Achieve True Net-Zero: The Blueprint for Buildings That Give Back

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Net-zero buildings: design, materials, and performance - Solution

Integrated Design Process

We facilitate a holistic approach where architects, engineers, and builders collaborate from the outset to optimize building orientation, form, and systems for maximum energy efficiency and renewable energy integration.

  • Early-stage energy modeling and simulation
  • Climate-responsive passive design strategies
  • Systems integration for optimal performance

High-Performance Building Envelope Solutions

We provide expertise in selecting and specifying advanced materials and assemblies that minimize thermal bridging and air leakage while maximizing insulation and durability.

  • Continuous insulation systems and air barriers
  • High-performance glazing and window technologies
  • Advanced framing techniques and detailing

Renewable Energy System Integration

We assist in the design, sizing, and integration of on-site renewable energy systems to offset the building's annual energy consumption, achieving net-zero operational energy.

  • Photovoltaic system design and placement optimization
  • Solar thermal and geothermal system integration
  • Energy storage and smart grid connectivity solutions

Sustainable Material Selection And Lifecycle Assessment

We guide the specification of low-carbon, durable, and healthy materials while analyzing the embodied carbon impacts to minimize the building's total lifecycle footprint.

  • Low-carbon concrete and steel alternatives
  • Bio-based and rapidly renewable materials
  • Whole-building lifecycle carbon assessment tools

Performance Verification And Continuous Optimization

We support the measurement and verification of building performance post-occupancy using monitoring systems to ensure design targets are met and identify opportunities for ongoing optimization.

  • Building automation and energy management systems
  • Post-occupancy evaluation and performance benchmarking
  • Commissioning and retro-commissioning services
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Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

A: Key design principles include prioritizing passive strategies like optimal building orientation, high-performance insulation, and airtight envelopes to minimize energy demand. This is complemented by active systems such as high-efficiency HVAC, LED lighting, and on-site renewable energy generation (like solar PV) to meet the reduced demand. The design process is highly integrated, using energy modeling from the outset to ensure the building's predicted energy consumption is balanced by its renewable production over a year.

A: Critical envelope materials include advanced insulation (such as spray foam, rigid foam boards, or structural insulated panels - SIPs), high-performance windows with triple glazing and low-emissivity coatings, and materials that ensure exceptional airtightness (like specialized membranes and sealants). These components work together to drastically reduce thermal bridging and unwanted air infiltration, which are major sources of energy loss, thereby lowering the heating and cooling loads the mechanical systems must address.

A: Performance is verified through rigorous measurement and monitoring, typically over at least one full year of operation. This involves metering all energy flows into and out of the building, including grid-purchased electricity and gas, as well as on-site renewable generation. The data is compared against the design predictions. Certification programs like the International Living Future Institute's Zero Energy Certification or PHIUS+ provide third-party verification that the building has achieved a net-zero energy balance, meaning the total energy consumed is equal to the renewable energy produced on-site.