Well that depends! There are many definitions for a net zero building…..
The World Green Building Council definition of a net zero carbon building is:
‘’a building that is highly energy efficient and fully powered from on-site and/or off-site renewable energy sources’’
The European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy states that a Net Zero Site:
‘’produces at least as much energy as it uses in a year, when accounted for at the site’’ and ‘’a net-zero emissions building produces at least as much emissions-free renewable energy as it uses from emissions-producing energy sources’’.
The US Department of Energy Building Technologies defines a Net Zero building as:
‘’a residential or commercial building with greatly reduced energy needs through efficiency gains such that the balance of energy needs can be supplied with renewable technologies’’.
The International Energy Agency gives the following definition:
‘’Zero Net Energy Buildings are buildings that over a year are neutral, meaning that they deliver as much energy to the supply grids as they use from the grids’’.
So we can see, despite all of the interest and excitement about Net Zero Buildings, there is not yet a common definition of what it actually means – but they are close!
Heat consumption in buildings depends on the thermal characteristics of the building structure, and the efficiency of the heating system. Additionally, it is influenced by the behavioural aspects of building occupants. If the occupants are not motivated to conserve energy, the final savings might be far below the expected level.
For example, in apartment buildings with a central heat source (district heating connection or central heating plant), it is better to allocate the heat costs between the apartments. Past experiences have showed that a cost allocation based on the floor surface area of an apartment does not encourage the optimal energy use among the occupants. Thus, the individual heat metering in apartments is one of the energy efficiency measures that enables energy saving, by introducing the principle of accurate billing based on the actual consumption. This is technically feasible, and cost-efficient.
Our director Richard Barwick is a registered Trustmark and Stroma PAS2035 Retrofit Coordinator, an AECB Carbonlite Graduate, and a founder member of the Retrofit Academy Centre of Excellence.
Every institution and every business has a role to play in building a more sustainable future. This requires a collective effort by government, policymakers, business, and society at large – only then will we see a tangible result and a brighter future for everyone. Once you have committed to becoming more energy efficient and sustainable, work with Coombs and start to ‘make a difference’.
As a specialist and authority in our field, we will help owners of buildings and property to reduce their energy bills and CO2 emissions. We will do this by offering a multi-stage consultancy process as well as offering a full suite of services, from maintenance to design to building upgrade.
