Course Description

Introduction to Sustainable Facilities (APPEL-ISF)

Audience

This course is designed for those who plan, design, operate, maintain, renovate and/or manage existing and new facilities and surrounding environment.

Goal

This course offers a fundamental understanding of NASA’s approach to achieving sustainable facilities at NASA. Course modules include: a) NASA’s sustainable facility requirements including the Five Guiding Principles; b) useful methods and building technologies for existing and new structures; c) site considerations; d) building commissioning and lessons learned from retro-commissioning; e) green building rating system overview; f) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles for NC – New Construction and EB - Existing Buildings); g) integrated project delivery; and h) trends, such as ASHRAE Standard 189.1 and its relationship to LEED.

The goal is to enable participants to acquire or refine existing expertise that promotes sound and sustainable methods, technologies, and practices that help the Center and the agency lower operating and resource costs and achieve sustainability goals.

Learning Methods

This course contains modules designed to be interactive, with presentations, discussions and several LEED checklist exercises, which should leave the host Center with useful information for its use.

Specific Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the methods and technologies used to design and operate sustainable facilities, including: effective resource management; water, energy and material conservation; and enhanced building envelope.
• Describe the differences between building commissioning, re-commissioning and retro-commissioning; know how to implement the development of a useful commissioning plan; and know the importance of integrating building automation and controls systems into a commissioning plan.
• Explain “assessing and capitalizing” as it relates to the remaining useful life of a facility and the basics of life-cycle cost analysis calculations.
• Identify the appropriate LEED rating system and certification process for a planned project.
• Explain NASA’s and the Center’s sustainability requirements, policy, goals, and activities.
• Describe their personal roles in fostering a sustainability culture within NASA, and support their center in achieving sustainability targets and goals.

Competencies and Technical Areas Addressed

• High performance sustainable design and implementation strategies for facilities
• Cost-effective energy- and water-saving techniques for buildings
• Internal and external policies, regulations, and requirements for sustainability
• Lifecycle assessment requirements, considerations, and techniques
• LEED principles for new construction and existing buildings