The green building consulting firm, Verdical Group is hosting their fourth Net Zero Waste conference. Beginning on August 24th, it is said to be the largest gathering of practitioners and thought leaders in green and net zero building design in the United States. The conference theme is Energy + Water + Waste. Conference attendees will have a chance to meet leaders in the green-building space and see the latest innovations.
What is a net-zero building?
The U.S. Department of Energy defines a zero energy building as a structure that produces enough renewable energy to meet its own annual energy consumption requirements, thereby reducing the use of non-renewable energy in the individual structure and all buildings as a sector more broadly1. Other definitions include buildings that are able to utilize only renewable energy from external sources for the building’s operation.
Why are net-zero waste buildings important?
Energy consumption in buildings accounts for 40% of global energy use and 30% of global CO2 emissions. In the US and EU, energy use and CO2 emissions from buildings are higher at 40%. When taken together, heating, cooling, and lighting account for 60% of a building’s energy consumption2. This essentially means that reducing energy consumption and the harmful carbon emissions from buildings are integral to combating the harmful effects of climate change.
What are the details?
The event is being held at the IBEW-NECA Net Zero Plus facility, one of the few net-positive buildings in the country, meaning that it produces more energy than it uses annually. In addition to the workshops, booths, and networking events, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the IBEW-NECA facility with the technical staff so that they can see the net zero strategies used in person that make this project one of the highest performing buildings in the country.
To learn more about the conference or to register for Net Zero 2017, you can visit www.netzeroconference.com.
1 U.S. Department of Energy, A Common Definition for Zero Waste Buildings, September 2015
https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/09/f26/A%20Common%20Definition%20for%20Zero%20Energy%20Buildings.pdf
2 “Global Energy Efficiency Primer – Less is More,”BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research, 18 April 2013
