James Dirks

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
jadirks@pnnl.gov

Biography

Mr. Dirks has been with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory since 1982. He has a wide range of interests including system analysis, technology assessment, economic evaluation, and computer simulation. Jim has primarily focused on improving the energy and water efficiency of buildings and building systems; this work has principally been funded by DOE, DoD, and the Russian government. For the past 14 years, he has been project manager and principal investigator for the development of FEDS, a building energy simulation and retrofit optimization model.

Other work includes research on superconducting equipment for the electric utility industry, hazardous waste minimization, innovative financing/shared energy savings, evaluation and design of alternative solar thermal power concepts, photovoltaics, electrochemical and thermal energy storage.

Research Interests

Building energy efficiency modeling and analysis
Energy efficiency technology analysis and economics
System analysis of complex and emerging technologies
Finance and economics

Education and Credentials

M.B.A. Business Economics and Finance, University of Washington 1982
B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Washington 1980

Selected Publications

2013

Dahowski RT, and JA Dirks. 2013. Streamlining and Refining FEDS Loads Models - Final Report. PNNL-22202, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2012

Brown DR, TE Stout, JA Dirks, and N Fernandez. 2012. "The Prospects of Alternatives to Vapor Compression Technology for Space Cooling and Food Refrigeration Applications." Energy Engineering 109(6):7-20.

2011

Dirks JA, and WJ Gorrissen. 2011. Aggregate Building Simulator (ABS) Methodology Development, Application, and User Manual. PNNL-19943, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2010

Dirks JA. 2010. An Exploration of Impacts of Wide-Scale Implementation of Net Zero-Energy Homes on the Western Grid. PNNL-19693, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Dirks JA. 2010. "The Impact of Wide-Scale Implementation of Net Zero-Energy Homes on the Western Grid." In 2010 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings: The Climate for Efficiency is Now, August 15-20, 2010, Pacific Grove, California. American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Washington DC.
Brown DR, JA Dirks, N Fernandez, and TE Stout. 2010. The Prospects of Alternatives to Vapor Compression Technology for Space Cooling and Food Refrigeration Applications. PNNL-19259, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Placet M, S Katipamula, B Liu, JA Dirks, YL Xie, G Sullivan, J Walent, and R Williamson. 2010. "Energy End-Use Patterns in Full-Service Hotels: A Case Study." In 2010 ACEEE SUMMER STUDY ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS , pp. 3-310 - 3-324. American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Washington, DC.

2009

Cort KA, DJ Hostick, JA Dirks, and DB Elliott. 2009. Analyzing the Life Cycle Energy Savings of DOE Supported Buildings Technologies. PNNL-18658, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2008

Dirks JA, DM Anderson, DJ Hostick, DB Belzer, and KA Cort. 2008. Lost Opportunities in the Buildings Sector: Energy-Efficiency Analysis and Results . PNNL-17623, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Elliott DB, JA Dirks, and DJ Hostick. 2008. Methodological Framework for Analysis of Buildings-Related Programs with BEAMS, 2008. PNNL-17725, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Livingston OV, MJ Scott, DJ Hostick, JA Dirks, and KA Cort. 2008. Impact of the FY 2009 Building Technologies Program on United States Employment and Earned Income . PNNL-17598, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Valencia JF, and JA Dirks. 2008. "Development of EnergyPlus Utility to Batch Simulate Building Energy Performance on a National Scale." Journal of Undergraduate Research VIII:206.

2007

Scott MJ, JA Dirks, and KA Cort. 2007. "The Value of Energy Efficiency Programs for U.S. Residential and Commercial Buildings in a Warmer World." Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 13(4):307-339. doi:10.1007/s11027-007-9115-4

2006

Brown DR, WD Chvala, Jr, and JA Dirks. 2006. Central Energy System Modernization at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. PNNL-16242, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Chvala WD, Jr, DR Brown, and JA Dirks. 2006. "Central energy plant assessment strategy used at Redstone, Fort Jackson." Public Works Digest XVIII(5):25-26. doi:

2005

Scott MJ, JA Dirks, and KA Cort. 2005. "The Adaptive Value of Energy Efficiency Programs in a Warmer World." In Reducing Uncertainty Through Evaluation: 2005 International Energy Program Evaluation Conference, pp. 671-682. International Energy Program Evaluation Conference, Madison, WI.

