Getting to Zero

Market development and leadership drives scale for net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings.

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Summary

NBI’s Getting to Zero Market Development and Leadership Program represents one of the most extensive portfolios of expertise and resources on net zero energy and carbon neutral buildings in the world. For over a decade, NBI has seeded market growth with thought leadership, research, education, communications and convenings. These efforts are helping to drive net zero projects to scale by facilitating collaborations among industry leaders, expanding the use of best practices, research, guidance and innovations in technologies, and garnering support for market adoption that leads to advanced policies and programs. 

Our Getting to Zero website (www.gettingtozeroleadership.orgprovides access to over 300 hand-picked resources and is the online landing spot for the Getting to Zero Forum, which gathers hundreds of energy and building market professionals on this topic. NBI’s buildings database catalogues and tracks over 700 verified and emerging projects across the United States and Canada. These ultra-low energy buildings consume only as much energy as can be met with clean renewable energy generation. Performance of verified projects are confirmed with measured energy use data. 

While still a nascent market, the growth trend for net zero is steep. The count of verified and emerging buildings across the United States and Canada has increased tenfold since 2010 and encompasses over 62 million square feet of commercial and multifamily building space. As more cities and states are pursue climate action plans increased attention will be focused on net zero building performance as a standard for homes and commercial buildingsThis new vision is capturing the attention of building owners, designers, policymakers, civic leaders, operators and others who see its potential to help rethink how we approach building design and operation into a future that uses clean energy resources efficiently and eliminates the carbon footprint of buildings. 

Note: Different regions refer to net zero energy buildings as either net zero energy, zero net energy or zero energy. While we try to be consistent, we also want to use language that represents the local preference. Thereforeyou may see all three names referred to in these materials.  

NewsView All

How soon do you have to buy heat pumps and EVs to avoid climate catastrophe?

News / November 16, 2023 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

Published by The Washington Post: “Just 1 percent of U.S. homes have installed heat pump water heaters, which deliver hot water with ultra-efficient heat pumps, making them one of the least-common climate technologies in U.S. homes.[…] The biggest reason to...

Focused Strategies

zEPI

Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015

The 2015 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) includes many progressive measures that will improve the energy performance of buildings. One important provision describes the Zero Energy Performance Index (zEPI), which provides a scale for measuring commercial building energy performance. zEPI...

Zero Net Energy Policies

Codes & Policy / December 22, 2015

Policies and programs can dramatically change the landscape for Zero Net Energy (ZNE) buildings. There is burgeoning market interest in ZNE, and policies and programs can foster and grow that interest through leadership, direct support, and the reduction of risks and...

ResearchView All

The Building Electrification Technology Roadmap for Schools

Report / January 29, 2024

Learn strategies tailored for K-12 schools to reduce carbon emissions from water heating, HVAC, buses, and other technologies that power classrooms and operational spaces. This report provides K-12 leaders a roadmap and decision-making tools to electrify their school buildings.

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…

Why K-12 Should Feature in America’s National Climate Strategy

Paper / April 21, 2021

This white paper by UndauntedK12, New Buildings Institute, and the Coalition for Climate Education Policy offers a national perspective on the urgent role that our K-12 sector must play in our national climate strategy. In particular, we urge state and…

Getting to Zero Resource Hub

Document / January 8, 2021

The Getting to Zero Resource Hub is home to over 300 resources on zero energy and carbon neutral buildings including guides, models, research, case studies, educational webinars, and more. Categories cover design and development, codes and policy, residential buildings, embodied…

2020 Midwest Getting to Zero Buildings List

Document / October 22, 2020

The 2020 Midwest Getting to Zero Buildings List tracks commercial and multifamily zero energy (ZE) building projects across 13 states, including: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. This inaugural Buildings…

Getting to Zero Buildings Lists

Document / September 24, 2020

NBI's 2020 list of pioneering zero energy (ZE) projects represents the latest growth in a rapidly expanding market. For this list, ZE buildings are extremely energy efficient, with a median site EUI of only 23 kBtu/sf/yr*, and consume only as…

Energy Code Roadmaps for Getting to Zero Outcomes

Paper / February 20, 2020

Advanced energy codes are an important policy mechanism to advance energy efficiency and integrate renewables into the built environment. Energy code roadmaps lay the groundwork by identifying the order and priorities necessary for subsequent code improvements on the path to…

Zero Energy Commercial Building Targets

Paper / September 9, 2019

The critical first step in achieving a zero energy building is to set an energy use target. This Zero Energy Commercial Building Targets white paper helps define appropriate goals for these ultra-low energy buildings, which often surpass even the most…

California Getting to Zero Watchlists

Document / August 29, 2019

NBI uses its extensive buildings data set to develop specialized Buildings Lists focused on a particular region or building type to help increase public awareness, market acceptance, and adoption of zero energy projects. California leads in zero energy buildings and…

2019 Getting to Zero Project List

Document / May 8, 2019

The 2019 Getting to Zero Project List tracks commercial and multifamily zero energy (ZE) projects across North America where ZE performance has been certified by a third party or verified by NBI. The trailblazing projects in this list have achieved…

2019 New York Getting to Zero Status Report

Report / April 15, 2019 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

The 2019 New York Getting to Zero Status Report is a first-of-its-kind review of the state of the net zero energy buildings market in New York State and provides detailed policy and market context about New York’s leading role in…

2019 Zero Energy Schools Watchlist

Document / February 13, 2019

The 2019 Zero Energy Schools Watchlist tracks education buildings, including K-12 schools, higher education, and general education facilities. The Watchlist documents the status of zero energy school projects across North America and raises public awareness of districts that are getting…

Northwest Zero Energy Watchlist

Document / December 19, 2018

The Northwest Zero Energy Watchlist tracks commercial and multifamily zero energy (ZE) buildings across the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. The Watchlist is published to show the status of ZE projects in the region and to increase public…

Zeroing in on Schools

Paper / August 27, 2018

This paper from the 2018 ACEEE Summer Study presents completed national research about decision-making, funding and energy practices in the K-12 schools new and existing buildings market. The paper confirms the obvious, that educational outcomes and student performance are the…

2018 Getting to Zero Status Update

Report / January 23, 2018

We are pleased to share the 2018 Getting to Zero Status Update and Zero Energy Buildings List, which summarizes the growth and trends from nearly 500 certified, verified and emerging zero energy projects across the United States and Canada. In…

California K-12 and Community College Zero Net Energy Retrofit Readiness Study

Report / November 17, 2017

The California K-12 and Community College Zero Net Energy (ZNE) Retrofit Readiness Study provides recommendations to California Program Administrators and other key market actors on how to best stimulate and enable the public school market to meet California’s aggressive ZNE…

List of Zero Net Energy Buildings

Report / October 13, 2016

NBI is home to the most extensive data set on zero energy, low-carbon buildings in the world. We regularly publish Getting to Zero Buildings Lists that show growth and market trends for zero. The lists for 2015, 2016 and 2018…

Zero Net Energy Buildings and the Grid

Paper / April 5, 2016 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

With exponential growth predicted for U.S. solar installations, substantial distributed energy supply will be available to buildings and communities across the country. When coupled with a highly efficient, intelligent buildings, these resources represent a tremendous asset, but also a complicated…

Zero Net Energy Building Controls: Characteristics, Energy Impacts and Lessons Learned Research Report

Report / December 19, 2015 / Controls

This commercial building research project was conducted by New Buildings Institute and led by the Continental Automated of Buildings Association (CABA). The objective was to characterize monitoring and control systems in Zero Net Energy (ZNE) buildings focused on three key…

Net Zero and Living Building Challenge Financial Study: A Cost Comparison Report for Buildings

Report / April 16, 2014

The Net Zero and Living Building Challenge Financial Study investigates the anticipated cost differential between a set of three reference buildings designed to the LEED Platinum standard and those same three buildings conceptually designed for deep energy efficiency, net zero…

Events

2024 Getting to Zero Forum

Event / May 21, 2024 - May 23, 2024

The Getting to Zero Forum is the premier event dedicated to building decarbonization. With a growing number of climate emergencies across the United States and around the world, there is no more important time than now for the Getting to…

NewsView All

How soon do you have to buy heat pumps and EVs to avoid climate catastrophe?

News / November 16, 2023 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

Published by The Washington Post: “Just 1 percent of U.S. homes have installed heat pump water heaters, which deliver hot water with ultra-efficient heat pumps, making them one of the least-common climate technologies in U.S. homes.[…] The biggest reason to...

Trane Technologies Foundation Supports Sustainable Futures for 40 Students

News / August 23, 2023

The donation provides professional development and career opportunities in the sustainable building sector through New Buildings Institute’s Next Gen Program Portland, Ore. – Thanks to a generous donation from the Trane Technologies Charitable Foundation, 40 underrepresented students will now have...

Lower Energy Costs, Healthier Air: How Energy CLASS Prize Winners Are Transforming Their School

News / July 27, 2023

Published by NREL: 25 local education agencies (LEAs) have been named Energy CLASS prize winners and awarded $100,000 each, along with the training and one-on-one coaching needed to put those funds to work helping their schools meet health and energy-efficiency...

Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign Honors 17 School Districts for Upgrading Facility Health and Sustainability

News / July 10, 2023

On Wednesday, June 28, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign celebrated the achievements of 17 K-12 schools and districts that implemented exemplary projects to improve the energy and environmental performance of their school’s facilities. Schools...

The Future of Buildings is Net-Zero Energy

News / July 10, 2023

Published by FacilitiesNet: Verified net-zero buildings currently represent less than 1 percent of all commercial buildings according to data from the World Green Building Council. But that number is increasingly rapidly – as much as 50 percent every two years, according to...

Low carbon verification pairs greener designs with reduced interest rates

News / July 6, 2023

Published by MAREJournal: Prior to CIRRUS Low Carbon’s introduction to the market in 2022, no private capital source offered lower rates for greener buildings. Now, developers can fortify their financing with a significantly lower interest rate when a project meets...

