Net Zero Energy Building

Technology Roadmap Sections and Deliverables

Net-Zero Energy Building - 2NZEB

By: David Gottdiener Islas, Ramon Weber and Andy Canady

Classified on the 5x5 matrix as store(house) organisms - the net goal of the building is to house some sort of organisms in a climate controlled structure utilizing sustainable energy means.

Roadmap Overview:

We are developing a level 2 product that can be utilized by the consumers as the Net-Zero Energy Building it is derived from a level 1 structure of generic buildings. The level 2 construct supplies a specific structure aligned with customer’s interests. It is comprised of level 3 and 4 products that come together to provide the emergence of a Net Zero Energy Building. National Renewable Energy Laboratory helps to define a Net-Zero Energy Building as any building with “greatly reduced energy needs” and the ways we can go about achieving this is by incorporating renewable technologies and the energy requirements of the building. We look at this as our level three structures of energy production, energy saving, and energy consumption. The energy saving can be seen from the technologies implemented in the design that reduce the energy usage of the building compared to traditional technologies. Buildings can take a multitude of forms from residential, workplace, commercial, etc. Our roadmap take a holistic approach to show how and where the technologies exist to generate net-zero energy buildings. Technologies used for the envelope and insulation of the buildings can assist with retaining the climate within a building which minimizes the energy consumed in order to maintain. Technologies are also actively being developed that allow for a carbon neutral (and in some cases carbon-negative) footprint. Energy production is highlighted here as wind turbines and photovoltaic solar panels as they are the most common and easily implemented energy technologies on a scale usable by an individual building. Energy consumption can also take the form of renewable energy production as can be seen by geothermal HVAC systems. In this manner a Net-Zero Energy building uses natural energy to heat and cool the building and thereby minimizes the energy consumption footprint.