[BLDG-SIM] Net Zero--commercial buildings

[Peter Alspach]

Brian,
 
I think the answer is "it all depends."  I would be much more specific
about what your client is aiming for. There are many levels of
robustness that you can deal with - anything from on-site
self-production of all site consumed energy to simply purchasing
renewable energy credits from others to offset your usage to even going
beyond site energy consumption and looking at overall project energy
consumption with transport impacts, source energy conversion
efficiencies, etc. It is important to draw the line clearly and clearly
define what you are setting out to do. It is easy to get carried away
and also easy to overlook/ignore large impacts that may set your client
up for a PR disaster. For example, I opened a book up on "off-grid"
homes and saw a house in NYC - I was intrigued, but then disappointed to
know that it wasn't off-grid urban, it was just a house in NYC with a
few PV panels on the roof that met a portion of their electric demand.
Be careful when using vaguely defined terms like "net zero" - net zero
what? You could have net zero site emissions by using all electric
systems...
 
Carbon neutrality is an area where bio-fuels can work if you consider
that they are long-term carbon neutral.  It all depends on your and your
client's definition of what they are trying to do.
 
Peter

________________________________

From: BLDG-SIM at GARD.COM [mailto:BLDG-SIM at GARD.COM] On Behalf Of Brian
Thornton
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:52 AM
To: BLDG-SIM at GARD.COM
Subject: [BLDG-SIM] Net Zero--commercial buildings



Is there a clear "official" definition of Net Zero, for homes, and/or
separately for commercial or other larger buildings?  The term is being
applied to some larger projects than just homes.  For taller buildings,
the roof area gets to be too small to meet the energy needs of the
building just with PV, and wind is problematic in urban settings.  Can
bio-diesel, wood pellets, or other "renewable" fuels from off-site used
in on-site generation, and/or combined heat and power, be considered
part of a "net zero" project? 

 

Brian Thornton

 

Thornton Energy Consulting

p. 503-231-6600 f. 503-231-3555

thorntonenergy at comcast.net

 


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