How going electric can save construction costs in North Dakota

News / July 6, 2023

Published by KXNews: Building an all-electric home is less expensive than building a home with oil, gas, or propane appliances. According to the non-profit New Buildings Institute, all-electric homes save people about $8,000 on construction costs and reduce energy consumption,...

Reducing Embodied Carbons Key to Achieving Net-Zero Status

News / June 22, 2023

Published by Facilites Net: NBI’s Webly Bowles speaks with Facilities Net about strategies that managers can use to lessen the impact of embodied carbon resources in their buildings.

DOE Program Provides Boost for 25 School Districts

News / June 20, 2023

Published by Facilities Net: Energy manager training is conducted with the aid of organizations such as the New Buildings Institute, and ICF International through a series of virtual courses including training on topics such as finding funding and stakeholder engagement.

The urgency of cooling access: Ensuring resilience and promoting equity in the U.S.

News / June 14, 2023

Published by Refigeration Industry: Financial assistance programs can help low-income households purchase energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling appliances (like efficient air conditioners or heat pumps) that cost less to operate due to reduced energy consumption. Similar programs can also provide low-income households with...

Yay, Your Building Is Net Zero! Meaning… What Exactly?

News / June 14, 2023

Published by Building Green: Many of ASHRAE’s own technical and energy-efficiency standards have been looking to include net-zero language and options as well, according to Jim Edelson, director of policy at New Buildings Institute (NBI) and a member of the...

Dear Decaturish – Getting City Schools of Decatur to net-zero emissions

News / June 14, 2023

Published by Decaturish: This article mentions a Getting to Zero Forum panel discussion, “Catalyzing on Student Energy to Achieve Net Zero,” moderated by NBI’s Reilly Loveland that discussed the value of student advocacy in building better environments for education, using...

Podcast: Transformative Leadership in Business— Identifying and Addressing the Barriers for Decarbonizing the Built Environment

News / May 9, 2023

In this episode, Bill interviews Ralph DiNola, CEO of the New Buildings Institute (NBI), an organization that works collaboratively with industry market players to promote advanced design practices, innovative technologies, public policies, and programs that improve energy efficiency and decarbonize...

Port of Camas-Washougal solar project planned in partnership with Clark Public Utilities

News / May 4, 2023

Published by The Columbian: Community Solar East came after the port collaborated with New Buildings Institute, a Portland-based energy performance nonprofit, in 2022 to compile resources to help agencies and businesses reduce their carbon footprint. The document outlines energy efficiency,...

Pueblo Community Health’s new East Side Clinic is first zero energy health center in U.S.

News / April 24, 2023

Published by The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Community Health Center’s new East Side Clinic received its net zero verification from New Buildings Institute, which is believed to use the “gold standard” in gauging net-zero facilities. In the clinic’s first year, it...

2023 Getting to Zero Forum Brings Together Leading Experts to Share Climate Solutions in the Built Environment

News / April 13, 2023

2023 Getting to Zero Forum Brings Together Leading Experts to Share Climate Solutions in the Built Environment  The premier event dedicated to building decarbonization invites interested parties to join virtually or in-person in Minneapolis, May 10-12. MINNEAPOLIS, Apr. 13, 2023...

Continuing Education: Architects Zero in on Zero to Define Building Performance

News / April 3, 2023

Published by Architectural Record: What do we mean when we call something “zero carbon”? Its definition is self-evident, like “gluten free” or “tax-deductible.” But does the term need a qualifier? The contributors to a building’s carbon output can be broken...

Podcast: The Intersection of Getting to Zero and ESG

News / March 8, 2023

This special podcast episode, The Intersection of Getting to Zero and ESG, was created in collaboration with USGBC. In honor of International Women’s Day, NBI’s Leada Fuller-Marashi sits down with Melissa Baker, Senior Vice President, Technical Core at USGBC and...

Recently Verified Projects from CIRRUS Low Carbon

News / March 6, 2023

The CIRRUS™ Low Carbon program charts a practical and actionable course to a low carbon future. Using a low carbon design specification, developed collaboratively by PACE Equity and New Buildings Institute, CIRRUS Low Carbon provides lower interest rates to developers...

Why we can’t solve the climate crisis without schools — and teachers

News / March 2, 2023

Published by the Los Angeles Times: A a new report — released Thursday and shared exclusively with The Times — explores how K-12 schools can educate students about climate change, while contributing to climate solutions themselves. It’s a fascinating read,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Peninsula Clean Energy Awards Building Electrification Leaders

News / April 19, 2022

Innovative San Mateo County residential, commercial projects recognized REDWOOD CITY, CA – Peninsula Clean Energy has awarded residential and commercial builders, property owners and design teams as 2022 building electrification leaders in San Mateo County.   The Jefferson Elementary School District in Daly...

US Government Focuses on Embodied Carbon to Reduce Emissions

News / March 25, 2022

Published by Guidehouse Insights: President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 in December 2021. Among the novel aspects of “Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability” is the establishment of a Buy Clean Task Force. This...

Luxury Real Estate Takes On Its Carbon Footprint

News / March 25, 2022

Published by Forbes: A number of initiatives are underway to begin addressing real estate’s carbon footprint. Among them: New Buildings Institute and PACE Equity have recently introduced a groundbreaking financing tool for owners and operators of low carbon buildings. The...

PACE Equity looks to continue growth by targeting new markets

News / March 23, 2022

Published by WisBusiness: PACE Equity recently launched a new financing option called CIRRUS Low Carbon, which aims to provide lower-cost capital for buildings with a smaller carbon footprint. The company partnered with New Buildings Institute to develop a specification providing...

Target embraces solar panels, with California store its first net zero building

News / March 17, 2022

Published by Star Tribune: In a step toward its goals to improve its environmental footprint, Target Corp. announced on Thursday its first net zero store designed to produce more renewable energy than it uses. The total number of verified and...

A ‘postcard from the future,’ Oak Park building is one of three in the state to prove it creates as much energy as it uses

News / March 17, 2022

Published by the Chicago Tribune: Truth is often as strange as science fiction at the Park District of Oak Park’s Carroll Center, a classroom and recreation space that recently became the second building in Illinois to receive zero energy verification...

Lower Cost Financing For Lower Carbon Construction

News / March 16, 2022

Published by Facility Executive: PACE Equity and New Buildings Institute (NBI) have launched a new financing option that offers a differentiated cost of capital for building a lower carbon building. The approach, dubbed CIRRUS™ Low Carbon, encourages owners and developers to...

Park district’s Carroll Center officially net-zero

News / March 1, 2022

Published by Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest: Only two facilities in Illinois have achieved net-zero verification by New Buildings Institute, and the Park District of Oak Park can lay claim to one. The Carroll Center, which was...

Measuring Embodied Carbon

News / January 28, 2022

Published by Green Building News: An increasing number of architects and builders are shifting their attention from “operational carbon,” meaning the greenhouse gas emissions connected with heating and cooling buildings, to “embodied carbon,” the emissions that can be attributed to...

Education and Climate Donors Should Join Forces to Develop Green Schools, Expand Climate Instruction

News / January 26, 2022

Published by The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Solving the climate crisis is not possible without engaging elementary and secondary educators on multiple fronts — starting with a focus on the buildings themselves. Schools make up the second largest area of public...

Forest Edge Elementary School becomes the largest net zero verified education project in the U.S.

News / January 5, 2022

Published by Building Design + Construction: Forest Edge Elementary School in Fitchburg, Wis., has become the largest net zero verified education project in the United States. The 126,600-sf project features 1,700 solar panels, 90 geothermal wells, and an energy-maximizing design....

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm Addresses Getting to Zero Forum Attendees

News / November 3, 2021

The 2021 Getting to Zero Forum took place last week, Oct 27-29, both in-person in New York and virtually online. Attendees were welcomed with special opening remarks from Secretary Granholm followed by a Q&A moderated by NBI’s CEO, Ralph DiNola....

In the business of buildings, net zero becomes a towering target

News / November 1, 2021

Published by GreenBiz: The COVID-19 pandemic reset the business of commercial real estate, with repercussions still coming into focus. Tens of millions of U.S. professionals stopped commuting to work in spring of 2020, laboring from home for months or longer....

Growth In Zero Energy Buildings

News / October 27, 2021

Published by Facility Executive: In September 2020, New Buildings Institute (NBI) released its “2020 Getting To Zero Buildings List,” a document showcasing growth and trends for zero energy and zero carbon buildings across North America. Based in Portland, OR, NBI...

“Soft Infrastructure” Is Crucial for a Post-Carbon World

News / October 26, 2021

Published by Common Edge: The soft/hard infrastructure debate points to a fundamental (but often hidden) truth about climate-responsive design. It’s not enough to design and construct a building that, on paper, is net zero and resilient in the face of...

It’s Time To Start Thinking About Net Zero Homes

News / October 20, 2021

Published by Earth911: An increasing number of cities, counties, and states around the U.S. are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and are implementing mandatory “zero” policies or codes regulating new construction, according to New Buildings Institute (NBI). There is a...

Biden administration ramps up efforts to reduce carbon footprint of buildings

News / October 12, 2021

Published by IHS Markit: The Biden administration has devoted a significant amount of attention to the building sector as part of its efforts to reduce US carbon emissions. Led by the Department of Energy (DOE), these programs seek to revive...

Bipartisan Coalition’s New K-12 Climate Action Plan Says Net-Zero Schools, Infrastructure Changes are Key to Mitigating Climate Change

News / September 28, 2021

Published by The 74: A new bipartisan coalition with some high-profile education leaders has released an action plan outlining how the sector can model climate change solutions. Recommendations include ways schools can reduce carbon emissions, utilize infrastructure as a teaching...

An Insider’s Guide to Talking about Carbon Neutral Buildings

News / September 23, 2021

About the Webinar: The building sector is shifting from decades of regulation and programmatic oriented on energy efficiency (kWh and therms) to governmental plans centered on carbon and greenhouse gas emission reductions (CO2e). While energy and carbon metrics are related,...

