What is a Net Zero Energy Building and Why it’s the Building of the Future A Net-Zero-Energy building generates more energy on site, from renewable energy sources, than it consumes. Typically, net zero energy is measured on an annualized basis.
Rick Alfandre, AIA LEED, AP BD+C Alfandre Architecture, PC Alfandre.com 845-255-4774 ralfandre@alfandre.com
Consumption in million kilowatt hours
While still a nascent market, the growth trend for net zero Share of total U.S. energy consumption by Electricity consumption in the United States in 2019, by sector issteep. Thecount ofverified end-use sectors, 2020buildingsacrosstheUnited (in million kilowatt hours) Total=increased 92.94 quadrilliontenfold British thermal units2010 and States and Canada has since 1,750,000 encompasses over 62 million square feet of commercial and multifamily building space. As more cities and states pursue 1,500,000 Commercial Residential 18% 22% 1,440,289 climate action plans, increased attention will be focused on 1,250,000 1,360,877 net zero building performance as a standard for commercial 1,000,000 1,002,353 and residential buildings. This new vision is capturing the 750,000 Transportation Industrial attention of building owners26%and operators, 33% designers and 500,000 builders, as well as policy and civic leaders. The potential 250,000 market for how we approach building design and operation 7,632 0 Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy thatusescleanenergyresourcesefficientlyandeliminates Review, Table 2.1, April 2021, preliminary data. Note: Sum of individual ©Statista 2022 percentages may notbuildings equal 100 becauseis of independent the “carbon footprint” of our huge. rounding Different people may also refer to net zero energy (NZE) buildings as zero-net-energy or zero energy. You may see all three names referred to in this article or elsewhere. As we can see from the following charts, buildings in the United States consume more energy, by sector than either industry or transportation. Further, buildings account for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions when we factor in the amount of electricity they use combined with the burning of fossil fuels for space heating and domestic hot water.
Share of total U.S. energy consumption by end-use sectors, 2020 Total= 92.94 quadrillion British thermal units
Residential Commercial 18% 22% Transportation 26%
Industrial 33%
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review, Table 2.1, April 2021, preliminary data. Note: Sum of individual percentages may not equal 100 because of independent rounding
A Zero Energy Building (ZEB), also known as a Net Zero NZE Buildings may, at times, consume non-renewable Energy (NZE) building, or a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) energy and produce greenhouse gases, but at other times building, is a building with net zero energy consumption. reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas production The total amount of energy used by the building, on an elsewhere by at least the same amount. NZE buildings annual basis, is equal to the amount of renewable energy contribute less overall greenhouse gas emissions during createdonthesite.Inotherdefinitions,thebuilding maysimilar use non-NZE buildings. operations than offsite renewable energy sources.
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