DESIGN
ASSISTANCE
SEDAC provides assistance to design practitioners by utilizing
a whole building approach that will incorporate energy efficient
building practices and components. The goal is to enhance
the potential energy efficiency at the new building construction
project or retrofit.
Individuals or companies with experience in green building
methods or sustainable design and energy efficient practices
serve the Illinois
Smart Energy Design Assistance Center's
customers in Illinois through the use of a continually updated
list of qualified
service providers and design assistance experts.
The program invites interested architects and engineeers
to become service providers and/or design assistance experts
by completing the Pre-Qualified
Service Provider RFQ and/or the Design
Assistance Expert RFQ.
PROGRAM DOCUMENTS
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SEDAC Design Assistance, offered at no cost to the small business
owner, provides four levels of service—initial consultation
(Level 1), energy audits (Level 2), design assistance (Level
3) and project follow up (Level 4). SEDAC assistance is aimed
at familiarizing project engineers and others on innovative,
energy efficient design approaches.
| Level 1 |
| Assistance includes initial
consultations such as one-on-one meetings, presentations,
telephone calls, and other correspondence. Level 1 assistance
informs individuals and organizations about the program
opportunity, answers questions, and assesses the potential
value of providing additional program services. Under
Level 1, SEDAC works with any for-profit business in the
program’s service area regardless of size or level
of activity. |
| |
| Level 2 |
Assistance provides preliminary
energy audits to program participants. This includes
a review of any existing plans for planned new construction
or renovation or in the case of existing facilities
it may include a site visit and consultation. The result
in either case is suggestions for project engineers,
architects, business owners on how to develop and incorporate
innovative and efficient design techniques and elements
for projects. Facilities that receive Level 2 assistance
must meet the specific size and activity requirements:
small for-profit businesses that are at least 8,000
square feet in size and/or have annual utility costs
of at least $50,000. Facilities between 5,000 and 8,000
square feet may also qualify if the business has multiple
locations.
For each preliminary energy audit, the SEDAC Team will
analyze the building usage requirements and general
building characteristics, and rank energy cost reduction
measures (ECRMs) relatively (without detailed analysis).
All audits will consider the use of geoexchange systems.
Once the energy audit is completed and the potential
for energy savings has been determined, the Project
Team will evaluate the benefit of a complete design
assistance process and will make its recommendations
to the client. |
| |
| Level 3 |
Assistance depends on the
outcome of the energy audits performed in Level 2. This
level of assistance will involve a more in-depth building
analysis than the energy audit, and will include four
steps:
- Energy simulation modeling of the facility.
- An ECRM evaluation.
- A life cycle cost analysis (LCC) that identifies
specific energy
conservation measures and potential savings.
- A final Feasibility Report to the client and DCEO.
If an applicant elects to have design assistance services
provided under Level 3, we require that all recommended
energy cost reduction measures be considered wherever
cost effective, i.e. projects with an estimated return
on an investment of 15 percent or more. |
| |
| Level 4 |
| Assistance is provided with
implementation of the recommended energy efficient technologies.
This follow-up support is an important element of the
SEDAC program since the ultimate goal is to install
energy efficiency improvements, in order to realize potential
savings. Project representatives will include engineers,
architects, and design experts skilled with designing
and implementing energy efficient construction techniques.
These experts can review bid documents, complete and/or
review life cycle cost analyses, and provide assistance
with a variety of design and other project documents. |
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