Low-Carbon Concrete: A Vital Challenge for Decarbonization

News / September 22, 2021

Published by Energy and Clime Partnership of the Americas: The average school or apartment building or skyscraper positively hums with energy, as occupants turn on air conditioners, fire up furnaces, or power an array of appliances, machines, and devices. All...

Biden Pushes To Curtail Emissions from Healthcare Facilities

News / September 8, 2021

Published by Healthcare Facilities Today: The Biden administration recently launched a new health office that will prod hospitals to cut carbon emissions, aiming to provide greener, more environmentally friendly medical care, according to the Associated Press. The new Office of Climate...

Net Zero Homes: Your Guide to the Greenest Housing Option

News / July 30, 2021

Published by HomeLight: Buildings account for 40% of all energy consumption in the U.S. annually, with the residential sector accounting for as much as 21% of that figure. For the eco-minded, this is concerning. But what if there was a way for...

Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why

News / June 14, 2021

Published by BuildingGreen:  The U.S. is now adding renewable energy generation faster than any other source, which is putting us on a path to rapidly decarbonize the electric grid. In some parts of the U.S., the grid is already relatively...

Podcast: How Zero-Energy Buildings Fight Climate Change and Can Save Us Money

News / June 7, 2021

Published by Great.com: Keeping the lights on, the rooms warm and our machines whirring comes at a cost. A massive 40 percent of the energy the USA consumes goes towards keeping its buildings running. In this episode of the “Great.com...

Continuing Education: Zero Energy Houses

News / June 2, 2021

Published by Architectural Record: By now this salient fact has been hammered into architects’ heads: buildings account for nearly 40 percent of carbon emissions. But most professionals don’t know how to change that number fast. One straightforward solution is to...

New Partnership Aims to Accelerate Net Zero Buildings Worldwide

News / April 6, 2021

Published by Environment + Energy Leader: The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing the organizations’ relationship. The agreement — signed last month — defines how...

WBCSD and NBI Sign MOU to Advance Net Zero Buildings

News / April 2, 2021

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing the organizations’ relationship. The agreement signed last month defines how the two organizations will collaborate  to advance and promote energy...

The Time for a Net Zero Building Boom Is Now

News / March 26, 2021

Publish by Urban Land Magazine: The cascading effects of climate change demand a new approach to how buildings are developed and managed. In the past two years, the number of net-zero-energy (NZE) commercial buildings in the United States has increased...

An Architecture Firm’s Push to Build Net-Zero Apartments—On a Budget

News / February 5, 2021

Published by The Wall Street Journal: Onion Flats, the Philadelphia-based architecture-and-building firm behind Front Flats, is at the forefront of designing low-cost buildings that use design, mechanical equipment and residents’ behavior to slash fossil fuel consumption. Mark Lyles, a project...

Biden Wants Zero-Emissions Buildings. No Tiny Windows Needed.

News / February 1, 2021

Published by ACEEE: Zero-net-energy (ZNE) buildings—ultra-efficient buildings that produce as much energy as they use with on-site renewables like solar panels—earned a surprising moment in the spotlight last year. Then-candidate Joe Biden called for “legislation to set a new net-zero...

Denver’s final Net Zero Energy New Buildings & Homes Implementation Plan

News / January 27, 2021

Denver’s final Net Zero Energy (NZE) New Buildings & Homes Implementation Plan is now available. The City and County of Denver developed a comprehensive NZE Plan for new buildings and homes which lays out major goals, milestones, and targets to...

A net-zero code doesn’t need to derail affordable housing push, advocates say

News / January 27, 2021

Published by Energy News Network: Allowing Massachusetts cities to adopt stringent energy performance standards on new construction is unlikely to slow housing creation, according to architects, energy efficiency advocates, and lawmakers pushing back on a recent climate bill veto. “As...

Sustainable: St. Louis Park’s net zero nature center

News / December 2, 2020

Published by Finance & Commerce: St. Louis Park’s handsome new Westwood Hills Nature Center will produce as much energy as it consumes. Minnesota has one other verified net zero building. Despite the lack of examples, the aspiration to reach net...

Zeroing In on Net-Zero Energy Buildings

News / October 18, 2020

Published by Commercial Property Executive: Net-zero energy buildings are gaining popularity across North America, a sign of both property owners’ commitment and the growing availability of resources to deliver on owners’ zero energy targets. In its 2020 Getting to Zero...

5 ways to future-proof a building

News / October 7, 2020

Published by Grist: Ever since workers strung the wires of the first electrical grid in 1882, buildings have been gobbling up energy. But what if that relationship were upended so that buildings fitted with solar panels produced more electricity than...

Zero Energy-Verified Commercial Buildings More Than Double Since 2018

News / September 28, 2020

The demand for zero energy buildings across the U.S. and Canada is growing exponentially, according to new data from New Buildings Institute (NBI), a nonprofit organization pushing for better performance in buildings. NBI today unveiled its 2020 Getting to Zero...

These three “net zero” buildings are leading the way on climate change

News / May 13, 2020

Published by Greater Greater Washington: Much of our greenhouse gas, especially in cities, comes from buildings. To fight climate change, cities are pushing for buildings that don’t pollute. In the Washington region, a few are showing the path forward in...

Join Us in New York City for the Next Getting To Zero Forum

News / March 5, 2020

Official dates for the 2021 Getting to Zero Forum have been updated, we are thrilled to bring this premier event on zero energy and zero carbon buildings to New York City, October 27-29, 2021. New Buildings Institute and Rocky Mountain...

University of Dayton engineering students help Mission of Mary Cooperative become first net-zero energy organization in Dayton

News / March 3, 2020

Published by University of Dayton News: University of Dayton engineering students have helped Mission of Mary Cooperative, a Dayton-based urban farming operation, become the city’s first net-zero energy organization through the New Buildings Institute, a third-party non-profit organization pushing for...

Getting to Zero Energy Housing

News / February 21, 2020

Published by Archinect: “At the rate we’re going, I fully expect, Zero Energy Ready Homes to become the norm by 2030, when tens of thousands of homes are certified each year or constructed under codes representing zero energy performance” —...

How Energy Targets Play into Zero Energy Performance Goals

News / February 7, 2020

Published by gb&d: Ralph DiNola has dedicated his professional life to bringing sustainability, green building, and energy efficiency innovation to scale. As CEO at New Buildings Institute, he oversees the nonprofit’s work to advance building efficiency all the way to...

Growth of Zero Energy Buildings

News / February 3, 2020

Published by Metal Architecture: The buildings industry is changing fast. Tomorrow’s project flow may not look like it has in the past. The fast-growing awareness of the impending climate crisis is driving major policy and market changes across North America...

Ask the Expert: How do energy targets play into zero energy performance goals?

News / January 28, 2020

Published by gb&d magazine: Zero energy buildings are highly efficient, surpassing even the most stringent energy codes. These buildings use so little energy that they meet all their demand with onsite or nearby re-newable resources like solar panels. But designers,...

New Buildings Institute Seeks Entries for Zero Buildings Database

News / December 20, 2019

Published by Building Design + Construction: New Buildings Institute (NBI) seeks new entries for its Zero Buildings Database. This listing helps illustrate the feasibility of ultra low-energy buildings. The database represents North America’s most comprehensive listing of zero energy and...

NBI Seeks New Entries for its Getting to Zero Buildings Database

News / November 27, 2019

New Buildings Institute (NBI) invites designers, builders, developers and owners of zero energy and low energy commercial buildings to submit their projects to the Getting to Zero Buildings Database. The database represents North America’s most comprehensive listing of zero energy...

Districts, Projects, Individuals Honored for Driving ZNE in New and Existing School Projects in California

News / October 18, 2019

Three exemplary individuals, school districts and school projects were honored with ZNE Schools Leadership Awards for their innovation and leadership in driving a new zero net energy (ZNE) standard for school environments. ZNE buildings represent high performance buildings that combine...

Districts, Projects, Individuals Honored for Driving ZNE in New and Existing School Projects in California

News / October 17, 2019

Three exemplary individuals, school districts and school projects were honored with ZNE Schools Leadership Awards Wednesday evening for their innovation and leadership in driving a new zero net energy (ZNE) standard for school environments. ZNE buildings represent high performance buildings...

E. Windsor company claims CT’s first “net zero” commercial building

News / September 4, 2019

Published by Hartford Business Journal: The Blake Group, which sells boilers, pumps and other products to trades and industrial customers, said one of its East Windsor facilities is the first commercial building in Connecticut to be verified as a “zero...

Zero Net Energy (ZNE) school awards seek to honor California innovation and leadership in zero net energy K-12 schools and community colleges

News / August 27, 2019

With more than 80 zero net energy (ZNE) schools operating or planned, California is leading in the nation in driving K-12 schools and community colleges to ZNE performance. These projects represent high performance buildings that combine energy efficiency and renewable...

“Nothing Is Better than Zero”? Yes, There Is Something.

News / August 26, 2019

Published by NRDC: Achieving Zero Net Energy (ZNE), which means that a building or an industrial plant produces as much renewable energy onsite as it consumes in a year, is an emerging tool to meet the most ambitious global climate...

Architects have gotten serious about operational carbon — what’s next?

News / July 16, 2019

NBI’s Getting to Zero Database is featured in this post from the Kendeda Fund.

Zero Energy Schools Can Lead the Charge on Climate Leadership

News / July 9, 2019

In this Construction Executive piece, NBI Project Manager Reilly Loveland explains the rapid growth of zero energy schools. Zero energy schools have experienced exponential growth across United States and Canada with an 850% increase in projects since 2010, according to...

Online Database Lists Nearly 600 Zero Energy Projects

News / May 16, 2019

Published by EC&M: New Buildings Institute (NBI) maintains data on thousands of low-energy projects across the United States and Canada and a recent blog post offers some analysis of the 580 certified, verified and emerging projects. That figure is a...

2019 Zero Energy Buildings Count Nears 600

News / May 16, 2019

Published by Facility Executive: Every year, New Buildings Institute (NBI) digs into its extensive Getting to Zero Buildings Database and analyzes the information collected from thousands of low-energy projects across the United States and Canada in order to offer the...

