What Does Sustainability Really Mean?

 

Net Zero Buildings

You can't talk about sustainability without touching on the topic of net zero, which can come into play for both energy and carbon. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, a net zero energy building produces enough (renewable) energy to meet its own annual energy consumption requirements.  Ideally the net zero building will be designed and operated to minimize energy consumption in general, thus also minimizing the amount of renewables needed to reach net zero.   

Carbon Neutral Buildings

While a net zero building maintains a sustainable balance of energy, a carbon neutral building goes a step further and takes into account the embodied carbon in the materials and energy that went into creating it. A carbon neutral building is one where the design, construction, and operations minimize carbon (greenhouse gases). In order to become carbon neutral, carbon offsets (like reforestation and direct air capture) are used to become carbon neutral . 

 

Green Building

 So far we have sustainable buildings, net zero buildings, and carbon neutral buildings - all with their own nuances and definitions. Let's throw one more onto the pile of terminology: Green Building. " Green Building" focuses on the relationship between the built environment and the natural environment. Key considerations in Green Building include energy use, water use, indoor environmental quality, material section, and the building's effects on its site. Building owners use Green Building practices such as the LEED certification framework in the planning, design, construction, and operations of a building. 

 

As you can see, there is some overlap between these terms. However, there are also some key differences. Sustainable buildings are the broadest category, and they can include net zero buildings, carbon neutral buildings, and green buildings. Net zero buildings and carbon neutral buildings are more specific. Net zero buildings are focused on offsetting energy usage with energy production and carbon neutral buildings focus on eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. Green buildings are also specific, but they focus on a wider range of environmental impacts, including energy use, water use, and indoor air quality.

Learn more about how building automation can contribute to a more sustainable building here. For more examples on how to increase the sustainability of your building using FIN Framework, read our blog here.