Leah McGovern, Eversource
Picture buying a new automobile. There are many metrics one might take into account when considering a new purchase. For customers who are not car enthusiasts, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by confusing technical statistics and automotive jargon. Luckily, for consumers who prioritize sustainability, miles per gallon (MPG) is a simple metric that can serve as a decisive factor.
Buildings have similar metrics that provide equally helpful sustainability guideposts for builders, developers, designers, and policy makers. This article explores the importance of target setting, the need to ensure follow through and the global impact of investing in net zero building design.
Setting Targets: Net zero energy new construction
In July 2020, a group of energy efficiency program administrators in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire launched a performance-based program for commercial and industrial (C&I) customers. This team of collaborators recognized the value of centering net zero Energy programs on energy use intensity (EUI) targets. The program is called Net Zero and Low EUI Buildings.
EUI is a measure of a building’s absolute energy use, normalized for square footage, which can be used to compare one building’s energy performance to another’s, or to itself, over time. EUI is like a building’s MPG metric. The lower the EUI, the more efficient the building.
The most successful net zero building projects have clearly defined metrics, like EUI targets, right from the start of design. Having an absolute EUI target keeps the entire project team – owners, architects, and engineers – focused on a single measurable goal from the outset, through design, construction and even into occupancy.
Utility energy efficiency programs can play a significant role in helping customers set EUI targets and in offsetting project costs. By pairing incentives with net zero technical services like net zero road mapping, target setting assistance, and whole-building energy modeling support, new construction net zero programs can ensure that project teams meet their goals.
Following through: The importance of building performance for net zero
A plethora of obstacles contribute to poor building performance, including lack of operations and maintenance training, complex system design and controls, and subpar measurement and verification planning. Net zero energy programs must recognize the importance of following through on a project beyond construction completion. To transform consumer behavior, it is critical that building owners track building performance. These programs address this need by requiring that building performance data is collected at steady state during occupancy to ensure that EUI targets come to fruition.
As more new construction projects reach post-occupancy periods, performance data will play a huge role in shifting consumer mindsets towards absolute building targets. Building owners will have the opportunity to understand how their buildings are being run and where system operations may need adjustment to reach EUI targets. The lessons learned through these programs will be integral in changing how the construction market advances net zero building design.
A global impact
Metric-based energy efficiency programs are beginning to drive consumer behavior on a global scale. New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment has already proposed policies that place caps on EUIs for new commercial buildings.
While the net zero and EUI-based programs in New England are still relatively new, there are clear indications that these programs are increasing adoption of net zero construction. Local policymakers have begun to align EUI targets with those set by the utility net zero programs for several building sectors. Coordination across energy efficiency programs and alignment of the programs with state and local policy is changing how the market plans for net zero buildings.
Programs are expanding the customer mindset on the achievability of net zero and low-carbon buildings. Building types such as schools, libraries, fire stations, and hotels are setting ultra-low EUI targets to construct net zero energy or net zero ready buildings. Commercial developers are working with utility energy efficiency program administrators, net zero energy experts, design teams, sustainability consultants, and many more contributors all pursuing the same goal.
These collaborative efforts are fueling the growing decarbonization movement and driving toward a low-carbon future in which sustainable building environments are the norm, rather than the exception. Utility energy efficiency programs can offer project-based support, as well as programmatic level feedback loops, that can help lead us to a lower carbon future.
In the next article in this series on decarbonization opportunities, my colleague Amanda Stevens will discuss decarbonizing heating and water heating systems.
More articles in this series:
Battery storage — A new lens on energy for consumers
How utility customer data can help deliver on a just energy transition
Electrifying new homes benefits customers and the climate
About the Author
Leah McGovern is an Energy Efficiency Consultant on Eversource’s tri-state New Construction team. She supports the project management, program design, and implementation, of the EnergizeCT New Construction and Zero Net Energy programs in Connecticut. She is also a member Massachusetts New Construction Subcommittee that sets program policy and establishes energy efficiency strategy for commercial new construction programming. She has supported the development of one of the most progressive zero net energy utility commercial incentive programs in the nation.
