Webinars

Here you will find information on the Building Technologies Program (BTP) Webinars. BTP regularly updates this page with current Webinar topics, dates, and registration information, as well as archived Webinars. Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.

Webinars are free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain the URL and password for logging on via the Internet and the phone number to connect to the audio. Watch this Web page for registration information as it becomes available. You can also sign up to receive e-mail alerts about future Webinars and registration information.

Schedule

Please join us for the February Webinar:

Title: Going With the Flow: Designing High-Performance Buildings with EnergyPlus

Date and Time: Tuesday, February 16, 2010; 12:00-1:30 PM, Eastern Standard Time

Description: The global demand for high-performance buildings is growing rapidly; and with it the need to accurately predict building energy performance characteristics. Too often, the environmental impact of a building is greater than expected, actual energy performance does not match predictions, and operating costs exceed estimates.

To facilitate energy-smart design, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives builders and architects the tools to predict energy flows in commercial and residential buildings—before construction—with EnergyPlus^™ software. EnergyPlus, DOE's fully integrated building, HVAC, and renewable energy simulation program, models building heating, cooling, lighting, ventilating, and other energy flows, as well as water. The program includes many innovative simulation capabilities, such as time steps of less than an hour, modular systems and plant integrated with heat balance-based zone simulation, multizone air flow, thermal comfort, water use, natural ventilation, and photovoltaic systems.

OpenStudio, DOE's free plugin for the Google SketchUp 3D drawing program, makes it easy to create and edit the building geometry in EnergyPlus input files or launch EnergyPlus simulations and view the results in SketchUp.

This presentation will focus on the importance of precise energy simulations in the drive for high-performance buildings, and will provide an overview of the features and capabilities of EnergyPlus software and the OpenStudio plugin.

Target Audience: Architects, engineers, builders

Presenter: Dru Crawley, Ph.D., Commercial Buildings Team Lead, Building Technologies Program, U.S. Department of Energy

How to Attend: You can attend the Webinar via your desktop computer and phone line free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain the URL and password for logging on via the Internet and the phone number to connect to the audio.

Archived Webinars

The following Webinar archives are available for viewing in Windows Media Player as Windows Media Video (WMV) files. To view these WMV files, you will need a computer running Microsoft Windows with Windows Media Player, version 9 or later. Download Windows Media Player. Adobe Acrobat PDF files of the presentations and audio transcripts are also available.

January 12, 2010: Greensburg, KS: Lessons Learned and Steps Forward

The third and final Webinar in the Greensburg series reviewed successes in rebuilding green in the residential sector, financing for rebuilding green homes, the launch of a new wind energy business, and lessons learned about rebuilding green from a federal agency perspective.

View the presentation slides (PDF 13.8 MB).
View the recorded Webinar (WMV 18.4 MB). The text version of the audio will be posted shortly. If you need immediate assistance, please e-mail the BTP Webmaster.

December 17, 2009: Department of Energy Stakeholder Call: Activities and Programs Relating to Energy Efficiency Retrofits in Residential Buildings

This Webinar provided an overview of DOE's plans in the area of U.S. residential building performance and labeling, and discussed development of a national Building Rating Program, an energy label for homes, workforce training and certification, and large-scale home energy retrofits.

View the presentation slides (PDF 688 KB).

December 15, 2009: Greensburg, Kansas, and Beyond

This second Webinar in the Greensburg series focuses on the town's efforts to rebuild green and features a detailed look at Greensburg's built environment, Greensburg's approach to wind-generated electricity, and John Deere's plans for green dealership buildings throughout North America.

View the presentation slides (PDF 9.4 MB).
View the recorded Webinar (WMV 25 MB). During this presentation, two videos were shown. They were not captured in the WMV file, but you can see them by visiting http://greensburg.johndeere.greentouchscreen.com/, clicking the Explore button, and choosing "The Tornado Video" and "The LEED^® Rebuilding Plan" video.
You can also read a text version of the audio.

November 23, 2009: Greensburg—America's Model Green Community in Their Own Words

This Webinar provides an overview of how Greensburg, Kansas, a town that was nearly destroyed by a tornado, rebuilt as "America's model green community." City leaders explain how decisions were made to rebuild with the largest concentration of LEED^® certified buildings in the world, and where the town is headed.

View the presentation slides (PDF 8.3 MB).
View the recorded Webinar (WMV 16.3 MB). You can also read a text version of the audio.

September 15, 2009: The Building of the Solar Decathlon

This Webinar provides information about the development of the Solar Decathlon, from concept to the growth of the event. Topics will include technology usage, international engagement, and the stars of the event...the students.

View the presentation slides (PDF 10.1 MB).
View the recorded Webinar (WMV 12.8 MB). You can also read a text version of the audio.

August 27, 2009: Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Jobs in the Buildings Industry — Workforce Overview

This Webinar provides an overview of jobs involved with retrofitting existing homes to improve energy efficiency. It is geared toward community college administrators, Workforce Investment System labor offices and agencies, training centers, and other organizations that consult with workers about job opportunities and training.

View the presentation slides (PDF 2.7 MB) and a resource listing (PDF 184 KB).
View the recorded Webinar (WMV 11.6 MB). You can also read a text version of the audio.