Hub: Getting to Zero
Breaking new ground: How Willowbrook Wildlife Center will cut energy use
News / February 22, 2023
Published by Daily Herald: New Buildings Institute recognizes 16 verified and emerging net-zero energy buildings in the state of Illinois. Willowbrook Wildlife Center will be the first net-zero development in the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County as part of...
Relevant 2023 ESG Strategies Needed
News / December 9, 2022
Published by StarProperty: The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which was recently concluded on Nov 18 2022 in Egypt, has resulted in countries delivering a package of decisions that reaffirmed their commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C...
The Next Level: Next Gen Workforce
News / November 30, 2022
A recent article in NESEA’s BuildingEnergy magazine was written by Senior Project Manager Leada Fuller-Marashi. The article profiles the success of the Next Gen program. Learn more in the link below, starting on page 62 of the publication.
50 Sustainability Organizations For Architects Around the World
News / November 18, 2022
Published by Architizer: At this point, every practicing architect should know that the design and construction industry accounts for over 40% of global carbon emissions. Over the past few decades, as awareness about how the industry is helping to fuel...
FACT SHEET: Progress on Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure
News / October 26, 2022
Published by the White House: Today, Vice President Harris will provide a six-month progress report on the Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, outlining a series of actions from across the Administration to upgrade our public schools with healthy,...
Agora Theatre redevelopment project wins energy-efficiency financing
News / October 19, 2022
Published by Cleveland Business Journal: A $15.5 million redevelopment project at the historic Agora Theatre and Ballroom complex in Cleveland’s MidTown neighborhood has qualified for a new type of low-interest financing based on its future energy efficiency. “This is a...
$15.5 million renovation underway for Agora Theater complex
News / October 19, 2022
Published by ABC News 5 Cleveland: Nearly 50 market-rate apartments as well as renovated office and restaurant spaces are expected at the Agora Theater complex, thanks in part to recently secured financing for the more than $15 million project. Shawn...
Cleveland’s Agora Complex becomes the first project in the nation to access CIRRUS Low Carbon financing
News / October 19, 2022
Renew Partners leverages the low cost of capital financing to lower the carbon footprint of the iconic building in Cleveland’s Midtown neighborhood CLEVELAND [Oct. 19, 2022] — A Cleveland building most well-known for hosting the likes of The Ramones and...
Embodied Carbon: Deeper Decarbonization of the Built Environment
Webinar / December 13, 2022 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm PST
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allocates billions of dollars toward low-embodied carbon material procurement, documentation, and labeling as new policies seek low-carbon solutions. As materials and construction account for 11% of global carbon emissions, the building community must reduce this…
Will the Inflation Reduction Act Accelerate Decarbonization Within the Real Estate Industry?
News / September 9, 2022
Published by Propmodo: Buried within the 730-page Inflation Reduction Act that Congress recently passed is a dizzying array of proposals that directly and indirectly impact the commercial real estate sector. It also includes corporate tax reform, a huge expansion of...
It’s About Progress, Not Perfection, in Real Estate Net-Zero Pledges
News / August 26, 2022
Published by Propmodo: The term “net-zero” is everywhere, including in the real estate industry. It’s hard to avoid, even if people may not know how to define it. Solemn “net-zero by 2050” oaths have filled newsfeeds and become a call...
How can schools help climate change?
News / August 22, 2022
Published by Market Business News: Schools play a major part to play in diminishing emanations of unsafe ozone depleting substances that cause an over-burden of carbon dioxide. Learn Now is environmentally friendly. The country’s schools yearly produce as much carbon...
Getting to Zero Buildings Database
Online Tool / July 22, 2022
NBI works to identify, research, analyze, and promote commercial and multifamily buildings that are leaders in low and zero energy. We maintain the most comprehensive list of zero energy (ZE) commercial and multifamily buildings across North America. This interactive tool…
Net Zero Buildings Week Spotlights Heroes, Resources
Post / July 14, 2022
During the second Net Zero Buildings Week , June 13-17, over 250 partners (see list below) shared stories, building project examples, and resources about net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings on social media. This year’s theme “Net Zero Heroes” worked...
Building-integrated Photovoltaics Global Market Report 2022
News / July 8, 2022
Published by Globe Newswire: The global concern regarding the carbon emissions from buildings and buildings construction is rising the demand for zero energy buildings. Building-integrated photovoltaics materials provide a reasonable option for building skins and help in achieving zero energy...
