DOE Calls for a High Performance Green Building Partnership

A longtime believer in the power of numbers, the Alliance would like to invite interested Associates to join us along with several other leading organizations in an effort to help the Department of Energy (DOE) achieve net-zero energy performance in commercial buildings.

Subtitle B of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) identifies the objective of the Net-Zero Energy Commercial Buildings Initiative as developing and disseminating “technologies, practices, and policies for the development and establishment of zero net energy commercial buildings for any commercial building newly constructed in the United States by 2030; 50 percent of the commercial building stock of the United States by 2040; and all commercial buildings in the United States by 2050.” To accomplish its mission, DOE has called for the formation of a high performance green building partnership consortium which will include representation from across the commercial buildings community and which will support the director of the initiative in researching, testing, deploying and publicly sharing information regarding efforts to meet these goals.

In response to DOE's request, the Alliance has joined with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and other leading national organizations to form the High Performance Commercial Green Building Partnership (HPCGBP). The group’s extensive membership ranges from design, construction and utility professionals, to energy academics, researchers and experts. Its Steering Committee, in addition to ASHRAE and the Alliance, includes several Alliance Associates representing a wide range of expertise, such the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute; the American Institute of Architects; the National Electrical Manufacturers Association; and the U.S. Green Building Council.

ASHRAE and the Alliance are urging other interested organizations and companies to participate in the HPCGBP by becoming a member of the Partnership’s Resource Network, designed to cooperate with other government and private organizations in helping DOE achieve the goals of EISA Subtitle B.

To be included in the Resource Network, please identify your organization’s point of contact (with phone and email address) by email to Doug Read in ASHRAE’s Washington Office (dread@ashrae.org), with a copy to Jeff Harris at the Alliance (JHarris@ase.org).