New York State Launches Competition for Low-to-Zero Carbon Development

News / May 10, 2019

Published by The Architects Newspaper: The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced the Buildings of Excellence Competition to help spur low-to-zero carbon development in multi-family construction across New York State. A recent report by the...

Net-Zero Community Opens in New York

News / April 23, 2019

Published by Multi-Housing News: The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced the completion of the first phase of Solara Apartments. To facilitate the construction of similar projects, NYSERDA will provide $15 million through the next round of...

Singapore Welcomes Net Zero Energy Building

News / April 4, 2019

Published by Devdiscourse: Singapore has opened the doors of its ‘net zero energy building’, that has been built from scratch. Tan Eng Chye, the university president described the new facility as a ‘living laboratory’ that would inspire future high-performance buildings...

The Case for Zero Energy Buildings

News / March 21, 2019

Published by D Magazine: According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, buildings are the primary energy consumers in the United States. So, as designers, contractors, managers, tenants, and owners of buildings, as citizens of the world, we should do...

5 Green Building Trends: A Push to Scale Net Zero

News / March 14, 2019

Published by The Kendeda Fund: “This tribe is growing,” declares Cathy Higgins, research director at the New Buildings Institute. NBI’s 2012 list of zero energy projects included 60 net zero buildings. That list counts both buildings that had been verified...

Zero Energy Schools Capture the Attention of Policymakers as Count of Projects Hits 191 Across the U.S. and Canada

News / March 13, 2019

Zero energy (ZE) buildings, those that use only as much energy as can be generated by clean, renewable resources, are on a solid growth path in the United States. In particular, ZE schools represent the largest segment in this market,...

News & Notes: At the Heart of a Net Zero Energy Surge

News / March 3, 2019

Published by HPAC Engineering: Lost in the chaotic cacophony of our daily news cycles, the global Net Zero Energy movement for commercial buildings quietly appears to have achieved critical mass. And HVACR systems now undeniably are at the center of...

California Leads In Net-Zero Homes As Costs Drop

News / February 14, 2019

Published by CleanTechnica: Half a dozen California cities are hosting enough net-zero homes to place the state in first place nationally among other states like Arizona where the net-zero trend is catching on rapidly, both among legislators and among leading...

Getting to Zero—Taking Action on Carbon

News / December 10, 2018

Published in Laboratory Equipment: Architecture 2030 estimates an addition of 2.5 trillion square feet of buildings to the planet by 2060, equivalent to building another New York City every 34 days—heightening the sense of urgency for designers to focus on...

Radiating Efficiency

News / November 4, 2018

Published by Net Zero Buildings (page 12): Because of the drive for optimized energy efficiency, design teams need to look at alternative HVAC methods in order to meet energy goals. A recent NBI report on radiant heating and cooling in...

Zero Net Energy Awards For California Schools

News / October 31, 2018

Published by Facility Executive: Five exemplary individuals, school districts, and school projects have been honored with with ZNE School Leadership Awards for innovation and leadership in driving a new zero net energy (ZNE) standard for school environments in California. ZNE...

Aiming For Zero Energy In Existing Buildings

News / October 15, 2018

Published by Facility Executive and written by Senior Project Manager, Alexi Miller: As the extreme weather impacts of a changing climate become more urgent, cities and states are racing to put in place strategies that will reduce carbon emissions, including...

Tips to Move Your Building Toward Net Zero

News / September 20, 2018

Published in BUILDINGS: Net zero buildings are becoming the standard for the future. In late August 2018, mayors from 19 cities around the world signed the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. The declaration...

Zeroing In

News / September 19, 2018

Published by Civil Engineering: Across the United States, primary and secondary school buildings are leading the way in the zero-energy movement, in which structures are designed to generate at least as much energy as they use. They tend to be...

What Are Zero-Energy Buildings?

News / September 7, 2018

Produced by Yale Climate Connections: These ultra-low-energy buildings might be popping up in your neighborhood soon. Listen to this short interview with Ralph DiNola, CEO.

Net Zero Energy Buildings: The Future of Facilities

News / August 2, 2018

Published by facilities.net: Net zero energy may seem out of reach for many building owners and managers, but it’s no longer a niche trend. Whether it’s ground-up construction or an update to an existing building, there are countless sustainability measures...

New Net-Zero Waste Management Centre Constructed in Ontario’s Oxford County

News / July 13, 2018

Published in Daily Commercial News: The new Waste Management and Education Centre in Oxford County, Ont. is expected to receive a Zero Net Energy certification from the New Buildings Institute (NBI). The building, which was constructed on a landfill site...

How to Attain Net Zero Energy for Large-Scale Facilities

News / July 3, 2018

Published in HC&O News: Conversations — and aspirations — around high-performing buildings have evolved quickly. Ten years ago, we dreamed of achieving LEED certification on high energy building types such as hospitals and labs. Net zero energy buildings were a...

Solar Panels Power New Schools—and New Ways of Learning

News / June 6, 2018

Published by WIRED: Buildings that make at least as much energy as they use are called “net-zero” (and “net positive” if they make more than they need). And nationwide, K-12 schools are leading a fledgling “net-zero” building boom that has...

Schools Lead the Way to Zero-Energy Buildings, and Use Them for Student Learning

News / June 6, 2018

Published by The Hechinger Report: Ultra-green schools are going up in every sort of district – urban and rural, affluent and lower income, blue state and red state. According to a March 2018 NBI report, there are 89 verified or...

Zero-Net-Energy Benefits in Commercial Construction

News / May 24, 2018

Published in New Horizon Construction Services Blog: The trend towards increasing energy efficiency in commercial buildings has resulted in a substantial reduction of carbon emissions, a major contributor of air pollution cities nationwide. The number of ZNE buildings increased by...

APS to Get Some Cash Back Due to Energy-Efficient School

News / May 22, 2018

Published by Sun Gazette Newspapers: Arlington School officials are hoping to use a statewide energy pilot program to get back some cash from excess power generated at Discovery Elementary School. Discovery Elementary opened at the start of the 2015-16 season...

Zero Dark 2018: A Current Look at California’s Net-Zero Building Goal of 2020

News / May 18, 2018

Published by GreenBiz: As the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) implements the California Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategy Plan, a foundational goal is ensuring all new residential buildings be Zero Net Energy (ZNE) by 2020 and all new commercial buildings be...

Largest Zero-Energy Office Building in the Southeast U.S. Planned in Raleigh

News / May 10, 2018

Published by The Energy Fix: A proposed 10-story office building in Raleigh, North Carolina is set to become the largest zero-energy structure in the Southeast U.S. and could boost construction of green high-rises for commercial tenants throughout the region. City...

Few Arizona Buildings Certified as ‘Net Zero,’ Extreme Climate Poses Challenges

News / May 4, 2018

From Cronkrite News (Arizona PBS): The International Living Future Institute, a nonprofit that challenges communities to build sustainable environments, has certified DPR Construction’s Phoenix headquarters as a net zero energy building, the first building in Arizona to earn the distinction...

Architecture 2030 Launches ‘Zero Code’ Standard

News / April 27, 2018

Published in the Architectural Record: In mid-April, Architecture 2030, a non-profit organization that aims to make the building sector part of the solution for global warming, released a “Zero Code”—guidelines support the creation of zero net carbon buildings by combining...

Making Multi Tenant Net Zero Work in Colorado

News / April 9, 2018

Published by Urban Land: A 100,000-square-foot (9,300 sq m) project in an emerging transit district in Boulder, Colorado, is making the business case for net-zero-energy (NZE) multi tenant leased office buildings. The case includes lower operating costs, higher profits, reduced...

GreenBiz 350 Podcast, Episode 119

News / April 6, 2018

Published in GreenBiz: According to a new report by the industry association New Buildings Institute (NBI), there are nearly 500 verified and emerging zero-energy (ZE) buildings across the United States and Canada — a massive 700 percent increase since the...

Multi Tenant Zero Energy Leases Support ZE and Carbon Reduction

News / April 2, 2018

Published by Colorado Real Estate Journal: If you want to know where Colorado is headed, look no further than its commercial buildings. Colorado currently ranks fourth on the list of 2018 NZE emerging and verified projects published by New Buildings...

Alta Energy Completes Zero Energy Retrofit of Amenities Building at Santa Clara Office Park

News / March 22, 2018

Published by Cision: Alta Energy, a sustainable energy advisory and procurement services provider, announced the completion of a 1.4 MW solar parking canopy system at the Towers at Great America in Santa Clara, California, a Class A office property owned...

Report Shows How LEED Certification Supports Net Zero Energy

News / March 21, 2018

Published by Building Design + Construction: A report by the New Buildings Institute highlights where LEED certification aids in the goal of achieving net zero energy. “Getting to Zero Status Update and List of Zero Energy (“ZE”) Projects for 2018”...

Huge Growth in Net-Zero Energy Buildings

News / March 15, 2018

Published by FacilitiesNet: For many in the buildings industry, net-zero energy still represents more a pie-in-the-sky idea than a tangible reality. But, though they still represent a very small percentage of buildings, growing evidence suggests that they’re becoming more and...

Zero-Energy Buildings See Big Boost

News / March 14, 2018

Published by Construction Dive: Sixty-seven commercial buildings were verified as net energy in the U.S. and Canada in 2017, with another 415 in construction or in the evaluation process, according to a New Buildings Institute study titled “2018 Getting to...

Advancing Net Zero Plan Calls for 100 Percent Net Zero Buildings

News / March 13, 2018

Published in the Kendeda Living Building Chronicle: A graphic from the World Green Building Council outlines the organization’s ambitious drive to advance net zero in very simple terms. With a goal that 100 percent of all buildings operate at net...

Webinar: Getting to Zero Energy

News / March 8, 2018

Published in Green Architecture & Building Report: In case you missed New Building Institute’s webinar on Nothing Beats Zero – Updates on the Trends and Projects That Are Getting to Zero Energy, you can now view it online.

