Making Zero Possible: Efficiency-First Decarbonization

Objectives

1. Identify the important decision points at each stage of a net zero building project, from pre-design through occupancy.
2. Apply strategies that simultaneously reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Articulate the mutual importance of active and passive strategies for energy use reduction.
4. Conceptualize tradeoffs between operational and embodied greenhouse gas emissions with a “carbon payback period” heuristic.