City of Louisville Commercial Energy Code Review
The City of Louisville contracted with Lotus and Group14 Engineering to explore updates to the City’s current commercial energy code that would help the City reach its energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction goals. The City and consultant team examined commercial energy code policy options including higher efficiency requirements, all-electric requirements, and net zero requirements. The scope of work included:
Energy modeling of current code-compliant heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in commercial and industrial building types to evaluate upfront cost, operational cost, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The energy modeling also included an analysis of the total solar PV required to make code-compliant buildings (both mixed-fuel and all-electric) net zero. Finally, energy modeling was conducted to analyze the upfront cost, operational cost, and GHG emissions savings of buildings built to a higher efficiency performance standard.
Research on existing commercial energy code policies from around the country.
A public engagement process that solicited feedback on commercial code policy options via two City board meetings, two open-house style community meetings, and an online public engagement survey.
Final report summarizing the policy recommendations from the consultant team and staff for the City of Louisville’s commercial code update.
Lotus facilitated the public engagement process, developed the final policy recommendation report, and presented the final policy recommendation to City Council for adoption. We are well-versed in the analysis of various commercial code options that will allow a community to move easily to a net zero code standard.
