The Nuance of Net Zero: AIA San Fernando Valley

CEDA will present “The Nuance of Net Zero” course to AIA San Fernando Valley members. Attendees can expect to learn and walk away with the knowledge below.

Course Description

For nearly two decades, ‘net-zero’ has been a rallying cry for architects pursuing sustainable design. In 2006, solar and wind energy represented a negligible part of the grid, but in the past 15+ years renewable but intermittent solar and wind have been the fastest growing sources of energy. As we approach 2030, we ask ourselves: is net-zero the right goal or does our goal require more nuance? The challenge is that the grid must always strike a balance between energy generation and energy consumption, not just on average over the course of the year. Historically we have maintained this balance by adjusting power plant generation to match the demand; increasingly, we will be turning to buildings to help maintain the balance. This session will offer considerations for building-grid interactions.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the changes happening to the electric grid and why they can inform how we design buildings.
2. Realize how the timing of energy use affects its environmental impact.
3. Evaluate which types of strategies can make a building a good “grid citizen.”
4. Compare and contrast metrics that can be used to evaluate building interaction with the grid.