Nation’s Largest Net Zero Plus™ Commercial Building Retrofit Opens in Los Angeles

The Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute includes demonstration center & living laboratory for emerging energy technologies

LOS ANGELES – June 3, 2016 – Today marked the dedication of the nation’s largest net zero plus commercial building retrofit, the Net Zero Plus Electric Training Institute (NZP-ETI) located in Greater Los Angeles. The 144,000-square-foot demonstration center and living laboratory on advanced and emerging clean energy technologies showcases the future of smart energy-efficiency design, microgrid system integration, energy storage solutions, building resiliency in the wake of natural disasters or grid interruptions, and a suite of integrated electrical technologies and controls. The center is also an educational facility that trains approximately 1,500 electrical apprentices, journeymen and contractors annually for careers at the forefront of the electrical industry.

The dedication program, which was attended by more than 500 Los Angeles government, business, and community leaders, featured Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Anthony Rendon, Speaker of the California State Assembly; Rear Admiral Mark Rich, Commander of USN Region Southwest; Len Hering, Center for Sustainable Energy CEO, RADM-USN, Ret.; Ali Zaidi, White House Associate Director for Natural Resources, Energy & Science.

“This innovative program embodies all we are trying to accomplish in creating a more sustainable region: solar energy; energy efficiency; back up power; recycled materials; livable workplaces; green jobs; and economic opportunity for everyone,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “It is the largest net zero plus commercial building retrofit in the U.S. and a great example of how we can transform our existing buildings — and thanks to IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA, 1,500 people will now be prepared to be part of the clean energy future and have access to good paying jobs.”

As defined by the U.S. Department of Energy, “a zero net energy (ZNE) is a building with zero net energy consumption, meaning the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site.” The NZP-ETI takes it a step farther, as it will generate more energy than it consumes each year. This excess energy, generated by an onsite photovoltaic solar array, can be stored in the center’s battery storage system or discharged back into the electric grid system.

“The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and the Los Angeles National Electrical Contractors Association formed a partnership to develop the NZP-ETI with the mission to provide world-leading electrical training and have nationally recognized programs of excellence in training,” said Marvin Kropke, Business Manager of IBEW Local 11. “Through this partnership and in cooperation with utilities and private companies, IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are pioneering the Net Zero Plus program to transform commercial markets by employing the newest electrical technologies and training the most skilled workforce in the U.S.”

Commercial buildings account for nearly 65 percent of Los Angeles’s energy use and are responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S., CO2 emissions from all building types are estimated to increase faster than any sector, with emissions from commercial buildings projected to grow the fastest. In California, new construction standards will require that all new residential construction be built at net zero energy by 2020 and all new commercial buildings be built to net zero standards by 2030.

The energy, environmental, economic and community benefits of this multi-million dollar retrofit include:

  • 51 percent reduced total energy consumption
  • 185,000 KWh/yr. more energy than consumed
  • 520 metric tons/yr. reduction of CO2
  • 1,500 individuals trained each year for long-term careers in the energy industry
  • A resource for architects, developers, and building owners to learn about the integration of advanced technologies
  • Enhanced grid stability and improved natural disaster and emergency response solutions
  • Maintenance of a goal of 50 percent veteran enrollment in each new apprenticeship class, as well as a comprehensive outreach program encompassing disadvantaged communities throughout Los Angeles County

“We are preparing the electrical industry of the future with transformational training to help them serve their customers with energy cost reduction strategies, realize new revenues, manage costs of reliability, invest in energy independence and achieve sustainability goals,” said Jim Willson, Executive Director of Los Angeles NECA. “Our member contractors and workforce are receiving classroom education and jobsite training as well as developing integrated energy solution capabilities in renewable energy, battery storage, and microgrids. This state-of-the-art training enables our contractors and workforce to design, safely install, and maintain complex energy systems.”

The NZP-ETI will earn the International Living Future Institute’s net zero energy certification and will be verified a net zero building by the New Buildings Institute. In addition, it was built to USGBC’s LEED Gold standard.

NZP-ETI project sponsors include One Source Distributors, Samsung SDI (Energy Storage Solutions), Square D by Schneider Electric, Milwaukee, and Sage Glass. The project development team includes PDE Total Energy Solutions, stok, O’Bryant Electric, Western Allied Corporation, Hutchens PR, Avery Energy Consulting and SimonGlover Architects.

