Smart, green, productive and efficient buildings contribute to urban efficiency and high-performance cities. Buildings don’t turn green with a fresh coat of paint, and building green is not an afterthought. Green, net zero building principles encompass the entire life cycle of a building—from the design and construction phases to the operation and maintenance of the building. Green buildings efficiently select and use resources and engage occupants to live and work in the buildings in a sustainable manner. Those that match their energy demand with on-site energy production can achieve “net-zero” status. Increasingly, green and net zero buildings are demonstrating real market traction - and the benefits are becoming clear. Photo credit: Brad Kahn/Flickr
Momentum in pursuing net zero energy in new buildings is growing in the United States. An increasing number of buildings meet this standard, raising confidence that net zero goals are realistic given current building technologies and design approaches. In this environment, the New Buildings Institute (NBI) in February 2014 released an update on the latest market trends and government policies:
Demand response will likely play a growing role in reducing peak power demand, balancing intermittent renewable energy, managing power price spikes, supporting grid reliability, and managing transmission congestion. To meet these challenges, demand response programs must find a way to grow and sustain customer participation. “Increasing Opportunities for Demand Response,” a report from...
Utilities carefully manage the electricity supply to ensure that they can meet customer demand on the grid. Demand response programs can help balance supply and demand by encouraging customers to curtail usage during times of high demand. Demand response began as a way to help utilities and grid operators meet large peaks cost-effectively on a few of the hottest summer and coldest winter days.
Interest in green buildings – and green building rating tools – is a worldwide trend. From Australia’s GreenStar green building rating tool to Japan’s CASBEE rating system, building developers, designers, owners and operators are developing and managing a new class of efficient and environmentally friendly buildings. Individuals and organizations are using the latest...
An article in the September issue of Building Design + Construction magazine highlights a new book by well-known green building author Jerry Yudelson and co-author Ulf Meyer. The book profiles 55 high-performance buildings from around the world, including the Johnson Controls Corporate Headquarters in Glendale, Wis. and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. One of the hardest parts of the...
