Community and Multi-building Development's Key Role in a Net-zero Energy Future

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is typically assumed that the renewable energy required by net-zero energy buildings is produced by photovoltaic (PV) panels located on individual rooftops. However, this paradigm may produce unintended consequences by inducing sprawl and the development of low-density, low-rise buildings with large roof areas to support PV arrays. Furthermore, if other building energy systems, such as heating and cooling, are constrained to the needs of individual net-zero buildings, the benefits of diverse multi-building load profiles will fail to be realized. Instead, a more sustainable approach could be achieved through multi-building systems which share renewable energy production and other energy systems, obviating the need for individual buildings to develop separate, small-scale solutions, and placing net-zero goals in reach of higher-density urban areas. Further, a multi-building approach to development may have other added benefits, such as reducing strain on transportation infrastructure and promoting community-oriented development. In a recent report developed by the zero energy Commercial Buildings Consortium (CBC), industry stakeholders underscored the opportunity and multiple benefits of multi-building systems, including the ability to aggregate and balance electrical and thermal loads, efficiencies in shared energy management and equipment maintenance, sharing of other resources, and elimination of redundant equipment. However, a number of technical as well as market-oriented challenges persist in making the important shift from individual building design and construction to multi-building configurations and community development. These barriers include multiple ownership and incentive structures, technical hurdles in applying multi-building systems to existing buildings, and the need for improved waste heat technologies. This article will discuss these challenges in detail, as well as explore practical, near-term actions that can be taken at the state, regional, and national levels to move the commercial building sector along this path.