What is a zero emission building?
The U.S. Green Building Council says it is working the White House and the Department of Energy to create a new national definition of a zero-emissions building.
In a statement released Thursday, the USGBC said:
This is the future of buildings, and the definition will be an important tool for establishing a common understanding of what it really means to be a zero operating emissions building. As financial institutions, investors, and insurers grapple with climate risks, we see the baseline established by this definition as key to evolving market expectations.
USGBC is currently developing the next phase of our LEED rating system – LEED v5 – and we are committed to aligning the new rating systems by including specific LEED certifications designed to certify projects to the national definition. As markets increasingly demand greater sustainability, we hope and expect that it will be a popular approach for future LEED projects.
LEED, which launched the green building revolution 30 years ago, will continue to be the holistic platform that recognizes not just energy-related performance established under this definition but other attributes like materials, water efficiency, waste management, land use, transportation and indoor air quality – all of which are critically important to social equity, human health and community well-being.
Currently, the minimum criteria included to define a zero operating emissions building is a building that is:
- Highly energy efficient,
- Free of on-site emissions from energy use, and
- Powered solely from clean energy.