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NBI is celebrating 25 years of market transformation! 

“When NBI formed to accelerate the impact of energy codes, the climate crisis wasn’t part of mainstream conversation in the built environment. After 25 years of leadership towards a cleaner, healthier future, NBI leads the best thinking about how buildings play a central role in decarbonization. Through its analysis, policy advancement, thought leadership, and refusal to accept the status quo, the built environment is better for NBI’s work. Happy 25th anniversary, NBI – the next 25 years will be the most important in the history of buildings, and there’s no organization better prepared to show us the way.” --NBI Board President, Marge Anderson

A variety of funding programs from the U.S. federal and state governments have over $2 billion in funding earmarked for major improvements in school facilities, bolstering budgets that are often victim of regional funding crises. Released in April, NBI’s Decarbonization Roadmap Guide for School Building Decision Makers and accompanying resources, can help districts leverage these funding opportunities by developing a decarbonization roadmap to identify cost effective strategies and approaches to achieve net zero emissions across a portfolio of buildings. These materials were developed during the inaugural Getting to Zero Over Time in California Schools cohort, facilitated by NBI and the California Division of the State Architect’s (DSA) Sustainability Education & Outreach Program. The cohort was established in 2020 to support K-12 school districts with the development of their own roadmap to achieve zero net energy and zero carbon across their portfolio.

PACE Equity and NBI recently announced the first and only financing option for owners and developers to benefit from a differentiated cost of capital when they build a lower carbon building. This groundbreaking approach called CIRRUS™ Low Carbon encourages owners/developers to use C-PACE financing with lower rates when they build more efficient, lower carbon buildings, charting a practical and financially beneficial path to building decarbonization. Building owners/developers who use the CIRRUS Low Carbon Design Specification for Low Carbon Financing, for either new construction or renovation, receive a lower cost of capital, access to the PACE Equity Low Carbon Team, and designation as a CIRRUS Low Carbon Building verified by NBI.

National model energy codes that impact new construction are moving toward decarbonization, but existing buildings have long presented a greater challenge for regulation. With 5.9 million existing commercial buildings in the U.S., we know that solving this challenge is the key to unlock the potential for reaching our climate goals. Building performance standards (BPS) are emerging as a way for state and local governments to set requirements for existing buildings to achieve minimum levels of low-energy or climate-aligned performance. For building owners and operators, BPS means their properties will have to meet increasingly stringent performance targets for energy and carbon emissions, or risk being identified as poor performers. A future-ready capital planning approach, beginning with long-term performance goals in mind, is an opportunity for building owners to leverage investments and increase asset value while meeting forthcoming BPS. NBI is working with an increasing number of cities and states on BPS plans, making it possible for them to deliver on their climate and energy goals.

A new study from NBI analyzes the cost of the Building Decarbonization Code released last year. The research, Cost Study of the Building Decarbonization Code, found that a newly constructed single-family, all-electric prototype was $7,500-$8,200 cheaper to build than baseline code homes in the study area. Mixed-fuel building households are nominally more expensive. It also found only marginal additional first costs for property owners of the all-electric medium office building prototype, with most of the first costs of the Building Decarbonization Code attributed to electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Additionally, researchers determined that life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for the single-family prototypes produced both economic and societal benefits. While limited in climate zone and building types, these are significant findings for jurisdictions considering adopting the Building Decarbonization Code and informs the potential impact on construction costs and opportunities for savings as they work to transition away from fossil fuel combustion in buildings.

With building construction and operations making up nearly 40% of U.S. carbon emissions, many jurisdictions have made reducing emissions from the built environment a top strategy for meeting climate action goals. NBI’s new Model Government Zero Emissions Buildings Policy helps with plug-and-play policy language for jurisdictions taking a “Lead by Example” approach to building decarbonization. This new tool aims to help accelerate construction and operation of zero emissions buildings—both for carbon and other greenhouse gases — by providing sample language that can be adapted to meet each jurisdiction’s needs.

