Policy and Advocacy
November 18, 2019
Energy Efficiency is Necessary but Not Nearly Sufficient!
Ask people how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and most will say “improve energy efficiency.” That may be a step in the right direction, but it’s time to adopt a better measure – a building’s total carbon emissions.
Read ArticleNovember 15, 2019
When Rooftop Solar is Not an Option
Not everyone lives in a place or a situation that allows them to install their own solar panels. If you are among them, fear not! Here are four ways to source renewable power or at least compensate for the carbon emissions of the energy you use. These four methods make zero energy homes and buildings possible for everyone.
Read ArticleOctober 18, 2019
Zero Net Energy Buildings with Zero Net Added Cost
When you eliminate the cost of energy from your monthly budget, you also give your buying power a boost. With the right financing, energy efficiency is an investment that pays for itself. Here are several options for energy aware financing that will enhance the buying power of zero.
Read ArticleOctober 17, 2019
Risky Choices When Buying a Home: It’s no Game
People don’t always make rational choices. Why would a home buyer purchase a conventional home that is actually more expensive overall than a high-performance home? It’s all about how people assess risk. Erase40 provides a tool to help homebuyers make better decisions.
Read ArticleSeptember 10, 2019
We Electrified Everything – and So Can You!
This middle-class family disconnected from fossil methane and saved money. See their step-by-step approach to powering their home and car with renewable energy.
Read ArticleSeptember 9, 2019
LEED v4.1 Goes Zero
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced an update to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the most widely used green building program in the world. What’s new with LEED version 4.1? Net zero certifications for carbon, energy, water and waste. With these certifications and and its upgraded recertification program, LEED is truly a leader in encouraging climate-friendly green buildings.
Read ArticleSeptember 5, 2019
Low Income Homeowners Benefit Most From Zero Energy Homes
There is a housing affordability crisis across the United States. Here are eight ways that zero energy helps make homes affordable for those that need it most.
Read ArticleJuly 18, 2019
Growth in Zero Energy Home Building Continues to Surge
The most recent inventory of zero energy homes by Team Zero, formerly the Net Zero Energy Coalition, has just been released. The sector is steadily growing in the US and Canada.
Read ArticleJuly 15, 2019
Modern Mobility Must Shift to Clean Energy
Transportation accounts for 29% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the US and 94% of the transportation fuel comes from petroleum. At the center of this big problem is the American addiction to dirty, inefficient internal combustion vehicles.
Read ArticleJuly 14, 2019
Zero Energy: the Ultimate in Green Building
Energy efficiency is at the core of all green building certification programs. It’s time to ratchet up these modest improvements to make homes as green as they can be by operating them entirely with clean energy.
Read ArticleJuly 14, 2019
The Future is Electric
Natural gas is no more natural than coal or petroleum, and must be phased out rapidly. This means that all new buildings must be powered by clean electricity from renewable sources. It’s just common sense.
Read ArticleJune 18, 2019
Getting to Zero: Buildings, Transportation and Agriculture
Energizing the Green New Deal Part Three is the final installment of our three-part series on realistic, primarily market-based methods for creating a zero carbon economy. Buildings are responsible for about 40% of greenhouse gas emissions and transportation for another 29%, so there is a lot of work to do there. Agriculture and forestry are two more fields that must be addressed.
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