Net Zero Energy and Decarbonization Toolkit

This toolkit from the International Code Council is a resource for states, tribes, local jurisdictions, and other organizations interested in developing and implementing advanced energy efficiency and carbon reduction goals. Currently the toolkit includes information about embodied carbon in buildings, distributed energy, workforce development, and more. New information and resources are being integrated as they become available.

Public Buildings Portfolio Management Strategic Energy Plan Template

Strategic energy planning helps local governments and other organizations increase the energy efficiency of buildings, save on operating costs, reduce emissions, and lead by example for the community. The Public Buildings Portfolio Management Plan Template can be used by cities, counties, state agencies, or school districts to develop and document a strategic, long term approach to energy and carbon impacts in municipal facilities. This template is aligned with the Public Building Portfolio Management Implementation Guide framework.

Zero Energy Communications Toolkit

The conversation around zero energy (ZE) buildings is evolving with many different terms emerging to describe these recent developments. To support consistent and clear communications, New Buildings Institute (NBI) has developed a number of factsheets that early adopters and advocates can use to support information sharing on ZE. These toolkit items were developed by NBI and Resource Media and represent the foundational pieces of the Getting to Zero Communications Toolkit.

Community Action Planning for Energy Efficiency

CAPEE is a free online tool that equips communities with resources and knowledge to set goals and prioritize actions that lead to improved energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Upon completion, a customized dashboard will provide a snapshot overview of your community and support for priority-setting.

Santa Barbara Capital Projects Standards Manual

Santa Barbara's Capital Projects Standards Manual includes information necessary to complete the construction of new County buildings, remodels, and related projects. Information includes Owner Project Requirements, Basis of Design, Commissioning Requirements, Environmental and Sustainability Goals, Feasibility and Cost Studies for Proposed Projects, Programming, Management of Building and Remodel Construction, Assistance in Development of the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan, etc.

Building Electrification Action Plan for Climate Leaders

Sierra Club's report, Building Electrification Action Plan for Climate Leaders, advises policymakers on how to clear greenhouse gas emissions out of California’s homes and buildings. More than 20 cities have adopted recommended ordinances to begin phasing gas out of buildings, which release roughly 17 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and account for more pollution than all of the state’s power plants combined.

Eugene Climate Recovery Ordinance

The city of Eugene aims to cut in half community fossil fuel use by 2030. Its climate action goals focus on reducing carbon pollution relative to historic levels. The city recognizes the need to reduce carbon pollution to at or below 350 parts per million in the atmosphere. The 2016 updated Climate Recovery Ordinance sets a goal to have Eugene’s emission levels at a 350 ppm level by 2100. At the municipal level, Eugene is targeting carbon neutral city operations by 2020. This is to be mainly achieved by an overall 55% reduction in GHG emissions from 2005 levels by 2020, with emissions offsets covering the gap between that reduction and all the way to net zero.

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home

Since 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home program has recognized hundreds of leading builders for their achievements in energy efficiency, resulting in over 14,000 energy efficient homes and millions of dollars in energy savings. The DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, represents a whole new level of home performance, with rigorous requirements that ensure outstanding levels of energy savings, comfort, health and durability.

Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative ZNE Hub

California’s Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative (SEEC) provides support to cities and counties to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy. The ZNE Hub, maintained by SEEC, serves as a comprehensive resource for local governments to better understand the current policy landscape and the range of resources currently available. It includes a general overview of zero energy implementation for local governments, broken down by common steps, and a compilation of barriers, best practices, case studies, and key references.

Zero Energy Project

The Zero Energy Project is a non-profit educational organization that aims to help home buyers, builders, designers, and real estate professionals take meaningful steps towards radically reducing carbon emissions and energy bills by building zero energy and near zero energy homes. The project envisions a future of positive energy homes which also power electric vehicles so everyone can live well with less expense and without fear of energy price spikes, while greatly reducing carbon emissions.

High-Performance and Zero Energy Building Recognition Programs

Recognition programs honor early innovation and leadership in this market and showcase the people, buildings, and policies that are driving the movement toward ZE and carbon neutral buildings. These programs help demonstrate that high-performance and ZE buildings are achievable and can be used in a wide variety of contexts. NBI has helped a variety of jurisdictions launch their own building recognition programs. This brief description provides core guidance, lessons learned, and recommended examples of existing programs.

Schools and Public Buildings

K-12 schools, colleges and public buildings represent key opportunities for local governments to lead on ultra-low and zero energy policies and practices. As local examples of the feasibility and benefits of ZNE increase, schools and public buildings can educate the broader public about sustainability and green building, and show a commitment to reducing climate impacts. This factsheet shares how schools and public buildings are moving toward high efficiency goals.