For more information about the NZP-ETI, please visit: http://www.nzp-eti.com

$300 Million Fund Announced to Finance Energy Solutions Projects for Commercial Buildings

Fund Includes Custom Program for IBEW/NECA Net Zero Plus Energy Solutions Projects

LOS ANGELES – October 27, 2015 – The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association announced today that a new $300 million Clean Energy Fund has been established to finance new energy solutions projects for their members and contractors by ReNewAll through its exclusive finance partner, Tritec Americas. ReNewAll is a clean energy financial solutions company and a project developer for IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA.

The fund will finance energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy storage projects for commercial buildings, shopping centers, industrial facilities, multi-family housing, churches and lodging. Financing is available for projects in Greater Los Angeles and across the United States.

“This fund is a key component to our Net Zero Plus initiative and we are pleased with the growth it provides,” said James Willson, Executive Director of LA/NECA, “We are offering a full spectrum of energy solutions from energy efficiency upgrades to building or retrofitting net zero and high performance buildings. The Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute provides a highly-trained workforce of energy specialists, testing and demonstrating emerging energy technologies in our living laboratory, and now another avenue to finance these projects through ReNewAll’s programs.”

RenewAll specializes in assisting developers and building owners to finance projects, which are “cash-flow positive” from day one. Since July 1, 2015, ReNewAll has originated more than $35 million in project term sheets for NECA contractors in Southern California. A recent ReNewAll project that was completed with NECA and IBEW members is the retrofit of the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City. This $7 million energy efficiency retrofit is the largest, most comprehensive PACE project in the U.S. It has led to annual energy, material and maintenance savings of $800,000 for the hotel.

“We will be offering multiple PACE project financing options as well as power purchase agreements (PPAs) and leases for NECA and IBEW members,” explained Joe Berney, President of ReNewAll. “ReNewAll’s various financing mechanisms allow contractors to deliver solutions to property owners for little to no out of pocket investment.”

Each year, IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA train more than 4,000 men and women for careers in the electrical industry at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute in greater Los Angeles. Those trained at this facility are energy specialists prepared to design, develop, and manage solutions for today’s energy management challenges. The Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute is a 142,000 square foot national center of excellence in energy technology training, testing, and demonstration. It is currently undergoing a net zero retrofit, which will be completed in Q1 2016.

“ReNewAll is assisting us to develop large project pipelines and the growth of green jobs in Los Angeles,” said Dick Reed, President IBEW Local 11, “They are securing millions of dollars of work for our members and the contractors that employ them to provide smart energy solutions to our customers.”

For more information about this fund, please contact Joe Berney at (626) 869-8590 or joe@renewall.us. ReNewAll will provide same-day financing quotes for commercial projects.


About ReNewAll:
ReNewAll develops clean energy projects for building owners, schools, municipalities, contractors and the trades. In partnership with TRITEC Americas, ReNewAll provides PACE, PPA and Lease financing to businesses, non-profits, municipalities and NGOs. For NECA and IBEW members, their project development program includes identifying project leads, developing scopes of work, securing signed contracts and providing financing. For More Information, Please visit www.renewall.us

About TRITEC Americas:
TRITEC Americas, based in San Diego, California is the North American affiliate of the TRITEC Group, a global solar services company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland with over 30 years of excellence in the solar industry. TRITEC Americas is a leading provider of PACE program and solar PV project financing and development services for the commercial and industrial (C&I) solar market. Through its PowerNow® Commercial Solar Finance Program, TRITEC Americas develops, finances, owns and operates photovoltaic solar systems, which generate clean, predictable, affordable, renewable energy for its customers.

About The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Electrical Contractors Partnership:

Together, IBEW Local 11, which represents more than 13,000 workers, and LA/NECA, which represents more than 400 electrical contractors in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, is the second largest electrical labor union partnership of workers and contractors in the United States.

IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA forged this partnership in developing the NZP ETI to provide world leading electrical training and have nationally recognized programs of excellence in training. Through this partnership and in cooperation with utilities and private companies, IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECAare pioneering the Net Zero Plus program to transform commercial markets by employing the newest electrical technologies and training the most skilled workforce in the United States.

