With its new building promotion program, NRMCA can now provide energy modeling for low- and mid-rise commercial and multi-family buildings. Concrete structures have additional thermal mass and exceed building envelope thermal performance requirements and generally offer long-term savings for builders that are often focused entirely on first cost. The NRMCA promotion team can now illustrate the thermal properties of concrete to show enhanced performance during the design phase at the project level. It can also use this information to target LEED certification. Using energy simulation software, verification of the effect of thermal mass in concrete frame buildings will show significant lower energy use. The overall effect of thermal mass in concrete-framed buildings will translate to energy cost reduction relative to the baseline steel and wood framed buildings.

"Not only will the modeling show significant reduction in energy use, we will be able to assign an Energy Star target to the building," said Michael Wymant, NRMCA's recently named senior director of building innovations. Energy Star ranks eligible buildings with a score of 1-100 based on energy performance. ‘Not only will developers benefit from understanding energy use, they will be in a position to apply for ‘Designed to earn Energy Star’ designation highlighting the EPA standard of ongoing performance," Wymant said.