California is currently on target for requiring Zero Net Energy (ZNE) performance from all new residential construction by 2020, and new commercial construction by 2030. While just how the State of California will define ZNE is still being finalized (see our blog “Defining ZNE - Not As Easy as You Think!”), the technologies and design features to make your next project energy self-sufficient are available today.
Changes in Green Power Credit for LEED v4
Purchasing green power for a LEED project has traditionally been a great way to support renewable energy development while contributing to a project’s certification. While this will continue to be the case under LEED v4, the green power credit has undergone some major changes related to contracting requirements, the scope of inputs for energy calculations, and the type of resources allowed for offsets.
New Energy Performance Prerequisite for LEED 2009 Projects
Defining ZNE – Not as Easy as You think!
As more projects are pursuing zero net energy, the details of defining ZNE are becoming more critical, and trickier. Are we achieving net zero in terms of kilowatt hours or cost of energy? Will the metric be time dependant modeled energy performance or a full year of actual data? Is natural gas ‘allowed’ in a ZNE project if it is offset?