
Net Zero

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
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Net Zero Buildings: Form Follows Performance
Net Zero Court: “Form follows performance” in creating a zero carbon emission office building prototype Net zero buildings are hot topic as California mandates net zero for commercial buildings by 2030 and as a U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program initiative explores net zero buildings in the U.S. Gerry Faubert, director of Integrated Design at the HOK Group planning...
Green Buildings in China: All Signs Point to Rapid Growth
Available in Chinese. Trends in China Stimulate Exponential Growth in Certified Green Buildings In only a decade, China has gone from just one certified green building to nearly 450 – more than 400 of them built since 2007. Drivers of the trend include concern over climate change, enhancement of brand image, a better-informed market, and growth in domestic equipment suppliers. Michelle Bai,
Demand Response: Growth Factors and the Future
Demand response (DR) – temporary changes to electric loads in reaction to conditions in the grid – now accounts for 7.6 percent of U.S. peak demand and could reach 20 percent in the future, according to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission estimate. But why have DR programs gained traction in some regions and not others? An Institute for Building Efficiency study explored that...
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2011 Zero and Net-Zero Energy Buildings + Homes
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Issue Brief: Demand Response Drivers, ENG
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Podcast: LED Interview with Dr. Bob Karlicek
Topic(s) ARPA-E: Toward Game-Changing Technologies in Energy Efficiency (Podcast)
In a podcast on Dec. 14, 2010, with the Institute for Building Efficiency, Dr. Ravi Prasher of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) shared his perspectives on fostering game-changing advances in building efficiency. Dr. Prasher directs the Building Energy Efficiency Through Innovative Thermodevices (BEET-IT) program for ARPA-E. He came to the...
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Primer: Tenant Build-Outs
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Interview with Dr. Ravi Prasher
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