and researchers who are invested in the outcome of the BEC but do not manage buildings themselves join as SUPPORTERS. As a supporter, your organization can:
- Access technical expertise regarding envelope technologies;
- Partner with the BEC Team to spread the word about the Campaign, including hosting webinars; and
- Gain recognition through the BEC website.
Participating in the BEC is easy! Register on the BEC website; assess your building envelope’s performance using the assessment; submit your building for review and provide supporting documents as requested; and be recognized for leadership in building envelope energy efficiency. Entering data into the tool takes about 15 minutes, and your data is confidential.
The BEC is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its Organizing Partners, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants.
