Is Net Zero Building the Future of Building (or Wishful Thinking?)
By Ashley Halligan, an analyst at Software Advice
As sustainable building trends continue to emerge, the ambitious goal of net-zero building continues to emerge among industry leaders. Imagining a building that literally produces as much--or more--energy than it consumes almost seems unachievable. However, both major organizations and small businesses are showing us exactly the opposite--with careful planning and responsible energy management practices. Net zero is achievable. But on how wide of a scale?
I recently had the opportunity to discuss the growing trend with a handful of industry professionals--including the Sustainable Manufacturing Manager at McCormick whom provided a promising case study of the transformation of one of their facilities--a 363,000 square foot distribution center which achieved net zero earlier this year.
Organizations are showing us that net zero is widely achievable with two primary steps: first addressing current consumption across a facility, and secondly--retrofitting a building to both reduce and produce energy.
©Ashley Halligan
