Perhaps the most important thing one can remember when in the preliminary stages of constructing a NetZero building or home is that no two NetZero projects are created equal—best practices for achieving a successful NetZero status vary from case to case.
Whistler Village was developed on a landfill with 90% of the region’s heating and hot water energy sourced from the waste heat of a nearby water treatment plant
“Know your climate to understand the potential energy on your site,” says Albert Bicol, a partner at Colbalt Engineering, the firm behind the Whistler Athlete’s Village at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Whistler’s Village was built with sustainability in mind: the grounds were developed on a landfill, 90% of the region’s heating and hot water energy is sourced from the waste heat of a nearby water treatment plant, and the building will be put to use for years to come. “The NetZero approach is adaptable and has to vary as much as Canada’s topography and geography does,” says Bicol, noting how, although Winnipeg is one of Canada’s most northerly cities, its coldest days often come with blue skies and intense sunlight. Therefore, an emphasis on utilizing as many solar trackers as possible is integral to NetZero building in Winnipeg. By extension, an accurate understanding of the climates, terrains and even the social conditions present in a region is imperative to producing the best results in any NetZero building project.
NetZero building marks an exciting new age of architecture and construction that is doing much more than simply providing shelter from the elements.
Edward Mazria is a renowned architect, author, educator and founder of the Architecture 2030 project
“Rather than just shut the environment out, now the building will be intimately connected to the outside environment,’ says Edward Mazria of NetZero Building. Mazria is a renowned architect, author, educator and founder of the Architecture 2030 project, a not-for-profit, independent organization whose mission is to quickly transform the U.S. and global Building Sector from a problem (it’s currently still a major contributor of greenhouse gases) to a solution (NetZero building has the power to dramatically improve the climate change and energy consumption crises). With 2030 less than 20 years away, there is much work to be done.
Things to Think About when Considering a NetZero Solution
The importance of knowing and preparing for the environmental patterns of the building region cannot be overstated. Just as NetZero building is a responsible building solution, it also requires a significantly higher level of responsibility on the part of the building owner, architects, construction workers, etc., in order to successfully achieve it. ‘Little Boxes’ or cookie-cutter houses are no longer an option; NetZero building requires careful planning, disciplined decision making and a highly organized, systematic approach. Here are some practical tips to get you started:
- Prepare for higher costs up-front. Your building costs—and your mortgage—will be higher, but you will of course save money (and the environment!) in the long run.
- Resist the temptation to build a NetZero mansion. The bigger the house is, the more expensive it will be to heat it or fill it with light. The NetZero movement is all about responsibility, and responsibility begins with the individual. Simply put, don’t build more space than you actually need.
- Erect the most efficient building envelope you can afford. Kingspan Insulated Metal Panels are your airtight insulation solution. It’s possible to build an envelope so impenetrable that additional energy sources are unnecessary. It’s unlikely that building or home-owners would want walls to be so thick, but this exemplifies the importance of insulated metal panels in envelope construction. -Have a strategy in regards to natural light input and output. For example, windows with southern exposures let in, by far, the most heat in the winter, and can easily be covered with an awning to keep heat out in the summer. Keep windows and doors facing east or west to a minimum.
- Watch out for vampire power! Vampire power is the energy that is consumed by electronic devices that are plugged in but not even in use. These could be cell phone chargers, printers or computers which in many modern homes account for approximately 25% of total energy use! This waste of energy would not work in a NetZero home.
Watch out for vampire power! Vampire power is the energy that is consumed by electronic devices that are plugged in but not even in use
If you are seriously considering NetZero building for your business or home, pay special attention to the climate and weather patterns that your region experiences this winter. Write them down. Be vigilant, and brainstorm your own ideas for your future sustainable space. Perhaps the next valuable contribution to the future of NetZero building will come from YOU.
For a long time NetZero buildings have been out of reach to contractors and homeowners as banks were not ready to fund the higher prices associated with the building process. While it’s true that initial building costs are higher for a net zero building than a conventional building, the extra costs actually operate more like a deposit—you get your money back (and then some) as your NetZero home starts producing its own energy entirely separate of the grid. 
Canada is starting to support sustainable building in a big way. Vancouver, for example, offers cash rebates to homeowners who are building energy-efficient homes. Ontario as well, has options: both Genworth Financial and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation offer 10% rebates for home insurance customers building or retrofitting with sustainability in mind.
