Envision entering a building that generates its own power, cuts down on energy costs, and increases its market value.

Sounds like a wise investment, doesn't it? We're entering an age where buildings designed for net-zero energy are not just beneficial but essential. As consumer demand for sustainability grows and the necessity for enhanced resilience becomes clearer, companies are reconsidering the way their buildings utilize energy.

Now, here's the critical question: Can individual energy efficiency measures, such as LED lighting, lead a building to achieve net-zero energy consumption?

While lighting upgrades are commonly pursued by businesses looking to lower operational expenses and begin their journey toward reducing emissions, achieving net-zero energy is a more complex challenge. It requires significant alterations in both the design and operations of a building. Indeed, reaching a net-zero status typically demands a whole-building approach, viewing the building as an integrated system rather than a mere assembly of parts.

Starting Point: Conduct An Energy Audit

Initiating an energy audit is the first step toward optimizing your building’s energy efficiency. This detailed process identifies where and how energy is used or wasted throughout the facility. Equipped with this data, you can pinpoint high-energy usage areas, establish attainable goals, and prioritize actions that yield significant impacts. This systematic, data-driven approach ensures efficient resource utilization, enhancing both environmental and financial benefits.

From the results of the energy audit, you can calculate the building's Energy Utilization Intensity (EUI), which measures the energy consumption per square foot. Analyzing the EUI provides essential insights into how your building compares to industry averages. An EUI that exceeds the average suggests considerable opportunities for improvements, often achievable through straightforward, industry-standard enhancements.

Developing a Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

Formulating a long-term sustainability roadmap is crucial for aligning your business objectives with sustainability goals. This roadmap should detail the steps necessary to reduce energy consumption to net-zero and incorporate renewable energy sources, involving all stakeholders—owners, facility managers, and occupants—to ensure comprehensive buy-in and a balanced approach. This strategic plan provides a clear direction, aiding in the prioritization of initiatives and effective allocation of resources.

Next, assessing and prioritizing system upgrades is vital. It's important to identify which systems, like an outdated HVAC system, need immediate attention and which can be scheduled for future upgrades. Implementing a Capital Improvement Plan allows for the strategic allocation of funds over time, ensuring that investments are made where they will yield the greatest impact and at the most opportune times.

Additionally, maintaining regular upkeep through a Sustainable Facilities Management Plan ensures that all systems continue to function efficiently throughout their operational lifespan. This plan not only helps prolong the life of your equipment but also maintains the gains in energy efficiency achieved through previous upgrades. Properly training your staff to operate and maintain these systems is crucial for sustaining long-term efficiency and effectiveness.

Implement Building-Level Changes – Sustainable Renovation & Retrofit

Once you understand your building's baseline energy usage and have strategized ways to reduce consumption, it’s time to begin implementing substantial changes and upgrades. Working towards a net-zero energy goal involves several key actions:

• Electrification: Transition from fossil fuel-based systems, such as natural gas heating, to electric alternatives. This change enables the building to operate solely on electricity, ideally sourced from renewable energies, making net-zero energy achievable.
• Upgrade the Building Envelope: Enhance the building’s envelope by installing high-efficiency insulation and sealing any gaps. This not only reduces heating and cooling demands but also uses eco-friendly materials to bolster performance and minimize environmental impact.
• Sustainable Design: Integrate sustainable design strategies throughout the building. Simple modifications like adding trees or overhangs can increase natural shade and reduce the need for mechanical cooling during peak temperatures. More involved upgrades might include redesigning the ventilation system to optimize natural airflow or installing a green roof.

Renewables for the Rest

Even with significant energy efficiency and sustainable designs, buildings still require energy, which can be offset using renewable sources.

• Onsite Renewable Energy: Onsite options like solar panels or, in suitable locations, geothermal systems provide a dependable, long-term energy supply. Integrating these with energy storage ensures continuous operation, with excess power potentially sold back to utilities for profit.
• Renewable Energy Credits (RECs): When onsite generation is not feasible or too costly, RECs can compensate for the shortfall, aiding in achieving net-zero energy status. This method allows buildings to meet energy needs flexibly, addressing both financial and practical limitations.

Embrace the Value of Net Zero

Pursuing net-zero energy not only offers environmental benefits but also cuts operating costs, boosts property value, and gives you a competitive advantage. Consumer preferences are evolving towards businesses that adopt responsible practices. Proactive measures ensure compliance and enhance your building’s resilience, preparing you for challenges like energy price volatility and supply disruptions.

Laura Steinbrink and Emerald Built Environments, a Crete United Company, help teams identify whole system visions for sustainability that create practical success for stakeholders. They use keen facilitation skills to move clients and project teams through difficult decisions by pinpointing what matters and exploring team knowledge for innovative solutions. Laura has directly participated in over 50 LEED projects nationwide, including BD+C, ID+C, O+M, C+C, ND, and Homes. She is the firm’s founder and managing member and continues to work with clients, helping them set and achieve sustainability goals and strategies. Recently, she's been busy leading the firm's E in ESG practice area, which supports sustainability strategy development, stakeholder engagement, GHG emissions reporting, and compliance frameworks, including TCFD and GRESB for large privately held companies.