5 Key Trends Behind Zero Energy Buildings

News / March 6, 2018

Published by GreenBiz: The last two years have been good for zero energy buildings, according to our latest list of certified and emerging zero energy buildings by the New Buildings Institute. This list, published every two years, inventories projects across...

U.S., Canada Home To Nearly 500 Zero Energy Buildings

News / March 6, 2018

Published by Business Facilities: Nearly 500 verified and emerging zero energy buildings have been built across the United States and Canada—a 700 percent increase since the New Buildings Institute (NBI) began tracking projects in 2012. Zero energy buildings are ultra-low...

Carlson Studio Architecture and Sarasota Audubon Achieve Zero Net Energy

News / February 26, 2018

Published by Cision: The design for Sarasota’s Audubon Nature Center has earned Zero Net Energy Building Certification from the New Buildings Institute (NBI). The announcement was released this week by Michael Carlson, principal of Carlson Studio Architecture. The project was...

Private Sector Investments Contribute to Over 700 Percent Growth in Zero Energy Buildings Market Since 2012

News / February 26, 2018

New Buildings Institute’s (NBI) 2018 zero energy buildings list includes nearly 500 verified and emerging zero energy (ZE) buildings across the United States and Canada—a 700 percent increase since NBI began tracking projects in 2012, with private sector investment now...

Efficiency of Buildings Increase, with a Focus on Facility Managers

News / February 21, 2018

Published by MultiBriefs: In 2010, the U.S. building sector generated 45 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions in the country — that’s right, nearly half of all carbon emissions came from the places Americans live, shop and work in every...

Nearly 50 Percent More Zero Energy Buildings Underway in 2017

News / February 8, 2018

Published in the Kendeda Living Building Chronicle: Zero energy commercial buildings appear to be accelerating their steep ascent. Sixty-seven of them have now been “verified” in the U.S. and Canada, according to a recent report from the New Buildings Institute....

How Can GSA Protect Its Federal Building Portfolio Against Natural Disaster Trends

News / February 6, 2018

Published in Federal News Radio: Looking back on a year of severe hurricanes and wildfires, the General Services Administration wants to know how it can best prepare its federal building portfolio against natural disaster trends. Looking ahead, GSA is also...

Thoughts on the Future of the Zero Energy Market

News / January 5, 2018

Published by BuildingGreen: The net-zero-energy building market has come a long way since the first commercial projects to target net zero were constructed nearly two decades ago. Today, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) has certified 64 projects, with another...

Districts, Projects, Individuals Honored For Driving ZNE in New and Existing School Projects in California

News / November 29, 2017

Six exemplary individuals, design teams and school districts were honored with ZNE School Leadership Awards Tuesday evening for their innovation and leadership in driving a new zero net energy (ZNE) standard for school environments. ZNE buildings represent high performance buildings that...

Report Eyes Michigan’s Sustainability Future

News / October 2, 2017

Published in Grand Rapids Business Journal: Allison Waske Sutter, sustainability manager for the city of Grand Rapids, laid out the city’s ambitious goals to run Grand Rapids on 100 percent renewable. Sutter spoke on the key initiatives the city will...

World Green Building Week and the Campaign for Net Zero Buildings

News / September 26, 2017

Published in The Fifth Estate: During World Green Building Week, Green Building Councils from across the world campaigned for all buildings to be “net zero” by 2050. The intention is to promote the aspirations published in a report from earlier...

We need net-zero buildings by 2050

News / September 16, 2017

Published in GreenBiz: A global banking giant announced a major drive to reduce the energy use in its portfolio of over 5,500 properties in 60 countries and a commitment to source 100 percent of its energy from renewables by 2020....

Dreaming the Future: How Zero Energy Design Can Transform the School Environment

News / September 15, 2017

In September’s Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly, Project Analyst Reilly Loveland’s article begins by asking the question “…what if buildings themselves became a tool to enhance school learning”. She goes on to explain how Zero Energy (ZE) schools are doing just...

HVAC Industry’s Opportunity in Net-Zero Energy Market is Growing

News / September 1, 2017

Published in snips: With a rising deluge of buzzwords and phrases ranging from sustainability and climate change to energy efficiency and green building seeping into nearly all industries, it’s hard to ignore HVAC’s role in lessening the environmental impact of...

Zero is the Hero: Zero Net Energy Buildings Reach New Communities, Promising Savings, and Renewable Energy

News / August 31, 2017

Published by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance: As energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies continue to improve both functionally and economically, Zero Net Energy (ZNE) buildings are spreading in communities around the country. The energy savings and environmental benefits of...

From Fire to Net Positive

News / August 15, 2017

Published in the Living Building Chronicle: “It’s really been since about 2000 that both the technology and know-how allowed you to think about [net zero energy buildings] on a meaningful scale,” says Vermont architect Bill Maclay. By last fall, New...

Buildings as Power Plants: Net-positive Energy on the Horizon

News / August 11, 2017

Published in Electrical Contractor Magazine: Today, some buildings can produce more energy than they use. The small step from net-zero to net-positive could present a new world for buildings, public utilities and city planners. New Buildings Institute biannually compiles a...

Net Zero Energy is Dead, Long Live Zero Energy

News / June 2, 2017

Published by the Living Building Chronicle: The International Living Future Institute’s reboot of its Net Zero Energy program is more than a name change. It establishes NZE’s replacement — Zero Energy (ZE) Building Certification — as the standard for an...

International Living Future Institute and New Buildings Institute Partner to Accelerate the Zero Energy Movement

News / May 18, 2017

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) today announced a partnership that will streamline and strengthen the tracking and certification of zero energy (ZE) buildings in order to drive broader market adoption, codification and standardization of...

A Wave of Net Zero Energy Schools Crests in the South

News / April 11, 2017

Published by the Kendeda Fund: According to the New Buildings Institute, four of the five states with the most net zero energy schools underway in 2016 were in the South — even though high humidity, low power rates, and few...

A New Standard for Net-Zero Leases in Boulder

News / April 11, 2017

Published by GreenBiz: In Boulder, CO a new net-zero energy (NZE) development project consists of two commercial buildings totaling roughly 100,000 square feet of professional office space and boasting a restaurant, coffee shop and community gathering flex space — all...

Net Zero Energy Buildings Grow 74% Since 2015

News / March 30, 2017

Published in BUILDINGS:  The 332 buildings verified as or on their way to achieving net zero energy certification represent a 74% increase since the last count in late 2015, according to a report by the New Buildings Institute (NBI). By...

The Winding Path to Net Zero

News / March 29, 2017

As environmentally friendly features become a mainstay of commercial property, learn what it takes to excel at selling and leasing green space in this article by Realtor Magazine. Cathy Higgins, Research Director, was interviewed for the article. “Cities are very...

Moving Faster Toward Zero Net Energy

News / February 17, 2017

Published by USGBC: In 2017, USGBC is setting our expectations to zero—zero net energy. According to a report released last quarter by the New Buildings Institute (NBI), there are currently 332 buildings that have been either verified as or are...

Exponential Growth in Net Zero Energy Buildings Predicted for the Next Two Decades

News / January 5, 2017

Published by Building Design + Construction: The global market for products and services related to achieving net zero energy in residential and commercial construction and renovation is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 44.5% between 2014...

Districts, Projects, Individuals Honored for Driving ZNE in New and Existing Projects

News / November 7, 2016

California is leading the nation in the transformation of K-12 schools and community colleges to zero net energy (ZNE) performance. To honor early innovation and leadership in this market, nine inaugural ZNE School Leadership Awards were given on behalf of...

New award recognizes California leadership in zero net energy schools

News / November 7, 2016 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

Districts, projects, individuals honored for driving ZNE in new and existing projects California is leading the nation in the transformation of K-12 schools and community colleges to zero net energy (ZNE) performance. To honor early innovation and leadership in this...

How net-zero buildings impact the grid

News / August 9, 2016 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

This article from GreenBiz discusses how zero energy buildings will interact with the electrical grid in the future. The piece highlights a recent paper by NBI’s Alexi Miller and Jim Edelson.

CPUC, Energy Commission, and NBI Announce Milestone Toward Achieving Statewide Zero Net Energy Goal

News / August 3, 2016

The California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, and the New Buildings Institute (NBI) today announced that California continues the march toward its zero net energy (ZNE) goals, with 108 new and renovated commercial buildings that have been either verified...

NBI Seeks North America’s Most Advanced Zero Energy and Low-Energy Buildings

News / July 20, 2016

High performance commercial Projects to be showcased at Getting to Zero Forum Wanted: North America’s most advanced commercial buildings! New Buildings Institute (NBI) is initiating its annual review of advanced energy efficiency commercial projects including zero energy, emerging and ultra-low energy...

Largest U.S. Net Zero Energy Retrofit a Living Lab

News / June 15, 2016

Published by Smart Grid News: The nation’s largest net zero plus commercial building retrofit, the Net Zero Plus Electric Training Institute (NZP-ETI), has been completed in Los Angeles. The 144,000-square-foot demonstration center and living laboratory on advanced and emerging clean...

Buildings Can Be Much Greener

News / April 12, 2016

“Buildings Can Be Much Greener”, a recent article discussing the potential for zero net energy (ZNE) buildings, starts on p. 6 of April’s California Buildings News. Only a tiny fraction of California buildings produce all the energy they need to...

New CABA report highlights crucial role of controls for achieving and maintaining zero net energy buildings

News / November 18, 2015

November 18, 2015—Monitoring and control systems are at the nexus of buildings and successful zero net energy (ZNE) performance, according to a new study released today from the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA). The study, “Zero Net Energy Building Controls:...

DOE Releases Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings, Campuses, and Communities

News / September 18, 2015

“NIBS and USDOE have created a set of clear and concise definitions for zero energy buildings that will help to narrow the broad array of terminology currently used in the industry,” said Ralph DiNola, CEO of New Buildings Institute. After...

Homes Make as Much Energy as They Use

News / September 1, 2015

Will zero-net-energy homes be the wave of the future? Scientific American published this article about ZNE homes and buildings. Across the United States, but especially in California, ZNE residential and commercial buildings are growing in number. The article references NBI...

