Net zero.
No, the term doesn’t refer to a Star Trek episode. It’s actually a classification term for a building based on the way it consumes and produces energy.
In other words, the amount of energy that a building uses is offset by the amount of energy that it produces.
Net zero isn’t typically a term you hear when it comes to commercial buildings because it’s much easier to achieve net zero with residential projects. Why? The codes are less stringent for homes than they are for business buildings.
Even though commercial building codes have made progress in terms of implementing energy saving practices, the codes can make it difficult for a building to be completely self-sustained. While we know codes are there for public safety, old and inflexible codes can give the process of going green a black eye.
(You can read this article here about the first net zero office building in Seattle. The architects talked about how state laws prohibited them from using treated, filtered rainwater for drinking. Until such laws change, the water will be used as graywater.)
Here’s where we stand on our soapbox: The building you’re in doesn’t have to use electricity from the grid or take water from the city. Instead, it could harness the free resources given to us on a regular basis such as solar energy, wind power, or rainfall. And as we become more aware of our imprint on this planet, building codes need to adapt because we need to free up more resources for future generations.
Now, what does this mean for you? Even if all you do after reading this is just understand what net zero means, that’s fine because we’re all about creating awareness of the options that we have as consumers. Speaking of awareness, go here for a little more about Net Zero.
The Bullitt Center by Miller Hull
