Department of Energy (DOE) Opportunity: Seeking Input for National Zero Emissions Building Definition

This Request for Information (RFI) is soliciting feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on Part 1 of a draft National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building. Responses to this RFI will help to develop a definition that will provide a clear market signal and consistent target, backed by measurable data, that is intended to help move the building sector to zero emissions.
President Biden has called for net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by 2050 and a 100% clean energy electricity sector by 2035. Within the building sector, the Biden Administration has set the goal to make zero emissions resilient new construction and retrofits common practice by 2030. Accomplishing these goals will require increasing efficiency, expanding clean energy capacity, and plugging both new and existing buildings into a grid that is rapidly becoming cleaner.

Developing a broadly accepted common definition of a zero emissions building, as well as a pathway for verification, is foundational to efforts by public and private entities to transition the building sector to zero emissions. The National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building will create a standardized, consistent, and measurable basis for zero emissions buildings. The definition will act as a framework, offering designers and operators multiple pathways to influence the design and operation of buildings, thereby reduce building sector emissions.

As is proposed currently, the definition of a zero emissions building is one that is:

1. Highly energy efficient,
2. Free of on-site emissions from energy use, and
3. Powered solely from clean energy

Part 1 of the draft definition in full, which includes details on the criteria above, is available here: https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/national-definition-zero-emissions-building. This RFI aims to gather more extensive insights on the definition. DOE will consider responses to this RFI before finalizing version 1.00 of Part 1 of the National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to https://forms.office.com/g/Y0Ss3UFdL3, no later than 5:00 pm (ET) on March 6, 2024. This is solely a request for information and not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). EERE is not accepting applications at this time.

Developing a broadly accepted common definition of a zero emissions building, as well as a pathway for verification, is foundational to efforts by public and private entities to transition the building sector to zero emissions. The National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building will create a standardized, consistent, and measurable basis for zero emissions buildings. The definition will act as a framework, offering designers and operators multiple pathways to influence the design and operation of buildings, thereby reduce building sector emissions.

As is proposed currently, the definition of a zero emissions building is one that is:

1. Highly energy efficient,
2. Free of on-site emissions from energy use, and
3. Powered solely from clean energy

Part 1 of the draft definition in full, which includes details on the criteria above, is available here: https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/national-definition-zero-emissions-building. This RFI aims to gather more extensive insights on the definition. DOE will consider responses to this RFI before finalizing version 1.00 of Part 1 of the National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to https://forms.office.com/g/Y0Ss3UFdL3, no later than 5:00 pm (ET) on February 5, 2024. This is solely a request for information and not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). EERE is not accepting applications at this time.