Getting to Zero Facts for Owners and Operators

Beyond the environmental benefits of reduced carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, ZNE buildings provide substantive business advantages. ZNE performance helps reduce exposure to risk by ensuring that an asset is more resilient, has higher employee and tenant retention, and enjoys higher rents. This factsheet for owners and operators provides quick facts about the benefits of ultra-low and zero energy investments.

Architecture and Engineering for Ultra-Low Energy

As sustainable design practices and goals are more commonly adopted by the architectural and engineering communities, designing for zero energy (ZE) goals offers firms and consultants an opportunity to distinguish themselves from the field. Demonstrating the expertise needed to create ZE-level performance signals a proficiency in the advanced technology application and design strategies needed to achieve this goal. This factsheet explains the advantages of being a getting to zero-capable firm.

Design Fundamentals of Ultra-Low and Zero Energy

Achieving a zero energy goal for any new commercial construction or deep renovation project requires a commitment by the design team to a fully integrated process where the interrelationships between the building and its systems, surroundings and occupants make efficient and effective use of all resources. This factsheet explains the design must-haves for achieving success in ultra-low energy buildings.

A Guide to Zero Energy Terminology

A zero energy (ZE) building is an energy-efficient building that produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year, usually by incorporating solar PV onsite. ZE (also known as a Zero Net Energy Building or Net Zero Energy) is a fast growing segment of the nation’s building industry and it is hard to keep up with the new and changing terminology. This fact sheet is provides an explanation of the language and terms people commonly use when they discuss ultra-low and zero energy.

Outcome Based Codes and Policy Recommendations

Current energy code strategies consider only a limited number of the factors that impact building energy performance. They don’t address all those elements of design and construction that influence performance, and they don’t address how buildings use energy once completed. Outcome based codes and policies can help ensure that the real-world energy use of buildings aligns with jurisdictional goals.

Moving Energy Codes Forward: A Guide for Cities and States

This guide provides critical steps to achieve significant code improvements through the adoption of stretch codes and provides a practical framework for implementing advanced codes and outcome policies. It offers guidance, resources, and examples of advanced code adoption based on NBI’s stretch code development and adoption experience working with states and communities.

Zero Energy FAQ

This Frequently Asked Questions factsheet explains the important aspects of zero energy buildings and busts common myths about feasibility and cost of these projects.

ACEEE Local Energy Efficiency Policy Database

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) State and Local Policy Database includes comprehensive information on energy efficiency policies and programs being implemented in dozens of leading localities around the United States. The City Scorecard ranks many of the most populated cities in the country on a wide array of policies, offering at-a-glance views of where the cities stand and what they can do to improve their scores. More tailored policy resources are available for local governments, states, low income programs, and multifamily programs.

Building Rating: Sharing Transparency for a More Efficient Future

BuildingRating.org is an online hub for building energy and water benchmarking policies. They provide useful tools and resources that shed light on building performance in jurisdictions throughout the world.

Carbon-Free Regions Handbooks

Rocky Mountain Institute’s Carbon-Free Cities and Regions Handbooks outline dozens of actions, and associated resources, for local, state, and regional governments to move their communities toward climate neutrality. Review the buildings sections of each handbook for more in-depth information on how policies can drive emissions reductions across a public building portfolio.

DOE Energy Efficiency Policies and Programs

State and local governments can lead by example by promoting energy efficiency programs and policies for public facilities, equipment, and government operations through energy data management and evaluation, energy efficiency building standards, enacting existing building retrofit programs, procuring energy-efficient appliances and equipment (including vehicles), and establishing energy efficiency operations and maintenance procedures. This site from DOE provides sample programs and standards for public entities.

Benchmarking Data Open-Source Software Tools

In collaboration with NBI, Open Spaces NW, NEEA, US DOE, and other partners, Maalka has developed a handful of free and open-source tools to help users manage their data-driven programs. These tools are intended to help portfolio holders, especially public building owners, understand the quality of their data and the performance of their buildings. These free and open source tools can be used as they are presented or may be customized.

Master Buildings List Template

Developing a comprehensive list of all buildings within a portfolio is the first step to tracking their energy usage, and forms the foundation of any strategic energy plans. This Excel template can be used to catalog all buildings within a portfolio and contains the key data points most useful for prioritization and strategic planning. Use this as is, or customize it to create a master buildings list that tracks the key information you need for each building in your portfolio.

