What exactly is a zero emissions building? Owners, developers, and architects are increasingly using the term, but they are not always in agreement about what it means. Can a zero emissions building rely on offsets? Can it burn fossil fuels onsite? Can it consume unlimited amounts of energy as long as the source is renewable?
The Biden-Harris administration hopes to clear up any confusion with a standardized definition. It recently released a draft, and through the Department of Energy (DOE), is inviting comment from members of the AEC industry, academia, the real-estate community, among others. The ambition is to establish clear guidelines that will help make zero emissions common practice for new construction and retrofits by 2030, explains Heather Clark, director of building emissions in the White House Climate Policy Office.
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