New Buildings Institute (NBI) has released the Existing Building Decarbonization Code. NBI bills the document as “a new way for jurisdictions to reduce carbon emissions and meet climate action plan goals and interconnected goals around public health and equity.”
New construction represents less than 2% of building activity in any given year, NBI says, “leaving a vast opportunity to update technologies in the current building stock. By requiring existing buildings to be more energy efficient, cities could cut about 30% of all urban emissions by 2050.”
NBI’s released the Building Decarbonization Code—the first off-the-shelf solution for jurisdictions to transform energy codes into decarbonization codes for new buildings—in February 2020. Expanding on that platform, the Existing Building Decarbonization Code adds provisions for existing buildings covering both residential and commercial buildings, including all-electric and mix-fuel energy use pathways.
The new code provisions have been crafted to match reasonable and effective decarbonization strategies with replacement events. The code outlines strategies to pair key opportunities to decarbonize—including change of occupancy, additions, and alterations—with additional efficiency measures.
The Existing Building Decarbonization Code also incorporates trigger events and solutions for the inclusion of grid integration measures including renewable energy production, electric vehicles, and battery storage.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | May 27, 2021
The anti-high rise: Seattle's The Net by NBBJ
In this exclusive video interview for HorizonTV, Ryan Mullenix, Design Partner with NBBJ, talks with BD+C's John Caulfield about a new building in Seattle called The Net that promotes wellness and connectivity.
Contractors | May 25, 2021
Doug Woods, DPR Construction's cofounder, dead at 70
His management style stressed collaboration that can tackle complex projects.
Digital Twin | May 24, 2021
Digital twin’s value propositions for the built environment, explained
Ernst & Young’s white paper makes its cases for the technology’s myriad benefits.
Contractors | May 20, 2021
Balfour Beatty’s outreach to veterans pays dividends in leadership and growth
Contracts for work it’s done for the San Diego Unified School District have extended to several disabled vet-owned businesses.
Senior Living Design | May 19, 2021
Senior living design: Post-COVID trends and innovations
Two senior living design experts discuss the latest trends and innovations in the senior living building sector.
Multifamily Housing | May 18, 2021
Multifamily housing sector sees near record proposal activity in early 2021
The multifamily sector led all housing submarkets, and was third among all 58 submarkets tracked by PSMJ in the first quarter of 2021.
Wood | May 14, 2021
What's next for mass timber design?
An architect who has worked on some of the nation's largest and most significant mass timber construction projects shares his thoughts on the latest design trends and innovations in mass timber.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 30, 2021
Registration and waiting: Weak points and an enduring strength
Changing how patients register and wait for appointments will enhance the healthcare industry’s ability to respond to crises.
University Buildings | Apr 29, 2021
The Weekly Show, April 29, 2021: COVID-19's impact on campus planning, and bird management strategies
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C Senior Editor John Caulfield interviews a duo of industry experts on 1) how campus planning has changed during the pandemic and 2) managing bird infestations on construction sites and completed buildings.