Guide helps schools find funding for buildings from federal, state government
News / June 2, 2022
Published by Building Design + Construction: New Buildings Institute (NBI) recently released a guide to help schools identify funding programs for facilities improvements available from federal and state government programs. “The Decarbonization Roadmap Guide for School Building Decision Makers and...
This Marcel Breuer–Designed Brutalist Building Has Reopened as a Net-Zero Luxury Hotel
News / June 1, 2022
Published by Architectural Digest: Marcel Breuer was at the height of his fame, in 1968, when he was commissioned to design new headquarters for the Armstrong Rubber Company, in New Haven, Connecticut. Breuer’s landmark complex has just reopened as Hotel...
Just In! (from NY-GEO)
News / May 23, 2022
Published by Green Energy Times: NBI: Model Government Zero Emissions Buildings Policy – With building construction and operations making up nearly 40% of U.S. carbon emissions, many jurisdictions have made reducing emissions from the built environment a top strategy for...
Investments from state and federal leaders provide vital funding to create healthy schools, futureproof against climate impacts
News / May 20, 2022
Published by The McMorrow Reports: America’s K-12 schools currently spend $12.5 billion per year on energy (PDF file). Meanwhile, students are demanding a more hopeful and sustainable future, starting with better learning environments than the many aging, unhealthy, and underfunded school...
Green Sleep
News / May 19, 2022
Published by Electrical Construction & Maintenance: Energy-efficient building design could be marking an important progress milestone with the recent opening of a potentially groundbreaking property. The Hotel Marcel New Haven, in New Haven, Conn., was set to welcome its first...
What Schools Can Do to Tackle Climate Change (Hint: More Than You Think)
News / May 18, 2022
Published by EducationWeek: Schools have a big role to play in reducing emissions of harmful greenhouse gases that cause an overload of carbon dioxide. The nation’s schools annually emit as much carbon as 18 coal plants or 8 million homes,...
Better Loan Terms for High-Performing Retrofits and New Builds
News / May 11, 2022
Published by BuildingGreen: The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy loan program (C-PACE) offers low-interest capital to projects pursuing energy and water savings; the loan gets paid back through a special tax assessment. Pretty good deal, but New Buildings Institute (NBI)...
Making ESG goals a reality
News / May 10, 2022
Published by The Real Estate News Exchange: Today, ESG factors have moved to the forefront of our decision-making processes and are driving visible transformation across all industries – CRE included. It is now widely accepted that ESG investment significantly decreases...
OPINION: Earth Day is over, but there’s a lot more schools can do to address climate change
News / May 9, 2022
Published by The Hechinger Report: Last month, schools across the country celebrated Earth Day, many bringing children and families together to clean parks and plant trees. That’s excellent, but it’s time to talk about the other 364 days of the...
First Net-Zero School Slated for Alexandria, VA
News / May 2, 2022
Published by Commercial Construction & Renovation: Across the globe, the number of net-zero energy buildings is on the rise. In 2020 New Buildings Institute (NBI) estimated there were at least 700 in the United States alone. Net-zero buildings cost less...
Innovative Chicagoland Buildings Striving for Sustainability
News / April 27, 2022
Published by WTTW: We’ve all heard of “green” architecture designed to reduce the huge toll buildings take on our environment and climate. Chicago itself has received the top level of certification for sustainability in buildings from LEED, or Leadership in Energy and...
Investments from state and federal leaders provide vital funding to create healthy schools, futureproof against climate impacts
News / April 26, 2022
A new guide from NBI can help districts leverage funding for learning spaces that are better for people and the planet America’s K-12 schools currently spend $12.5 billion per year on energy. Meanwhile, students are demanding a more hopeful and...
Key Messages for Communicating About Carbon Neutral Schools
Document / April 25, 2022
Effective communication is critical to successfully engage your audience and ultimately achieve your goal of designing, constructing, and operating a zero energy (ZE) school. This document will help you to address key questions around your communication effort and engage stakeholders…
Decarbonization Roadmap Guide for School Building Decision Makers
Guideline / April 25, 2022
The Decarbonization Roadmap Guide is written for those interested in healthy, efficient, carbon neutral school design, construction and operation. It outlines achievable goals that result in healthy, affordable, all-electric facilities, and explains common actions taken by leading districts to operationalize…
How ‘net-zero’ hotels could make travel more climate-friendly
News / April 25, 2022
Published by National Geographic: The Brutalist Pirelli building was once voted the ugliest structure in Connecticut. Now the hulking 1970 mid-rise has earned a new superlative: the most energy-efficient hotel in the United States. It will take a year of...