Publications

Core Performance Guide 1.11

Core Performance®, the cornerstone of the Advanced Buildings® suite of technical tools and resource, is a direct, simplified approach to achieve predictable energy savings in small- to medium-sized buildings without the need for modeling. The Core Performance Guide 1.1 is a nationally recognized, easy-to-use, resource on how to deliver best-in-class energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality in high performance commercial buildings.

Core Performance brings together over 30 criteria defining high performance in building envelope, lighting, HVAC, power systems and controls. When applied together in an integrated design process, these measures result in buildings that are up to 30 percent more energy efficient than model building standards.

Core Performance is:

• Easy to use. Core Performance was developed for owners and design teams who want high performance building, but need an easier way to get there.
• Affordable. The 30 design criteria outlined in Core Performance use affordable, available technologies and strategies that when applied together under an integrated design process, reduce energy use by up to 30%.
• Time-wise. Core Performance keeps project schedules on track because strategies have already been extensively modeled to verify their energy saving potential. No additional modeling required.
• LEED-recognized. The U.S. Green Building Council has accepted Core Performance as an alternate prescriptive path for LEED energy points. This offers buildings up to 100,000 square feet a cost-effective way to achieve certification.

Read an excerpt from the Core Performance Guide (488 KB)

Purchase the Core Performance Guide. The Core Performance Guide is available for purchase through Powell’s Books. The purchase price of $95.00 includes one-year’s exclusive access to our online Reference Materials.

Core Performance Guide 1.02 & Benchmark
These two previous versions of Advanced Buildings' whole building design guidance are no longer available and have been replaced with Core Performance 1.11 above.

Contact us with questions.

Advanced Lighting Guidelines

Energy Benchmark for High Performance Buildings has been sunset and is no longer available. Energy Benchmark is no longer updated and so the standards of Energy Benchmark have fallen behind what can credibly be considered “high performance,” and in some cases have even fallen below code. Energy Benchmark has since been replaced by Core Performance which expands and updates Energy Benchmark.

Energy Benchmark and LEED

For projects that are still eligible to use Energy Benchmark for LEED credit, the required measures from Energy Benchmark can be found in Core Performance. The design standards from Energy Benchmark sections 2.4 and 2.6 are in Core Performance Measure 1.4: Mechanical System Design, and the updated mechanical equipment standards of Energy Benchmark section 2.5 are in Core Performance Measure 2.9: Mechanical Equipment Efficiency Requirements.