Green Lease Guidance

Jurisdictions can reduce their environmental footprint, minimize utility costs, and maximize productivity and health by leasing green buildings. This brief guide provides context and links to selected reference guides, best practices, and other recommended resources that can help public building lease decision makers ensure that the buildings they are leasing are as efficient, healthy, and sustainable as possible.

Public Building Benchmarking Guidance

Building energy benchmarking can lead to real energy and cost savings for building owners. Fundamentally, benchmarking involves tracking building energy performance over time. This helps owners and managers better understand their assets, identify operational opportunities, and track performance against targets over time. This document provides the context, general method, and several recommended resources to help jurisdictions benchmark their own buildings.

Public Buildings Portfolio Management Implementation Guide

This comprehensive guide outlines a process to help jurisdictional staff and their allies engage stakeholders, set tangible goals, target opportunities, and develop and implement a strategic plan to achieve deep and ongoing energy reductions in public building portfolios.

Energy Savings Performance Contract Model Documents

Public building owners often use Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) to unlock energy efficiency savings while minimizing upfront capital costs. This guidance, provided by the US Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, provides a model contract template and companion documents to support building owners seeking to develop or update procurement and contracting documents for ESPC projects and programs.

Multifamily Guide

The Multifamily Guide outlines packages of prescriptive measures to help design practitioners and owners improve energy performance in multifamily new construction projects. The packages deliver savings whether the project is subject to the residential or the commercial version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The 13 core measures and six additional efficiency packages described in the guide result in savings of 15-25% over the 2015 IECC.

Advanced Energy Design Guides

To promote building energy efficiency, ASHRAE and its partners have created a series of free guides to promote varying levels of energy reduction in buildings: 30%, 50%, and zero energy. These guides provide a cost-effective approach to achieve advanced levels of energy savings. They offer contractors and designers the tools needed for achieving deep energy reductions, including recommendations for practical products and off-the-shelf technology.

Advanced Buildings New Construction Guide

Increasing energy code stringency and owner demand for higher efficiency in buildings are challenging design teams to deliver high performance without adding costs. The New Construction Guide offers a comprehensive approach to new commercial construction projects that achieves efficiencies up to 30% higher than conventional buildings.

Getting to Zero: ZNE Integrated Design Charrette Toolkit

A well-run design charrette can make a huge difference in the outcome of a building design. NBI’s ZNE Charrette Toolkit provides teams with materials to help plan and lead a successful charrette. This toolkit lays out a step-by-step process, starting with pre-charrette planning and continuing through post-charrette actions. It can be used by almost any team aiming for high levels of energy efficiency or sustainability, whether specifically pursuing zero energy or not.

Plug Load Best Practices Guide

Plug loads can account for more than half of a ZE building’s energy use, requiring efficient equipment and occupant education to keep actual energy consumption on target. NBI’s Plug Load Best Practices Guide outlines no-cost and low-cost measures to reduce the energy and costs associated with plug loads, or any device that is plugged into a building’s electrical system: appliances, smart devices, computers, printers, and servers.

Getting to Zero: Zero Energy Guide

The ZE Project Guide helps guide teams along the path to zero energy by focusing on best practices throughout the design process. This helps project managers and design teams build on the shoulders of the leaders before them when planning, designing, constructing, and operating a new zero energy building.

Zero Net Energy Project Design Guide for State Buildings

The Zero Net Energy Project Guide for State Buildings was created by NBI to provide California state agencies an in-depth step by step guide and checklist for getting new buildings to zero energy. Project managers can use this resource to gain stakeholder support, select a qualified design team, identify key technologies and strategies, successfully navigate the design and construction process, operate the building as designed, and verify ZNE operations.

Owners Project Requirements Guidance

An Owners Project Requirements (OPR) document is used to define project goals and expectations when procuring a new building. Several template and sample high-performance public-building OPRs are linked here. These templates can be customized or used as guidance to explain key ideas, concepts, and criteria, providing direction for the design team and ensuring that the owner gets a building that meets their needs.

Design Team Interview Questions

Selecting the right design, and the right design team, is a critical step in procuring a high-performance building. This handbook shares best practices to consider when interviewing design teams that have responded to a public-building RFP, as well as sample questions organized by category.

Request for Proposals/Qualifications

A Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Qualification (RFQ)is typically used when procuring new public buildings. This resource provides best practice recommendations and a framework that can help city and other procurement officials procure a high-performance building right out of the gate. Selected sample RFPs are linked for comparison and inspiration.