The home that pays its own utility bill (and then some)

News / July 17, 2015

A movement to develop homes that produce more energy than they use is beginning to gain ground. This article from Christian Science Monitor quotes NBI’s Communications Director. (7/16/2015)

Getting to Zero: What’s in Store for Ultra-Efficient Buildings

News / June 2, 2015

It’s rare to be able to look 20 years down the road and see what’s coming next. Current trends in zero-energy buildings offer one of those opportunities, and with a potentially large payoff. This article was written by Ralph DiNola,...

California “ZNE Watchlist” released, the first state tracking list for zero energy buildings

News / May 12, 2015

May 14, 2015—A new resource for tracking progress toward zero net energy (ZNE) buildings in California is now available from New Buildings Institute (NBI). ZNE buildings are extremely energy efficient, through clean, renewable resources to generate as much energy each...

3 Chicago Buildings That Use No Energy Whatsoever

News / May 11, 2015

Bisnow reported that New Buildings Institute recently came out with its latest list of Verified Zero Energy Buildings, and Chicago had a favorable showing, contributing three to the ranks. (5/7/2015)

Can the Bullitt Center prove that it pays for buildings to go ‘deep green’?

News / April 27, 2015

A Seattle office building that generates its own electricity, collects its own water and composts all human waste from its restrooms has been designated an ultra-sustainable ‘living building’. Ralph DiNola, CEO of NBI, was quoted in an article published in...

Construction Corner: The push for net-zero by 2050

News / March 5, 2015

McDonald’s Corp. is examining the technical and financial feasibility of building net-zero energy restaurants. Rocky Mountain Industry along with Fisher-Nickel Inc., a kitchen-equipment technology consultant, and NBI completed a study. The study modeled energy use for new, stand-alone restaurants in...

Majority of 2015 ZNE Verified Buildings are LEED Projects

News / February 17, 2015

NBI released their second annual list of buildings in the U.S. and Canada with verified zero net energy use (ZNE). The Green Building Information Gateway reported that the list is growing and of the 39 verified energy-neutral-verified buildings, 20 of...

Getting to Zero National Forum kicks off with Architecture 2030’s Ed Mazria sharing vision for zero energy buildings

News / February 5, 2015

The 2015 Getting to Zero National Forum officially opened in Washington, D.C with keynote speaker Ed Mazria, founder and CEO of Architecture 2030, calling for building and energy industry professionals to make zero energy buildings a broad-scale reality in the...

McDonald’s Study Explores Idea of a Net Zero Energy Quick Service Restaurant

News / February 3, 2015

A study prepared by Rocky Mountain Institute, Fisher Nickel, Inc. and New Buildings Institute examines the technical and financial feasibility of achieving new net zero energy restaurants in three cities: Chicago, Orlando, and Washington, DC. RealEstateRama reported that through a...

McDonald’s Study Explores Idea of a Net Zero Energy Quick Service Restaurant

News / January 30, 2015

January 30, 2015–A study prepared by Rocky Mountain Institute, Fisher Nickel, Inc. and New Buildings Institute examines the technical and financial feasibility of achieving new net zero energy restaurants in three cities: Chicago, Orlando and Washington, D.C. Through a recently...

Getting to Zero: The New Wave of Building Efficiency

News / October 13, 2014

Cathy Higgins, Research Director was interviewed for Green Technology Magazine. The article discusses the evolution of ZNE buildings and prospects for schools. (10/13/2014)

Zero Net Energy Buildings: The Future is Now

News / January 14, 2014

New study shows ultra-efficient, clean energy-powered buildings are gaining ground across the United States and Canada Growth in numbers, locations, types and sizes all mark progress on the state of commercial zero net energy (ZNE) buildings-–ultra-efficient buildings that generate as...

Zero Energy Buildings on the Rise Across the U.S. New Report Finds Projects Expanding in Number, Geography and Building Type

News / March 6, 2012

March 6, 2012–A new report released today by the New Buildings Institute (NBI) and the Zero Energy Commercial Building Consortium (CBC) reveals that zero energy commercial buildings—highly efficient buildings that produce as much energy as they use through on-site renewable...

Blog

Reflections on the 2023 Forum: Equitable decarbonization, showcasing innovation, and supporting the next generation

Post / June 5, 2023

With historic federal funding setting the stage, the seventh iteration of the Getting to Zero Forum was an opportunity to convene at a pivotal time, when there is more support and resources for decarbonizing the built environment than ever before....

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...

Students join Next Gen cohort to learn about getting to zero in the built environment

Post / July 19, 2021

This blog was originally published on newbuildingsin.wpenginepowered.com on July 9, 2021. NBI is excited to welcome 20 students from college campuses across the United States and Canada to the inaugural cohort of the Next Gen program. Next Gen was designed...

Jurisdictions Prepare for a Wave of Embodied Carbon Policies

Post / June 17, 2021

Third-party rating systems like LEED have put pressure on building product manufacturers to disclose details about the environmental impacts of their products. In just the past 16 months alone, the environmental product declarations (EPDs) for concrete within the Embodied Carbon...

Checking in on State Energy Code Progress Toward Zero Energy

Post / April 14, 2021

ACEEE’s 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard was released in December with California reclaiming the number one spot from Massachusetts. This is based on five categories including utility and public benefits, transportation, building energy efficiency, state initiatives, and appliance standards, according...

Utility Administrators Share Expertise on Zero Energy Programs

Post / March 17, 2021

Urgency to address climate change, along with policy and market forces trending toward a smart, flexible grid, has led a growing number of utility efficiency program administrators to consider ways to increase support for energy-efficient, zero energy buildings. With the...

Denver Shows Leadership With Net Zero Energy Plan

Post / March 5, 2021

The City and County of Denver recently released a comprehensive plan to achieve net zero energy (NZE) in new buildings and homes by 2030, one of many initiatives being taking to meet the jurisdiction’s goal of an 80% reduction in...

Reflecting on the 2019 Getting to Zero Forum – Optimism, Urgency and Poised for Action

Post / November 13, 2019

As urgency around addressing climate change increases, local leaders are working to define near-term actions, including those targeting the built environment, which accounts for 39% of global carbon emissions. Uptake in actions happening across the United States include: a surge...

Getting to Zero With the Passive House Design Standard 

Post / October 25, 2019

With growing consensus about the economic and social costs of climate change, an increasing number of cities and states have set ambitious carbon reduction goals. When it comes to the built environment, advanced energy codes and policies have proven to...

NBI Releases Zero Energy Performance Targets for New Construction Projects

Post / September 10, 2019

When targeting zero energy performance in buildings, the first step is typically setting an energy performance target that the design team can aim for. But, setting that target, typically communicated as the project’s energy use intensity (EUI), is not always...

2019 Zero Energy Buildings Count Nears 600, New Dynamic Tool Offers Online Access to Project Details

Post / May 9, 2019

Every year, New Buildings Institute (NBI) digs into its extensive Getting to Zero Buildings Database and analyzes the information collected from thousands of low-energy projects across the United States and Canada in order to offer the market an official count...

Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Goals Converge at the Built Environment

Post / April 17, 2019

With mounting evidence that immediate and aggressive action is necessary to address climate change, combined with a lack of leadership on this issue by the federal government, state and local governments are taking meaningful actions to adopt, honor, and meet...

5 Must Haves to Achieve High Marks in Ultra-low Energy Schools

Post / March 11, 2019

An increasing number of school districts are investing in ultra-low energy facilities and renewables as a way to save on utility costs and create healthier and more productive learning environments for students and staff. In fact, over 219 school buildings...

Technology Talk—Getting to Zero Energy in Existing Buildings

Post / February 22, 2019

Without upgrading our existing buildings to higher efficiency technologies we have zero hope of getting to zero energy (ZE)–or at least ultra-low energy performance–and our carbon reduction targets. We know that there are many roads to retrofits but rapid scaling...

Ithaca Leads in New York for Net Zero Energy Building Standards

Post / November 29, 2018

The energy use in buildings across the town and city of Ithaca is responsible for nearly 75% of carbon emissions, according to the local sustainability officials. To reduce its carbon footprint, the two jurisdictions are taking important steps to increase...

Aiming for Zero Energy in Existing Buildings

Post / October 10, 2018 / Existing Buildings, Operations & Maintenance

This blog was originally published as an article in Facility Executive on October 9, 2018. As the extreme weather impacts of a changing climate become more urgent, cities and states are racing to put in place strategies that will reduce...

Banking on Sustainable, Zero Energy

Post / August 21, 2018

How Suncoast Credit Union is leading the way to save energy and connect with its customers and community With close to 700,000 members, Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in Florida. It’s also a leading company in sustainable...

Making the Path to Zero Energy Buildings Well Worn Together

Post / February 28, 2018 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

When does a path become a road? Is it volume of travelers, difficulty of terrain or perhaps the need to arrive more rapidly at the destination to create the attention and resources needed to smooth out the path? For zero...

Educational Sector Leads on Zero Energy Buildings, but Lacks Retrofits

Post / January 29, 2018 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

New research by NBI looks at the reasons why existing schools don’t aim for zero. New Buildings Institute (NBI) recently released its Zero Energy* Buildings List with nearly 500 verified or emerging commercial buildings projects. Educational facilities continue to outpace...

A New Metric for Tracking Energy Codes Driving Toward Zero

Post / October 10, 2017 / Energy Codes

ACEEE’s 2017 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard was released in late September with Massachusetts leading based on six categories including utility programs, transportation, building energy codes, combined heat and power, state initiative and appliance standards, according to ACEEE. Looking ahead, there are...

Energy Trust of Oregon Names ZNE Fellow

Post / June 19, 2017

Shilpa Surana Oregon’s net zero energy (NZE) buildings market is getting a boost with a new Net Zero Fellow to focus on one of the major barriers to NZE adoption—money. The fellowship was awarded by the Energy Trust of Oregon...