2004

Elliott DB, DM Anderson, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, and DJ Hostick. 2004. Baseline Inputs for BEAMS: Data used in preparing Methodological Framework for Analysis of Building-Related Programs: The GPRA Metrics Effort, June 2004 . PNNL-14696, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Elliott DB, DM Anderson, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, and DJ Hostick. 2004. Methodological Framework for Analysis of Buildings-Related Programs: The GPRA Metrics Effort. PNNL-14697, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Hostick DJ, DM Anderson, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JP Dion, JA Dirks, and SC McDonald. 2004. "Scenario-Based R&D Portfolio Analysis: Informing the Tough Decisions." In 2004 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, pp. 4-148 - 4-162. American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Washington, DC.
Scott MJ, DM Anderson, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, DB Elliott, and DJ Hostick. 2004. Impact of the FY 2005 Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program on United States Employment and Earned Income. PNNL-14812, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Scott MJ, DM Anderson, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, DB Elliott, and DJ Hostick. 2004. Impact of the FY 2005 Building Technologies Program on United States Employment and Earned Income . PNNL-14813, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2003

Anderson DM, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, DB Elliott, DJ Hostick, and MJ Scott. 2003. Methodological Framework for Analysis of GPRA Metrics: Application to FY04 Projects in BT and WIP. PNNL-14231, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Brown DR, and JA Dirks. 2003. "Prospective FORSCOM Energy Intensities." In Solutions for Energy Security & Facility Management Challenges, Proceedings of the 25th World Energy Engineering Congress, ed. Wells, Joyce, pp. 271-282. Fairmont Press, Lilburn, GA.
Hostick DJ, KA Cort, DB Belzer, JA Dirks, DB Elliott, DM Anderson, and JP Dion. 2003. "Measurement and Baseline Issues Related to Evaluating a Diverse Portfolio of Federally-Supported Building Energy-Saving Programs." In 2003 International Energy Program Evaluation Conference Proceedings. Evaluation: Meeting Diverse Needs, August 20-22, 2003, Seattle, WA. IEPEC Committee, Madison, WI.
Scott MJ, DM Anderson, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, DB Elliott, and DJ Hostick. 2003. Impact of 2004 Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Buildings-Related Projects on United States Employment and Earned Income . PNNL-14209, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2002

Brown DR, and JA Dirks. 2002. "Can FORSCOM Meet Its Energy Savings Goals?" Public Works Digest 14(5):16.
Brown DR, and JA Dirks. 2002. "Can the Federal Energy Efficiency Goals Be Achieved Through Retrofits?" In Integrated Solutions for Energy & Facility Management, Proceedings of the World Energy Engineering Congress 2001, ed. D. Sioros, pp. 137-146. Fairmont Press, Lilburn, GA.
Hostick DJ, DB Belzer, KA Cort, and JA Dirks. 2002. Documentation for FY2002 BTS GPRA Metrics. PNNL-13766, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.
Hostick DJ, DB Belzer, KA Cort, JA Dirks, and RH Pool. 2002. Documentation for FY2003 BTS GPRA Metrics. PNNL-13845, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.

2000

Armstrong PR, JA Dirks, RW Reilly, JW Currie, RJ Nesse, O Komarov, and B Nekrasov. 2000. "Russian Apartment Building Thermal Response Models for Retrofit Selection and Verification." In 2000 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings - Proceedings. Panel 3. American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Washington, DC.
Brown DR, JA Dirks, and DM Hunt. 2000. Economic Energy Savings Potential in Federal Buildings. PNNL-13332, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA.