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DOE Releases Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings, Campuses and Communities

Today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reached a significant milestone in bringing the building community together by releasing a common definition for a zero energy building, or what is also referred to as a “net zero energy” or “zero net energy” building.

After leading an extensive stakeholder engagement process over the past year and a half, the Energy Department released its findings in the recently published A Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings, which states that a Zero Energy Building is “an energy-efficient building where, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy.” This definition also applies to campuses, portfolios and communities. In addition to providing clarity across the industry, this new DOE publication provides important guidelines for measurement and implementation, specifically explaining how to utilize this definition for building projects.

New CFIRE Report Presents Ways to Finance Energy Projects in Buildings

As renewable-energy sources and sustainable building technologies grow, the functionality, financial performance and resilience of the built environment in the United States is increasingly linked to the energy sector. Today, during Building Innovation 2016: The National Institute of Building Sciences Annual Conference and Expo, held in Metropolitan Washington, D.C., the Institute’s Council on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (CFIRE) released a new report: Financing Energy-Efficiency and Renewable-Energy Projects.

This report examines the current and potential roles of three key equity investing structures in capitalizing the sustainable and energy-efficient development and retrofit of investment-grade commercial buildings and renewable-energy production. The report evaluates the effectiveness of these vehicles—Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and Yieldcos—in accessing the public capital markets and recommends needed legislative and regulatory changes.

WBDG, FMOC, Important FM Issues All on the NFMT Agenda in Baltimore

Attend the National Facilities Management and Technology Conference and Expo (NFMT), to be held March 22-24 at the Baltimore Convention Center, to keep up with best practices and innovations in facility management (FM) and operations, including energy management, sustainability, building technologies, communication and data infrastructure in the built environment. While there, don’t miss the chance to learn about National Institute of Building Sciences activities and strategies relating to the Facility Maintenance and Operations Committee (FMOC), the buildingSMART alliance® and the Whole Building Design Guide® (WBDG). Institute members can attend NFMT for free!

October 6 Webinar to Focus on Outcome-Based Pathway to Achieve Energy Performance

The National Institute of Building Sciences will host a free webinar Thursday, October 6 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET, to highlight an emerging energy performance concept—outcome-based pathways. This new approach to achieving efficient energy use addresses the needs and challenges of numerous stakeholders in the building industry.

Across the United States and internationally, communities are increasingly interested in achieving energy use reduction targets. The challenge is that, as currently written, energy codes do not provide an effective means of assuring achievement of such goals. Current building energy codes do not consider how buildings actually perform—they only prescribe criteria on how buildings are to be designed and constructed. These purely design-focused strategies do not provide the measurable and verifiable results policymakers are looking for. Further, members of the building industry, from designers to product manufacturers to building owners, are looking for flexibility in methods for achieving energy-efficiency goals.

National Institute of Building Sciences to Participate in CxEnergy 2018

Don’t miss the upcoming CxEnergy 2018 Conference & Expo, to be held April 23-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fifth annual CxEnergy provides topical, in-depth educational presentations for commissioning; testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB); and energy management professionals. The National Institute of Building Sciences is a supporting organization of the event.

NIBS Collaborates on Primer to Help Buildings Professionals Navigate Energy Industry

A new publication is now available to offer buildings professionals a practical look at the future of the energy sector and the role of buildings.

The resource, Building Our New Energy Future, is a primer tailored to prepare buildings professionals for the challenges and opportunities of designing efficient and grid-responsive buildings within the changing energy sector. The primer was developed for ASHRAE, in collaboration with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

New NIBS-NBI Energy Tool to Help Cities Set Framework to Achieve Performance Goals

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) have developed a new tool, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, to help jurisdictions tackle energy use in buildings. The Life-Cycle Energy Performance Framework for Cities is now available on the WBDG Whole Building Design Guide® web portal.

Net Zero 2024

Mar 28, 2024   |   6:49 AM – 6:49 AM ET
The 11th annual Net Zero Conference will convene climate leaders to bridge knowledge gaps, inspire, and collaborate on global solutions for change. Topics include the latest on Climate, Net Zero, ESG, Equity, Carbon, and Resilience.

AABE 2024

Mar 28, 2024   |   5:48 AM – 5:48 AM ET
The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE®) is a national association of energy professionals founded and dedicated to ensuring the input of African Americans and other minorities into the discussions and developments of energy policies, regulations, R&D technologies, and environmental issues.
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