Rhode Island Shows Economic and Climate Leadership by Embracing Zero Energy Buildings

Post / June 13, 2017

As states look to realize their climate and energy policy goals, they are turning to strategies for improving building efficiency to cut carbon emissions and lower energy demand. Rhode Island is an emerging leader in this regard with a bold...

Trainings Help Build Knowledge and Design Capability that is Driving ZNE in California

Post / March 30, 2017

Zero net energy workshops are back in 2017! California has ambitious goals around zero net energy (ZNE) buildings and rightly so. Buildings account for roughly 40% of the carbon emissions in the United States and is up to 80% of...

Chicago Real Estate Leadership Summit Defines the Building Industry’s Next Opportunity for Leadership

Post / February 9, 2017

Back in November, ComEd, Seventhwave and NBI hosted a Summit, focusing on the question: “What is Chicago’s path to net zero energy buildings?” Nearly 90 real estate professionals, designers and utility representatives gathered to focus on how they might build...

DOE Looking to “Accelerate” the Market for Zero Energy Schools

Post / January 23, 2017

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Buildings program launched a Zero Energy Schools Accelerator program last month among program partners, media, school officials and others at the new Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia. The school is a model...

2016 List of Zero Net Energy Buildings

Post / October 24, 2016

We recently returned from hosting the third Getting to Zero National Forum in Denver, Colorado. It was an inspirational and educational extravaganza, with over 300 leading minds from a wide variety of fields sharing their best ideas and expertise around Zero Net...

The Path to Net Zero: A Shout Out to Building Operators

Post / June 21, 2016 / Controls, Operations & Maintenance, Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

Like they don’t have enough to do already, facility managers and building operators are now working to manage both sides of the electrical meter. The evolution of buildings incorporating advanced systems, highly integrated controls and distributed generation (typically photovoltaics) is...

Zero Net Energy Buildings and the Grid

Post / February 22, 2016 / Metering, Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

As zero net energy (ZNE) and other low-energy buildings become increasingly common, we have to think about how different ZNE strategies can interact with their local electricity grids. The electricity grid was built as a one-way street, with energy flowing...

An Open Letter to America’s Architects

Post / October 29, 2015

I love movies where life as we know it will end unless someone can stop the massive meteor, or other catastrophe, from imploding the Earth. Everybody freaks out until some unlikely hero emerges with a risky, but innovative idea to...

Five Reasons Why Zero Energy Buildings are the Real Deal

Post / March 31, 2015

When New Buildings Institute published the first-ever list of verified zero energy buildings in 2012, an abstract concept turned real. These were documented examples of high-efficiency buildings coupled with onsite renewables that could produce enough energy to power themselves over...

McDonald’s Study Explores Idea of a Net Zero Energy Quick Service Restaurant

Post / March 16, 2015

A recently released study looks at the technical and financial feasibility of achieving new net zero energy restaurants in three cities including Chicago, Illinois, Orlando, Florida, and Washington, D.C. The study, commissioned by McDonald’s Corporation, was conducted by Rocky Mountain...

The 2015 Getting to Zero National Forum – What a Smashing Success

Post / February 23, 2015

Earlier this month, NBI, along with its partners the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), gathered over 250 of North America’s leading policymakers, design professionals, building owners and commercial real estate professionals at the...

Teaming with Technology

Post / January 26, 2015

It’s mid-January and I’m sitting in the most sustainable building in the world – the Bullitt Center in Seattle. It’s a grey cool day outside (it is Seattle after all), but inside the atmosphere is bright, with no electric lights...

U.S. DOE Looks for Agreement on Zero Energy Building Standards

Post / January 21, 2015

Futurists look for signs that tell them what’s to come. In case you missed it, there was an arm-waving sign earlier this week when the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a public notice asking for input on a variety...

Early adopters receive training on ZNE Buildings

Post / December 22, 2014

New Buildings Institute, CPUC and utilities collaborated to host two southern California training on zero net energy trends, policy and funding opportunities, case studies, and tools for communicating and planning zero energy buildings. Materials from the workshop are linked below....

New buildings database offers important lessons on achieving low-energy buildings

Post / December 9, 2014

There is no better teacher than experience and now NBI has over 280 experiences to share through its new Getting to Zero Buildings Database. The database officially released today offers a dynamic way to find in-depth case studies about high...

Policies Promoting Net Zero Energy Should Focus On Efficiency First

Post / May 6, 2014

NBI and its partners, International Living Future Institute and Skanska, recently completed research on the costs associated with Zero Energy and Living Buildings™ for the District of Columbia Department of the Environment. The District has been a leader in high...

Washington Governor Jay Inslee Leads on High Efficiency, ZNE Buildings

Post / May 2, 2014

On April 29, 2014, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee signed an Executive Order announcing a broad new effort for the State of Washington to address the challenges of climate change. The order contained some important language around zero net energy buildings...

The Widespread Success of ZNE Hinges on the Bottom Line, But Whose?

Post / February 25, 2014

In addition to my job at NBI, I’ve had the honor and privilege to serve on several boards, including Cascadia Green Building Council and the International Living Future Institute. My work has allowed me the opportunity to get to know...

ZNE – The Story Continues…

Post / February 14, 2014

NBI’s recently released 2014 Getting to Zero Status Update provides a snapshot of the advancing zero net energy (ZNE) market in commercial buildings. While the market is still very small, the number of buildings achieving ZNE Verified performance or those...

Case StudiesView All

Ultra-Low Energy Campus Case Study: King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex Case Study

Case Study / July 20, 2020

In 2015 the Cambridge city council voted to adopt a Net Zero Action Plan, requiring all city buildings to target net zero energy design by 2020. When the City issued the request for proposals for the new King Open/Cambridge Street…

Emerging Zero Net Energy School Retrofit Case Study: Los Osos Middle School

Case Study / January 24, 2018

The mild climate in coastal cities such as Los Osos makes ZNE performance a realistic target with minimal needs for heating and cooling. It should however be noted that in such mild climates payback on upgrades to heating systems can…

Emerging Zero Net Energy School Retrofit Case Study: Newcastle Elementary School

Case Study / January 24, 2018

With funding from California’s Prop 39, the Newcastle Elementary School District (ESD) issued a request for proposal to develop an Energy Expenditure Plan for their district. With a long list of deferred maintenance issues and budget challenges, Newcastle ESD was…

Emerging Zero Net Energy School Retrofit Case Study: Garden Grove School District

Case Study / January 24, 2018

Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) is a large, low-income school district that has recently become a regional leader in Zero Net Energy. Among California’s 140 school districts with greater than 65% for Free & Reduced Price Meals, GGUSD was…

Verified ZNE Building Case Study: North Face & VF Outdoors

Case Study / March 8, 2017

The North Face corporate facility is part of the VF Outdoor Campus in Alameda, California. The VF Outdoors Headquarters occupies 14 acres of the Harbor Business Park and includes a 160,000-square-foot, four-building development completed in 2012. A fifth building is…

Emerging ZNE Building Case Study: Environmental Innovation Center

Case Study / March 8, 2017

Completed in 2014, the Environmental Innovation Center (EIC) in San José, CA, is a local government-owned education and environmental resources center that is targeting zero net energy (ZNE) performance. The project contains a 10,000-square-foot new building and a retrofit of…

Emerging ZNE Building Case Study: California State Lottery District Office in Santa Fe Springs

Case Study / March 8, 2017

The California State Lottery District Office in Santa Fe Springs is a retrofit of an existing 12,840-square-foot warehouse and is one of the first state-owned and operated buildings to target zero net energy (ZNE). The Lottery partnered with LPAS Architecture…

Verified ZNE Building Case Study: Bagatelos Architectural Glass Systems Manufacturing Facility

Case Study / March 8, 2017

The Bagatelos Architectural Glass Systems (BAGS) manufacturing facility is a retrofit of a 1969 concrete warehouse that was renovated in 2008 to be a zero net energy (ZNE) building. The 63,000-square-foot Bagatelos Architectural Glass Systems manufacturing facility produces custom glass…

Verified ZNE Building Case Study: 435 Indio Way

Case Study / March 8, 2017

435 Indio Way in Sunnyvale, California, was built in 1973 as a research and development laboratory and office for Hewlett Packard. Like many buildings in the Silicon Valley, it is a simple one-story, tilt-up that since 2006 had been left…

Ultra-Low Energy School Case Study: Jeffrey Trail Middle School

Case Study / December 13, 2016

The Jeffrey Trail Middle School is a new school in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD). The school was designed and constructed to meet the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) performance standards for exemplary energy and water conservation. With…

Ultra-Low Energy School Case Study: Georgina Blach Intermediate School

Case Study / December 13, 2016

The Georgina Blach Intermediate School, part of the Los Altos School District, Iocated in Los Altos, California, serves 450 students in seventh and eighth grades. Facilities at the school were unimproved since their construction in 1958, 1962-63 and 1978 and…

Emerging ZNE School Case Study: George V. LeyVa Middle School Administration Building

Case Study / December 13, 2016

The George V. LeyVa Middle School Administration Building was designed to be one of the first zero net energy (ZNE) public school buildings in California as well as the first zero net emissions public school building in California. This leading…

Verified ZNE Case Study: West Berkeley Public Library

Case Study / December 13, 2016

The West Berkeley Public Library is the first verified zero net energy (ZNE) public library in California. Completed in late 2013, the 9,400-square-foot library produces as much or more energy than it consumes on an annual basis. To reach its…

Ultra-Low Energy School Case Study: San Francisco City College Multi-Use Building

Case Study / December 13, 2016

The San Francisco City College Multi-Use Building is a pioneering project for large, low-energy facilities. At 102,000 square feet, the building is one of the largest in the United States to rely nearly entirely on natural ventilation to meet fresh…

Verified ZNE Multifamily Case Study: zHome Multifamily Complex

Case Study / October 10, 2016

The zHome multifamily complex was the first zero net energy project of its kind in the United States. This complex is made up of 10 units and a shared community area. The design approach of the project centered on energy…

