In the Design Professional's Guide to Zero Net Energy Buildings, Charles Eley draws from over 40 years of his own experience, and interviews with other industry experts, to lay out the principles for achieving zero net energy (ZNE) buildings, which produce as much energy as they use over the course of a year. Eley emphasizes the importance of building energy use in achieving a sustainable future; describes how building energy use can be minimized through smart design and energy efficiency technologies; and presents practical information on how to incorporate renewable energy technologies to meet the lowered energy needs. The book shows the reader through examples and explanations that these solutions are viable and cost effective.

Conveniently organized and packed with robust technical content and clear explanations of key principles Written by an architect who is the director of sustainability at a global architecture firm, Net Zero Energy Design is a practical guide for architects and related construction professionals who want to design and build net zero energy commercial architecture. It offers no-nonsense strategies, step-by-step technical analysis, and valuable examples, in addition to developed case studies. With a focus on application in a variety of building types and scales, the book also develops a broad-based understanding of all the integrated principles involved in achieving net zero energy. This book is an indispensable resource for anyone venturing into net zero energy design, construction, and operation, and it also serves as an excellent resource on a variety of sustainable design topics. Important features include: Organization based upon the commercial building delivery process Robust technical content for use in actual project applications Analysis examples that demonstrate key technical principles Plenty of design data for use as a valuable design resource Abundant and sophisticated information graphics and color illustrations and photographs A distinct design focus on the content that inspires adoption of principles into projects

Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB): Concepts, Frameworks and Roadmap for Project Analysis and Implementation provides readers with the elements they need to understand, combine and contextualize design decisions on Net Zero Energy Buildings. The book is based on learned lessons from NZEB design, construction, operation that are integrated to bring the most relevant topics, such as multidisciplinarity, climate sensitivity, comfort requirements, carbon footprints, construction quality and evidence-based design. Chapters introduce the context of high performance buildings, present overviews of NZEB, cover the performance thresholds for efficient buildings, cover materials, micro-grid and smart grids, construction quality, performance monitoring, post occupancy evaluation, and more. Offers a roadmap for engaging in energy efficiency in high performance buildings projects Combines solid grounding in core concepts, such as energy efficiency, with a wider context that includes the technical, socio-cultural and environmental dimensions Covers key areas for decision-making Provides a logical framework to analyze projects in the context of environmental change Presents worldwide examples and cases for different climates and societies

The new threshold for green building is not just low energy, it's net-zero energy. In The New Net Zero, sustainable architect Bill Maclay charts the path for designers and builders interested in exploring green design's new-frontier net-zero-energy structures that produce as much energy as they consume and are carbon neutral. In a nation where traditional buildings use roughly 40 percent of the total fossil energy, the interest in net-zero building is growing enormously--among both designers interested in addressing climate change and consumers interested in energy efficiency and long-term savings. Maclay, an award-winning net-zero designer whose buildings have achieved high-performance goals at affordable costs, makes the case for a net-zero future; explains net-zero building metrics, integrated design practices, and renewable energy options; and shares his lessons learned on net-zero teambuilding. Designers and builders will find a wealth of state-of-the-art information on such considerations as air, water, and vapor barriers; embodied energy; residential and commercial net-zero standards; monitoring and commissioning; insulation options; costs; and more. The comprehensive overview is accompanied by several case studies, which include institutional buildings, commercial projects, and residences. Both new-building and renovation projects are covered in detail. The New Net Zero is geared toward professionals exploring net-zero design, but also suitable for nonprofessionals seeking ideas and strategies on net-zero options that are beautiful and renewably powered.

The authors of "Green from the Ground Up" explore the design and construction of self-sufficient houses. With unequaled knowledge and a passion for the subject, the authors walk readers through the process of building and living in a truly green home.

This book presents 18 in-depth case studies of net zero energy buildings—low-energy building that generate as much energy as they consume over the course of a year—for a range of project types, sizes, and U.S. climate zones. Each case study describes the owner’s goals, the design and construction process, design strategies, measurement and verification activities and results, and project costs. With a year or more of post-occupancy performance data and other project information, as well as lessons learned by project owners and developers, architects, engineers, energy modelers, constructors, and operators, each case study answers the questions: What were the challenges to achieving net zero energy performance, and how were these challenges overcome? How would stakeholders address these issues on future projects? Are the occupants satisfied with the building? Do they find it comfortable? Is it easy to operate? How can other projects benefit from the lessons learned on each project? What would the owners, designers, and constructors do differently knowing what they know now? A final chapter aggregates processes to engage in and pitfalls to avoid when approaching the challenges peculiar to designing, constructing, and owning a net zero energy building. By providing a wealth of comparable information, this book which will flatten the learning curve for designing, constructing, and owning this emerging building type and improve the effectiveness of architectural design and construction.

In The Power of Existing Buildings, academic sustainability expert Robert Sroufe, and construction and building experts Craig Stevenson and Beth Eckenrode, explain how to realize the potential of existing buildings and make them perform like new. This step-by-step guide will help readers to: understand where to start a project; develop financial models and realize costs savings; assemble an expert team; and align goals with numerous sustainability programs. The Power of Existing Buildings will challenge you to rethink spaces where people work and play, while determining how existing buildings can save the world. The insights and practical experience of Sroufe, Stevenson, and Eckenrode, along with the project case study examples, provide new insights on investing in existing buildings for building owners, engineers, occupants, architects, and real estate and construction professionals.