For more information about IBEW Local 11, please visit: http://www.ibew11.org
For more information about LA/NECA, please visit: https://www.laneca.org
For more information about the NZP ETI, please visit: http://www.nzp-eti.com

Largest 100% Veteran Electrical Apprenticeship Class Inducted at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – July 6, 2015 – IBEW Local 11 and the Los Angeles Chapter of NECA, announce the induction the largest all-veteran electrical apprenticeship class for the Electrical Veteran Apprenticeship Training program at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute in Commerce, CA. Each veteran apprentice will begin this five-year program today with a 13-day industry acclimation classroom course including various industry certifications. Following initial classroom training, each apprentice will be employed by a leading NECA contractor in greater Los Angeles and continue hands-on and classroom training at the NZP ETI. This class is comprised of 33 veterans including eleven U.S. Navy, ten U.S. Army, two Air Force, and ten Marine Corps veterans.
The Electrical Veteran Apprenticeship Training program was developed in addition to IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA’s 50% veteran enrollment commitment and existing training programs at the NZP ETI. It is the only training outreach program specifically designed for military men and women at the facility. Since its inception in 2013, 185 veterans have completed the program.

“I’ve always had an interest in working in the electrical industry and I knew that no other program could offer the level of training tailored to veterans as the one offered by IBEW and NECA,” said Colten Thompson, a U.S. Navy veteran enrolled in this year’s program. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to train at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute as it’s the starting point for a lifelong career that will help me support my family.”

The training program, which costs approximately $40,000 per apprentice, is completely funded by IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA.

“IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are delivering on a strong commitment to providing best-in-class electrical workforce training to our country’s veterans, ” said Mike Kufchak, Sergeant Major, RET. USMC and Director of Veterans Affairs and Military Outreach at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute. “These training programs provide meaningful careers for military men and women as they transition back into civilian society.”

Recently, IBEW Local and LA/NECA launched Net Zero Plus, an initiative that transforms buildings into intelligent buildings of the future by producing more energy than is consumed on an annual basis. The Net Zero Plus initiative is being pioneered at the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute, a showcase for emerging clean energy technologies and electrical industry training. Each year, more than 4,000 electrical workers are trained at this facility. Construction is currently underway on the NZP ETI retrofit, the largest Net Zero Plus commercial retrofit in the United States, and will be completed in Spring 2016.

About The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Electrical Contractors Partnership:

Together, IBEW Local 11, which represents more than 13,000 workers, and LA/NECA, which represents more than 400 electrical contractors in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, is the second largest electrical labor union partnership of workers and contractors in the United States.

IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA forged this partnership in developing the NZP ETI to provide world leading electrical training and have nationally recognized programs of excellence in training. Through this partnership and in cooperation with utilities and private companies, IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are pioneering the Net Zero Plus program to transform commercial markets by employing the newest electrical technologies and training the most skilled workforce in the United States.

For more information about IBEW Local 11, please visit: http://www.ibew11.org
For more information about LA/NECA, please visit: https://www.laneca.org
For more information about the NZP ETI, please visit: http://www.nzp-eti.com

Nation’s Largest Net Zero Plus Commercial Building Retrofit Starts Construction

The new Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute will advance technologies and implementation for Smart Buildings of the future

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – June 23, 2015 – At a groundbreaking event held today attended by hundreds of Los Angeles business leaders and students, The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association announced that construction is under way on the nation’s largest Net Zero Plus™ commercial building retrofit at their Electrical Training Institute in Los Angeles County. The two organizations also announced the launch of their new Net Zero Plus initiative which has been developed to advance strategies and technologies to help buildings achieve reduced energy costs and meet new construction standards which require that all new commercial buildings be built to net zero standards by 2030.

Upon completion, the newly retrofitted 142,000 square foot Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute, is designed to be an “intelligent building of the future” and generate more energy on annual basis than it uses. The building will demonstrate the future of smart energy efficiency, microgrid system integration, energy storage solutions, building resiliency in the wake of a natural disaster or grid interruptions, and advanced lighting controls and automated building management systems. The project is being built with American-made products and by American Union tradesmen.

