Press Room

The Getting to Zero Press Room helps increase understanding and communications
about zero energy and zero carbon buildings.

Media inquiries should be directed to the NBI Communications team at comms@newbuildings.org

Zero energy (ZE) and zero carbon (ZC) buildings are becoming the new standard for achieving significant energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment.
  • A zero energy building is an ultra-efficient buildings that produces as much renewable energy as it consumes over the course of a year.
  • A zero carbon building is defined as one that is highly energy-efficient and produces onsite, or procures, carbon-free renewable energy in an amount sufficient to offset the annual carbon emissions associated with operations.
New Buildings Institute maintains the Getting to Zero Buildings Database, the most comprehensive list of net zero commercial buildings in North America.
They are currently tracking 700+ buildings.

visit the database

The Zero Energy Communications Toolkit

This Toolkit provides more information about the fundamentals of zero energy, including:

Answers to commonly asked questions about zero energy

Messaging for consistent communications around this ultra-efficiency goal

Support for advocates to advance zero energy

A guide for getting to zero terminology

“The era of harm reduction, half steps, and lesser evils is behind us. As a society, we need to be bold in ways that were once unimaginable. Luckily in the building sector, we now can imagine where we need to go. In fact, we don’t need to just imagine it. We can touch, experience, learn from, and replicate it.” – Denis Hayes, President, Bullitt Foundation

Photos for Use

The photos of net zero buildings below can be used with the listed attribution. Additional photos can be found using the button below.

More Photos

Skokomish Community Center | Skokomish, WA
Credit: Ecotope

Download

Alice West Fleet Elementary School | Arlington, VA
Architects: VMDO
Credit: Alan Karchmer

Download

Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building | Davis, CA
Credit: Pankow

Download

“Realizing the potential of the buildings and construction sector needs all hands-on deck – in particular to address rapid growth in inefficient and carbon-intensive building investments.” – Erik Solheim, former Executive Director, UN Environment Programme

Featured Case Studies

Case studies provide insight into how others design, build, and operate zero energy buildings. Read why the team sought zero energy, the technologies used, and how to avoid pitfalls in these examples. More case studies are available on our website.

See More
Zero Energy

Chelsea Soldiers' Home

Chelsea, MA

Learn more
Zero Energy

Edwina Benner Plaza

Sunnyvale, CA

Learn more
Zero Energy

Discovery Elementary

Arlington, VA

Learn more

“We wanted to set an example in our industry by changing the way commercial office buildings are designed and built with the goal of improving the world we live in.” – Jay Leopold, Regional Manager, DPR San Diego

Questions?

Contact us by email for more information.

Send us an email