Zero Net Energy (ZNE) and Zero Net Carbon (ZNC) are in the news and in our current planning and policy discussion. This makes for an exciting present and near-future for anyone passionate about greener buildings and long-term resiliency while divesting from fossil fuel use.<\/p>\n
But what do they mean? You’d think such little terms would be eminently understandable, yet they are often complex and sometimes confusing. I have two responses to the complexity – first, let’s strive for clarity, of course. Second, let’s try very hard to not let the detailing of the definitions distract us from the actual work we need to undertake to achieve the vast improvements we seek.<\/p>\n
Desire for perfection often impedes actual progress.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
ZNE is most often defined as a building (or project) for which the energy use in a year is less than or equal to the renewable energy produced on-site. The Living Building Challenge energy petal is one approach to certifying\u00a0ZNE buildings, and below I have posted a link to a list of ZNE buildings from the New Buildings Institute. The California State Energy Code will require\u00a0ZNE for\u00a0<\/span>new construction residential<\/span>\u00a0in 2030, and New York state Energy Code is on track to require <\/span>ZNE<\/span> buildings in commercial and residential as baseline compliance by 2035.<\/span><\/p>\n
2016 List of Zero Net Energy Buildings<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n