The energy savings from the new NZP ETI building retrofit are substantial: From an existing annual energy consumption of about one megawatt, the building will now use zero energy from the electric grid because it will utilize renewable energy and a battery storage system. Overall, energy usage has been reduced by 250,000 kWh/yr, and the building has the capacity to produce approximately one megawatt of energy per year. It will reduce lighting usage by 46%, heating and cooling by approximately 60% and it will achieve a reduction of 28.9 tons in CO2 emissions annually.

IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA train over 4,000 apprentices and journeymen electricians each year for new jobs in all the facets of the electric industry with a goal of 50% veteran enrollment. “Our operational microgrid, battery storage system and integrated energy technologies will provide hands-on training that is unprecedented at any other electrical training center,” said Marvin Kropke, Business Manager of IBEW Local 11. “The NZP ETI will set the standard for training as a replicable model for other electrical training centers around the country.”

“The energy industry is changing so rapidly that yesterday’s electricians must become tomorrow’s Total Energy Solutions Providers in order to meet the new demands of the industry. IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are pioneering the NZP ETI to provide transformational training for the future electrical work force,” said James Willson, Executive Director of LA/NECA.

The NZP ETI will be a training, demonstration and testing center to help bring new energy technologies to market. “The Center for Sustainable Energy is excited to work with IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA to test innovative technologies in a real-world setting provided by the NZP ETI while bringing new skills to the workforce,” said CSE Executive Director Len Hering, RADM, USN (ret). “Achieving California’s ZNE goals will require significant installation of advanced energy technologies, creating a huge opportunity for jobs and economic development. IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA are ideal partners in stimulating the clean energy economy of the future.”

IBEW Local 11 and NECA/LA are also launching Net Zero Plus, a smart energy initiative that will accelerate the paradigm shift toward a clean energy economy of the future. Net Zero Plus will help architects, contractors, developers, and building owners transform the way buildings use, produce, store, and monitor energy in addition to generating energy in excess of annual demand.

Many buildings in California, specifically in greater Los Angeles, were developed prior to California state energy codes and consume far more energy than is actually needed. These buildings are also not prepared to continue operation in the wake of a natural disaster or power outage. Utilizing Net Zero Plus strategies and technologies, inefficient buildings can be retrofitted to become high-performance buildings that reduce energy consumption, are prepared for grid disruptions, and create healthier places to live and work in.

High performance buildings, both new and retrofitted, yield strong return on investment for owners through reduced operating costs, improved tenant satisfaction, and potentially generating new streams of revenue thereby giving building owners an early market advantage with their real estate assets. The partnership’s new Net Zero Plus initiative will help the building industry to:

• Improve grid reliability
• Implement total energy storage solutions
• Advance energy independence and security
• Advance total building controls
• Help to reduce environmental impacts of commercial buildings
• Provide stronger responses to natural disaster and emergency response solutions
• Lead to reduced electricity costs
• Provide comprehensive energy insight and analytics

“Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) operates the largest public power portfolio of energy efficiency programs in the nation, comprised of a broad array of energy resource acquisition and market transformation programs serving LADWP’s customers and trade ally networks. We are very keen on working with the NZP ETI to develop, test, and implement strategies that will help lead to the comprehensive adoption of energy efficient technologies by LADWP’s customers,” said David Jacot, P.E., Director of Energy Efficiency for LADWP.

Construction will be completed in Spring 2016 with a Grand Opening scheduled for April 21, 2016 to coincide with Earth Day, 2016. The investment in the retrofit is approximately $13 million. The general contractor is PDE Total Energy Solutions and the electrical contractor is O’Bryant Electric.

GROUP-ETI-PRESS-CONF

About The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 and Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Electrical Contractors Partnership:

Together, IBEW Local 11, which represents more than 13,000 workers, and LA/NECA, which represents more than 400 electrical contractors in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, is the second largest electrical labor union partnership of workers and contractors in the United States.

IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECA forged this partnership in developing the NZP ETI to provide world leading electrical training and have nationally recognized programs of excellence in training. Through this partnership and in cooperation with utilities and private companies, IBEW Local 11 and LA/NECAare pioneering the Net Zero Plus program to transform commercial markets by employing the newest electrical technologies and training the most skilled workforce in the United States.

For more information about IBEW Local 11, please visit: http://www.ibew11.org
For more information about LA/NECA, please visit: https://www.laneca.org
For more information about the NZP ETI, please visit: http://www.nzp-eti.com