The majority of U.S. households run on fossil fuels, producing an average of 7.5 tons of C02 per year. While electrification is more common in new home construction, retrofitting existing homes to be more sustainable can be costly. Currently, federal and state governments offer grants, tax credits, and low-interest loans to incentivize efficient and renewable energy usage and construction. While Net Zero upgrades may increase construction costs by 5-10%, energy efficiency "pays for itself" within 10-12 years.
Disrupting energy usage as usual, technological advances in structural insulation, energy-efficient appliances, new government incentives and reductions in the price of solar have caused Net Zero Energy construction to increase 700 percent in the last 6 years. As of 2019, there are an estimated 12,000 Net Zero residential units existing across 44 states in the U.S.. Set at the state-level, regulations help incentivize net zero construction. Cities like Tucson, AZ and Miami, FL, as well the state of Massachusetts, are following California’s lead in setting ambitious energy efficiency goals.
As Net Zero buildings and renewable energy gain momentum, reliance on coal, petroleum, and natural gas will decrease. Since 2010, over 300 coal plants have been retired. Furthermore, in 2020 almost half of coal plants globally will fail to turn a profit. While costly to decommission and conduct environmental remediation, sheltered power plants are valuable assets. Commonly, power plants have access to rail, ports, waterways, and highway transit. Their built-in infrastructure and direct connection to energy grids positions them well to be repurposed for new industry.
Located in downtown Silver Springs, Maryland, Unisphere proves that Net Zero can exist in the middle of a city. Overcoming restrictions like rooftop solar panels blocked by nearby skyscrapers, density, and no on-site wind turbines, Unisphere relies on a mix of advanced technology to reach net zero status.
For example, geo-thermal wells located 500 feet under ground function as heat pumps, pulling heat from the earth to serve the building. Unisphere opened in 2018 and comprises 135,000 sqft.