Over 100,000 construction industry workers will be needed to electrify all of California’s existing and new construction buildings according to a recent study from UCLA’s Luskin Center. But where will these workers come from and how will they get the training they need? This is a question many jurisdictions are grappling with as they consider and adopt electrification policies, providing the impetus for a new workforce development program. The program, called High-Efficiency Electrification Technology Training, works to help design and construction professionals understand and implement practices in electrification, space heating, and water heating technology application and installation to ensure states meet their goals for decarbonizing building stock. Launched by NBI in partnership with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Steven Winter Associates, and the International Code Council, the three-year project is funded by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Learn how the all-electric heat pump water heater is gaining ground in the U.S. market with a new progress report from the Advanced Water Heating Initiative and an upcoming webinar with homebuilders sharing their stories.

Progress Report: Creating a National Advanced Water Heating Movement  

Webinar: Heat Pump Water Heaters in the All Electric Home – Builders share their experience

Join this webinar profiling three American homebuilders who are installing heat pump water heaters in new homes and loving it. Discussion will highlight the experiences these builders have had with heat pump water heaters, the benefits and challenges of installing this important technology in new homes, and what lessons are we learning from the early adopters, both installers and consumers. This session is hosted by AWHI, EEBA and Electrify Now and will be moderated by NBI’s Joseph Wachunas.

Cohosts NBI and RMI announce the 2023 Getting to Zero Forum in Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 10-12, 2023. The Forum is the premiere event on net zero energy and building decarbonization which gathers a broad cross-section of leading experts to share best practice approaches to reducing energy demand and decarbonizing the built environment. The Call for Speakers will open in August with submissions due in September. Sign up below for updates on the Call for Speakers, program development and other educational opportunities.

The Getting to Zero platform provides ongoing opportunities for knowledge sharing around actionable solutions. We are excited to offer a variety of education modules to help further understanding of crucial industry topics, including embodied carbon, grid integrated buildings, electrification, and green schools. Our education modules are also eligible for AIA continuing education units.

NBI enthusiastically welcomes two influential leaders to its Board of Directors this year. Dr. Tina Jayaweera is a Power Planning Resources Manager at Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Susan Rochford is Vice President of Energy Efficiency, Sustainability and Public Policy for Legrand North America and Central America. These professionals bring broad experience and a wealth of knowledge to NBI’s governing body.

We had the opportunity to ask Tina and Susan some questions about their background, work priorities, industry challenges, and what interests them most about leading NBI.

Candid’s Platinum Transparency is a verified status, previously run under the GuideStar brand, that implies best practices in nonprofit management and fiscal responsibility in all program avenues. NBI has achieved this highest level of the rating system for this inaugural year of awarding under Candid. See our profile

This guest blog was written by Bronwyn Barry, CPHD, board member of the North American Passive House Network and NBI Senior Fellow. Read more

Unique partnerships across clean energy leaders and department of energy offices The organizations are working in concert under the U.S. Department of Energy’s EMPOWERED program.

Find these articles and more on our website.

NBI staff are participating in numerous events at any given time, for the latest on topics and appearances, visit: newbuildings.org/news/where-well-be/.

Director of Codes, Kim Cheslak will be presenting virtually at BOMA International Conference on June 25.

Director of Policy, Jim Edelson, will be presenting Can Energy Codes Find the Right Balance between Two Good Choices: Efficiency and Renewables? at the ASHRAE Annual Conference on Monday, June 27, 11:00 am ET

CEO, Ralph DiNola will be presenting at the EPRI Electrification 2022 International Conference pre-conference workshop on June 28.

Project Manager, Diana Burk will be presenting Establishing Efficiency Criteria for Controlled Horticulture Facilities at the ASHRAE Annual Conference on Wednesday, June 29, 9:45 am ET

Director of Codes, Kim Cheslak will present virtually at the 2022 National Energy Codes Conference, How Building Energy Codes Fit Your State’s or City’s Climate Plan, Wednesday, July 20, 3:20 pm ET