Energy & Advocacy News

>>DOE Releases Common Definition of Zero Energy Buildings, Campuses, and Communities
Source: energy.gov
The U.S. Department of Energy reached a significant milestone in bringing the building community together by releasing a common definition for a zero energy building, or what is also referred to as a "net zero energy" or "zero net energy" building.

After leading an extensive stakeholder engagement process over the past year and a half, the Energy Department released its findings in the recently published A Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings, which states that a Zero Energy Building is "an energy-efficient building where, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy." This definition also applies to campuses, portfolios, and communities. In addition to providing clarity across the industry, this new DOE publication provides important guidelines for measurement and implementation, specifically explaining how to utilize this definition for building projects.

>>News from the Building Technologies Office
Source: energy.gov 
Check out the latest news, upcoming events and webinars from the Building Technologies Office: 

>DOE Seeking Information on Design and Construction of High-Performance Tenant Spaces
>What’s Green Worth?
>Workshop Participants Ponder Vision for Future Buildings
>DOE to Announce FY 2016 SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity
 

>>U.S. DOE Building America Update
Source: energy.gov
The U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Update newsletter is now available, and includes: 

>The launch of the 2016 Race to Zero Student Design Competition
>Zero Energy Ready Homes Housing Innovation Awards at the EEBA conference
>The Tour of Zero national campaign
>RESNET's proposed amendment to ANSI standard for airtightness and airflow
>Call for new teams and venue for Solar Decathlon 2017
>DOE's final report on climate-specific passive building standards
>Regional adoption of low-e storm windows as a "proven" energy efficiency technology
>Sept. 24 webinar providing an overview of the Building America Solution Center
>This month's residential success stories highlighting high-performance new construction
>Building America in the news (e.g. Building Science: How Tight Construction Improves Indoor Air Quality)
>The latest publications from Building America: heat pumps, superinsulated buildings, and more! 
 
Read the full issue for the latest news and information from Building America.