Featuring

<figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail is-resized has-custom-border is-style-pretty-img"></figure>

Karla Butterfield

Karla Butterfield is a Sustainability Director at SWA, working with residential buildings. She has 25 years of experience, with expertise in sustainable consulting services, program certification support, and implementation of high performance building technologies. Read more

<figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail is-resized has-custom-border is-style-pretty-img"></figure>

Paula Zimin

Paula Zimin is the Director of Sustainable Building Services at Steven Winter Associates (SWA). She specializes in professional architecture and design, with particular expertise in high performance design within the commercial and residential sectors.

Mainstream demand for highly efficient, resilient, and cost-effective buildings is greater than ever before. More people are looking to integrate zero energy design and construction strategies without having to sacrifice modern conveniences and amenities. So, how do we implement solutions that enable us to use less energy… without feeling like we’re using less energy?

To answer this question, we sit down with SWA sustainability experts, Paula Zimin and Karla Butterfield, to discuss what it means to achieve zero energy status and learn how we can accomplish this among various building typologies and sectors. Join us for this exciting and in-depth look at zero energy buildings! 

Episode Information & Resources

Definitions

• US DOE: A Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings


• Torcellini: Defining Net-Zero Energy Buildings

Programs & Certifications

• RESNET Standard / HERS Index


• DOE: Zero-Energy Ready Home


• ILFI: Living Building Challenge


• New Buildings Institute (NBI)


• NYC Stretch Code (draft)

Reports

• ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Zero Energy K-12 Schools

SWA Resources & Net-Zero Projects

• Blog – Energy Code of the Future


• Case Study – TREE at EcoVillage


• Case Study – Taft House


• Case Study – Torcellini Residence

Clarification: When Paula discusses the total source energy consumption of a building, she uses the number 38. This refers to 38 KBTUs (or 30,000 BTUs) per square foot, per year. This pertains to source energy, not site energy, and is also known as “primary energy” in Passive House. Although they are considered the same in Passive House, source energy and primary energy have subtle differences according to the EPA.

Correction: Karla mentioned a HERS 45 was a requirement for DOE’s ZERH program. This is not strictly true; the HERS target varies somewhat with climate and home size. A very large home in the Northeast might need to get a HERS index of 40 to comply, whereas a small home might need a HERS index of 52.

We Want to Hear From You!

Send your feedback and questions to podcast@swinter.com

About Buildings and Beyond

Buildings and Beyond is the podcast that explores how we can create a more sustainable built environment by focusing on efficiency, accessibility, and health.

Buildings and Beyond is a production of Steven Winter Associates. We provide energy, green building, and accessibility consulting services to improve the built environment. For more information, visit swinter.com.

Hosts: Robb Aldrich | Kelly Westby

Production Team: Heather Breslin | Alex Mirabile | Dylan Martello

Episode Transcript

Kelly: (00:06 )
welcome to buildings and beyond

Robb: (00:09 )
the podcast that explores how we can create a more sustainable built environment

Kelly: (00:13 )
by focusing on efficiency, accessibility and health.

Robb: (00:18 )
I’m Robb Aldrich

Kelly: (00:19 )
and I’m Kelly Westby

Robb: (00:21 )
and before we get into this week’s episode, we wanted to let you know about a couple of upcoming events and Dylan Martello, who was a passive house consultant here at SWA and is really instrumental in putting this podcast together, helping to produce the podcast. He’s going to be speaking at both of these conferences and he’ll give you a little bit of Info about.

Dylan: (00:40 )
Thanks Robb. The first is building energy NYC conference taking place on October 3rd and fourth in New York City. The conference, which is presented by Northeast Sustainable Energy Association or NESEA, n e s e a, has become a staple for professionals and practitioners in the field of high performance building, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. We’ve been to the building energy conferences for many years now and my colleagues and I are looking forward to returning for another great event. Visit NESEA.org For more info.

Robb: (01:09 )
Yeah. I’ve been involved with NESEA for 20 years or so, and really good people and I’ve learned tons at NESEA conferences over the years.

Dylan: (01:17 )
Next is the North American Passive House Network Conference and expo taking place at

Comments