The California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, and the New Buildings Institute (NBI) announced earlier this month California continues the march toward its zero net energy (ZNE) goals, with 108 new and renovated commercial buildings that have been either verified as generating as much energy as they consume or are working toward that target.
California is the country’s undisputed leader in both policies and projects that are laying the path to an energy efficient future. The California Energy Commission’s 2007 Integrated Energy Policy Report and the CPUC’s 2008 Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan established goals of having all new residential construction in California be ZNE by 2020 and all new commercial construction ZNE by 2030.
As announced August 3rd, the Golden State currently boasts 108 commercial ZNE buildings either verified (17) or working toward that target (91). The count was made official via the recently released California ZNE Watchlist, which tracks ZNE commercial buildings, including multi-family projects. Buildings with ultra-low energy performance comparable to ZNE are also included. The Watchlist is funded via the CPUC and developed by NBI, a national nonprofit group.
Read more from NBI’s press release, here. For more information about California’s progress on ZNE, read the NBI ZNE WatchList or sign up for the ZNE Action Bulletin.