Case Study – American Geophysical Union | Zehnder Rittling

Beyond Energy & Atmosphere to Net Zero Energy

As is true with green building project, there is no one-size fits all solution for the AGU headquarters renovation. AGU incorporated a suite of innovative strategies to achieve their goal of net zero energy and is currently on track to earn all LLED v2009 Energy & Atmosphere points.

The renovation project provided the opportunity to lead by example as a model for sustainable design. A net zero energy design would mean that the total amount of energy used yearly by the building is equal to or less than the amount of energy createdon-site through the use of innovative technologies and renewable power generation. Net zero energy is an unprecedented sustainable goal for the urban office retrofit and is typically reserved for new construction projects. The Energy Use Intensity (EUI) indicator is used to measure a buildings total energy use. To go from AGU’s 1994 building EUI of 90 to a EUI of 0 or less the design team needed to incorporate aggressive and innovative strategies. LEED approaches energy from a holistic perspective: energy use reduction, energy-efficient design strategies, and renewable energy sources.