The General Services Administration’s Net-Zero Energy Task Group is working on a draft letter with clear goals and guidance for net-zero energy buildings by this September. The committee recently created a provisional definition of net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs).
The draft definition distinguishes between two different types of net-zero buildings:
- NZEB: an energy-efficient building where the actual annual source energy consumption is balanced by on-site renewable energy.
- REC-NZEB: an energy-efficient building where the actual annual source energy consumption is balanced by on-site renewable energy to the maximum extent possible and is augmented by off-site renewable energy and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from certified sources.
GSA’s Net-Zero Energy Task Group is part of the Green Building Advisory Committee, which advises and helps agencies build more sustainably. In its draft, the committee has recommended that net-zero buildings reduce energy use by 50% or more than typical buildings of similar types.
Related Stories
| Jun 14, 2012
Green standard set for single-ply roofing membrane
A sustainability standard has been established for single-ply roofing membranes used on commercial buildings.
| Jun 5, 2012
HP Labs aims for net-zero energy data centers
Building sustainable data centers is one of the goals of HP Labs, and it believes technology, combined with the right building techniques, could result in the construction of energy-efficient data centers.
| Jun 5, 2012
USGBC delays LEED 2012; renames it LEED v4
In response to concerns by LEED users, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will delay the ballot on LEED 2012 until June 1, 2013.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 31, 2012
Lawsuits push the legal boundaries of green building definition
This article explores some legal issues stemming from lawsuits in which plaintiffs have charged developers with not delivering on a promised level of sustainability.
| May 31, 2012
ANSI approves Green Building Initiative’s design standard
The Green Building Initiative (GBI), a Portland, Ore. nonprofit organization, has had its new consensus-based standard for the design, construction, and operations of environmentally friendly buildings approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
| May 31, 2012
USGBC testing Minnesota buildings to see if they are living up to LEED standards
The Minnesota chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has teamed up with EnergyPrint, a St. Paul, Minn. energy consulting firm, to study the energy and water use of more than 150 buildings in the state that have LEED certification.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 25, 2012
Major retail chains welcome LEED Volume option
Large national chains such as Starbucks, Marriott, Verizon, and Kohl’s are welcoming the LEED Volume Program that enables them to batch certify similar projects.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
