Buildings
5 Key Trends Behind Zero Energy Buildings
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) are cohosting the 2018 Getting to Zero National Forum, April 17–18, in Pittsburgh. The forum is a leading industry event aimed at growing the market for net-zero energy buildings and communities. The below piece is adapted from a recent announcement…
The Piece of Paper that Could Make or Break Commercial Net-Zero Energy
I recently joined the very small minority of people who find leasing language interesting. Leases tend to be dry and confusing with their lawyer jargon of henceforths and herebys, but if you can look past the legalese, leases can be used as a critical lever to scale net-zero energy (NZE)…
Net-Zero Energy Buildings: Three career paths for students to revolutionize the built environment and decarbonize the energy sector
The net-zero energy (NZE) movement is gaining momentum, revolutionizing building design and construction and presenting new career opportunities for students. As a student myself with a strong interest in sustainable design and building science, I have been closely following the industry’s momentum. Trends that have arisen in the NZE movement…
Reality Check: Debunking Industry Myths on Leased Net-Zero Energy Buildings
I recall my father’s advice, “Do the best you can with what you have, and if the stars align, you’ll have the opportunity for better.” The staff at Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) office in Boulder, Colorado, had made the most of the space we occupied for the past nine years—a…
FHA Should Reconsider Its About-Face—About PACE
Last week, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced it will stop insuring new mortgages on homes with property assessed clean energy (PACE) loans. As to what motivated its decision—according to its letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development—the FHA is “concerned with the lack of consumer…