Architecture 2030 is a non-profit research organization that aims to transform the construction sector globally. Buildings are currently a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which means there is a huge opportunity to reduce their impact through energy efficiency and renewable generation.
According to the United Nations, the number of buildings in the world is expected to grow at a very rapid rate in the coming decades.
- Globally, the built area will increase by 2.5 trillion square feet. until the year 2060.
- This is like adding new buildings worth an entire New York City every 34 days.
- The global urban population is increasing by about 1.5 million per week.
If construction continues at this pace, without paying attention to energy performance and emissions, the impact on the global climate could be serious. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature rise below 2°C, and this will only be possible if all buildings become carbon neutral by 2050. Emissions from buildings have steadily increased by 1% annually since 2010, and this trend must be stopped as soon as possible. as possible.
To address the issue of emissions from buildings, Architecture 2030 published the ZERO Code in June 2018. The code's main objective is to provide an international framework for Net Zero Carbon (ZNC) buildings, which can be adapted to local building codes .
- As its name suggests, a ZNC building has zero net emissions. This can be achieved if 100% of the energy used by the building comes from renewable sources.
- In cases where the building is forced to use energy sources that produce emissions, it can still become ZNC through the production of surplus renewable energy until the carbon footprint is offset.
The ZERO Code has a very broad scope, covering new commercial and institutional buildings, as well as medium and high-rise residential projects. These building categories cover the majority of new projects in modern cities. The code proposes an international framework for ZNC buildings, which could become mandatory if adopted by local governments.
Identify the most promising energy upgrades for your building.
How Code ZERO improves buildings
To minimize the energy consumption and environmental footprint of buildings, the ZERO code proposes a three-step approach:
- Minimize energy demand with a high-performance building envelope, daylighting, passive design, energy efficiency measures and building controls.
- Generation of renewable energy on site, deploying the largest capacity possible.
- If the building's energy demand cannot be met with on-site production alone, the rest can come from off-site renewable systems such as solar farms, wind turbines or hydroelectric power.
Similar to how the New York Energy Conservation Code works, the ZERO Code offers two paths to compliance. It is based on the ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-rise Residential Buildings.
- The prescriptive approach uses predetermined measures described in the code.
- The performance approach validates building performance based on energy modeling.
In theory, it is possible to have a zero-emissions building without energy efficiency, but this is an extremely expensive approach as more renewable production capacity is needed to compensate for energy waste. For this reason, the ZERO Code adds energy efficiency requirements, even when it would be possible to achieve zero emissions without them.
Code ZERO focuses on new construction, as the opportunity for emissions control is greater. Existing buildings can also reduce their energy consumption and emissions, but passive design features and envelope improvements have limited applications to existing structures and walls.
Like the New York Energy Code, Code ZERO includes documentation and labeling requirements along with project commissioning to validate performance.
Code ZERO: Supplementary Technical Guide and Software
Renewable energy is a complex topic and selecting the best sources for a project can be a significant engineering challenge:
- Some technologies may perform better than others depending on property conditions, local regulations and incentive programs.
- On-site deployment is not possible in many cases, but there are many ways to purchase renewable generation from third parties.
Architecture 2030 has created a technical support document alongside the ZERO code, which provides detailed guidance on how to acquire renewable energy when on-site generation is not possible or insufficient. The guide provides a detailed description of the available purchasing options, highlighting advantages and limitations.
The ZERO Code Energy Calculator was developed to simplify code compliance for homeowners by following the prescriptive approach of ASHRAE 90.1-2016. The software tool is free and open source and available as a website and mobile app.
Conclusion
Code ZERO only becomes mandatory if adopted by local authorities, but a high-performance building is a valuable asset even when energy efficiency and renewable generation are optional. Furthermore, New York City has been characterized by building performance leadership and it is very likely that Code ZERO will be adopted in the near future.
