An Estimate of Energy Use in Laboratories, Cleanrooms, and Data Centers in New York

In July 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) and China's Ministry of Science of Technology (MOST) signed a Statement of Work (SOW) to collaborate on the design and construction of an energy-efficient demonstration office building and design center to be located in Beijing. The proposed 13,000 m² (140,000 ft²) nine-story office building would use U.S. energy-efficient materials, space-conditioning systems, controls, and design principles that were judged to be widely replicable throughout China. The SOW stated that China would contribute the land and provide for the costs of the base building, while the U.S. would be responsible for the additional (or marginal) costs associated with the package of energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to the building. The project was finished and the building occupied in 2004.

Using DOE-2 to analyze the energy performance of the as-built building, the building obtained 44 out of 69 possible points according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating, including the full maximum of 10 points in the energy performance section. The building achieved a LEED Gold rating, the first such LEED-rated office building in China, and is 60% more efficient than ASHRAE 90.1-1999. The utility data from the first year's operation match well the analysis results, providing that adjustments are made for unexpected changes in occupancy and operations. Compared with similarly equipped office buildings in Beijing, this demonstration building uses 60% less energy per floor area. However, compared to conventional office buildings with less equipment and window air-conditioners, the building uses slightly more energy per floor area.