Verified ZNE Portfolio Case Study: Gundersen Health System

Case Study / October 10, 2016

Gundersen Health System is the largest portfolio of buildings striving to reach zero net energy performance on a district wide scale in North America. The portfolio is made up of 45 new and existing buildings and spanning more than 2.5…

Emerging ZNE K-12 School: Turkey Foot Middle School

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The Kenton County School District believes “schools should use less energy, demonstrate sound environmental practices and serve as a fundamental tool for learning.” Since the District had experience with a formal energy management program that saved over $2 million since…

Ultra-Low Energy Building: The Ramona

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The Ramona is a mixed-use development in the urban Pearl District of Portland, Oregon. The building hosts 138 units of affordable housing and two educational facilities. Portland Public Schools rents 13,000 SF for programs for children ages 3 to 6.…

Verified ZNE Retail Bank Branch: TD Bank

Case Study / December 19, 2015

TD Bank has been an environmental leader since 1990. As one of the ten largest banks in the United States, they chose to move beyond LEED certification to pilot a Zero Net Energy design for a retail bank branch in…

Emerging ZNE K-12 School: Dr. David Suzuki Public School

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The Dr. David Suzuki Public School combines readily available and demonstration technologies to create a school building that serves as a living laboratory for 550 students in Windsor, Ontario. The two-story kindergarten through 8th grade school includes classrooms, a gymnasium,…

Emerging ZNE Building: Rice Fergus Miller Office and Studio

Case Study / December 19, 2015

Rice Fergus Miller breathed new life into an abandoned 1948 Sears Automotive Center and positioned their new office solidly on the path to net zero. This urban infill transformation project took a dilapidated structure that had been abandoned for 23…

Verified ZNE School: Putney Field House

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The Putney Field House is located on a 461-acre parcel, with areas dedicated to forestry, education and agriculture. The site includes indigenous plantings and a production garden. The state-of-the art field house and wellness center was built to provide winter…

Verified ZNE Building: Leon County Cooperative Extension Office Building

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The mission of the Leon County Cooperative Extension is to educate the community about research performed at the University of Florida through interactive opportunities and demonstration sites. A recent retrofit of their 13,000 SF office was the perfect opportunity to…

Verified ZNE District: Anna Maria Historic Green Village

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The Anna Maria Historic Green Village is an unusual combination of historic restoration and modern technology. Owners Mike and Lizzie Thrasher have worked diligently to preserve four 100-year old buildings and merge history with state-of-the-art green technology, all while bringing…

Emerging ZNE Museum: Exploratorium

Case Study / December 19, 2015

When the Exploratorium outgrew its old location at the Palace of Fine Arts, the City of San Francisco offered to provide Piers 15 and 17 on its historic waterfront as a larger relocation option for the science museum. After structurally…

Verified ZNE Small Office Retrofit: Bacon Street Offices

Case Study / December 19, 2015

The Bacon Street Office project is a 4,500 SF retrofit of a single-story, 1950’s-era auto repair shop into a high performance office for the firm ARCHITECTS hannah gabriel wells. Through creative design strategies, renewable energy generation and with support from…

Verified ZNE Training Center: Zero Net Energy Center

Case Study / December 19, 2015

When it came time to upgrade their training facility, the IBEW Local 595 and NECA chapters targeted net zero energy. They wanted to demonstrate that this goal was achievable and train their electrical contractors on the latest, cutting-edge energy efficiency…

Verified ZNE Office: David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Case Study / December 19, 2015

When the Packard Foundation started thinking about building a new headquarters, they wanted to make sure the final product reflected the organization’s values. These include conserving the Earth’s natural resources over the long-term, providing a comfortable and healthy space that…

Ultra-Low Energy High Rise Office: The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Headquarters

Case Study / December 19, 2015 / Existing Buildings

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) headquarters is an ultralow-energy, Class A office building that pushes the norm in sustainable design. Located in downtown San Francisco, the 13-story building houses more than 900 employees who were previously located in…

Ultra-Low Energy Multifamily Residence: La Valentina North Townhomes

Case Study / December 19, 2015 / Existing Buildings

The La Valentine North Townhome project is the result of a partnership between SMUD and the owner/developer of the project, Domus Development LLC. The 18-unit affordable multifamily development is a research and demonstration project in SMUD’s Townhouse Home of the…

Verified ZNE K-12 School: Redding School for the Arts

Case Study / December 19, 2015 / Existing Buildings

Redding School for the Arts in Northern California connects education and arts for K-8 students in a community of 90,000 people. The school was originally created in August 1999 in response to the rapid decline of arts programs in local…

Verified ZNE Small Office Retrofit: DPR Construction

Case Study / December 19, 2015 / Existing Buildings

Acting as owner, designer and contractor, DPR rehabbed a near-obsolete, 1984 building into a vibrant, zero-net energy multi-tenant office. DPR’s new 24,000 SF tenant improvement includes an open office space along with 11 conference rooms, a large gathering area and…

Verified Zero Energy Building: IDeAs Z2 Design Facility

Case Study / April 26, 2012

IDeAs’ new headquarters in San Jose, CA was designed to meet 100% of its net energy requirements using renewable energy from photovoltaics.

Ultra-Low Energy Building: Doyle Conservation Center

Case Study / April 25, 2012

This training facility showcases the organization’s conservation activities. The LEED Gold rating reflects the mission of the Trustees of Reservations, which is “To preserve for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.”

Ultra-Low Energy School: Plano Elementary School

Case Study / April 25, 2012

Plano Elementary School serves 435 students in Warren County, Kentucky. The building includes 32 classrooms, 14 offices, six resource centers, media center, gym, server room, and cafeteria with kitchen. There are 20 public schools in this district and five of…

Ultra-Low Energy Building: Gilman Ordway Building at the Woods Hole Research Center

Case Study / April 25, 2012

In Falmouth, MA a 19th-century summer home is respectfully adapted with the addition of a contemporary office, laboratory, and common spaces. The integration of passive-solar and energy-conservation strategies, optimal performance, and onsite renewable power generation make this building 83% more…

A Zero Energy-Capable Building: Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies

Case Study / April 25, 2012

For this two-story building in Cupertino, CA the design process moved through six steps to responsibly approach carbon neutral operation and roughly track increasing cost effectiveness.

Verified Zero Energy Building: Omega Center for Sustainable Living

Case Study / April 25, 2012

Achieving net-zero energy required a design that eliminated waste and maximized the use of renewable energy resources. This building in Rhinebeck, NY is purposely compact, organized to harvest daylight, solar energy, and cooling breezes to reduce energy needs

Tools & Guides

Interactive Map of Carbon Neutral School Districts

Online Tool / June 1, 2023

This interactive map includes districts that have addressed healthy, efficient, resilient schools by adopting formal goals to tackle carbon emissions. These goals may be written into policies, resolutions, plans, design standards, or other formal mechanisms. Carbon emissions reductions encompass a…

Zero Emission Building New Construction Guide

Guideline / May 4, 2023

Zero Emission Building New Construction Guide: This guide supports compliance with the Santa Monica ZEB Code and EV Charger Reach Code by providing guidance for meeting all of their requirements, including All-Electric Design, EV charging spaces, and tips to maximize…

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…

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…

Key Messages for Communicating About Carbon Neutral Schools

Guideline / April 13, 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…

An Insider’s Guide to Talking about Carbon Neutral Buildings

Guideline / September 8, 2021

The Insider’s Guide to Talking About Carbon Neutral Buildings presents a common language and framework to align market ideas around what it means to design, construct, and operate buildings that contribute little or no carbon emissions. This document explains the…

ZNE for State Buildings

Guideline / April 12, 2018

The ZNE Project Guide for State Buildings was created to provide California state agencies a step by step guide and checklist for pursuing zero net energy (ZNE) for new buildings. Project managers can use this resource to gain stakeholder support,…

Zero Energy Project Guide

Guideline / October 11, 2017

A process for planning, designing, constructing, and operating your new zero energy building. Zero Energy Project Guide combines the steps that successful zero energy (ZE) building teams implement with ZE tools and resources. The guide outlines the importance of gaining…

Zero Energy Schools Charrette Toolkit

Guideline / October 11, 2017

NBI’s Zero Energy Integrated Design Charrette Toolkit for Schools provides you with materials to help plan and lead a successful charrette for your school project. It can be used for almost any team aiming for high levels of energy efficiency…

ZNE Charrette Toolkit

Guideline / October 4, 2017

NBI’s ZNE Charrette Toolkit provides you with materials to help plan and lead a successful charrette. It can be used for almost any team aiming for high levels of energy efficiency or sustainability whether actively pursuing ZNE or not. The…

Zero Energy Communications Toolkit

Guideline / August 9, 2017

The conversation around zero energy (ZE) buildings is evolving with many different terms emerging to describe these recent developments. To support consistent and clear communications, New Buildings Institute (NBI) has developed a number of factsheets that early adopters and advocates…

Five Steps to Net Zero

Guideline / February 2, 2017 / Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

This guide is an introduction to how architects and engineers can help clients upgrade their existing buildings to be ZNE through a Deep Energy Retrofit combined with renewable energy sources. A Deep Energy Retrofit is an existing building retrofit that…

Zero Net Energy Technology Application Guide: Radiant Heating And Cooling + Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems

Guideline / November 4, 2014

Zero Net Energy (ZNE) is the future, and in a growing number of places the present, of building design and energy policy. A growing strategy to get to ZNE is to separate the building’s heating/cooling from the ventilation/dehumidification. This guide…

Zero Net Energy Technology Application Guide: Luminaire Level Lighting Control

Guideline / November 4, 2014

Improved lighting efficiency has long been a major strategy to reduce the energy use in buildings. These savings have traditionally come from improved efficiency of lamps and ballasts. Today, deep energy reductions and Zero Net Energy (ZNE) are possible by…

Zero Net Energy Technology Application Guide: Indirect Evaporative Cooling

Guideline / November 3, 2014

With Zero Net Energy (ZNE) a growing building design and energy policy trend, design firms and owners are striving to meet heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) loads with optimum comfort and minimal energy. Indirect Evaporative Cooling (IEC) offers a…