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For many cities, buildings are the largest cause of carbon emissions. The good news is that transitioning buildings toward net-zero energy makes those buildings healthier and more comfortable. Smart approaches to retrofitting and new construction can create an economic boon for the city.
Perform deep energy retrofits on all existing city-owned buildings, including affordable housing, to make municipal facilities ultraefficient and net-zero energy ready. Such buildings would achieve net-zero or nearly net-zero energy if equipped with on-site renewable energy generation.
Phase in requirements for all new buildings to achieve net-zero energy or net-zero energy ready (deep efficiency without renewable energy on site) status using building code requirements. Establish target years after which all new buildings that enter the planning and permitting process will be designed
to achieve net-zero energy. Making a building net-zero energy ready at the point of construction is very cost-effective. All new municipal buildings should be required to achieve net-zero energy.
Require existing buildings to meet a specified energy-efficiency metric based on whole-building energy consumption per unit area after a “trigger” event, such as a sale, a building refinancing, or a major renovation, or in tandem with life safety upgrades.
Create policies to support interior lighting upgrades to LED technology citywide. Provide focused buy-down programs for low-income residents, with graduated approaches for individuals and institutions able to better afford the up-front costs required to secure long-term savings. In addition to energy cost savings, maintenance costs are greatly reduced.
The success of our LED program is the result of EESL’s innovative business model, which is scalable, flexible, and able to embrace emerging technologies.
‐Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), Ministry of Power, Government of India
Require benchmarking for all buildings citywide, which necessitates reporting annual building energy use. This should be paired with a transparency policy that requires commercial and large residential building types to publicly disclose energy use.
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Take action today and set your community on an ambitious course to carbon-neutrality bringing economic vitality, cleaner air, and better health and resilience.
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