AIA applauds Biden-Harris Administration efforts to further define a national definition of a Zero Emissions Building

WASHINGTON – June 6, 2024 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) commends the Biden-Harris Administration for continuing to pursue the monumental task of developing a national minimum definition of a zero-emission building that is consistent, standardized, and measurable.

White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi announced from the mainstage at AIA Conference on Architecture & Design in Washington, DC. the Department of Energy’s publication of a National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building National Definition of Zero Emissions Building: Part 1 Operational Emissions from Energy Use. The national definition, which can be applied consistently and is standardized for new construction and existing buildings, will serve as a framework for the industry so that users, such as architects, can achieve measurable reductions in the operating emissions of buildings. The definition is designed to drive investment into zero emissions buildings and send a market signal to the AEC community to prioritize the elimination of emissions from buildings.

It also creates minimum criteria for public and private entities to adopt to ensure that it is handled uniformly across the country. This definition is for all building types, both commercial and residential. This will require different methods of implementation by different firm scales and project types, and AIA will work with our members on how to best support the needs of firms of all sizes to meet these goals.

AIA also commends the administration for adding the forthcoming Part 2 of the definition on embodied emissions, which AIA and its members are working with officials to advise, and which will advance reductions in whole building emissions for new and existing buildings. The reuse of existing buildings is vital to overall emissions reductions as retrofits can save 50-70% of embodied carbon over new construction.

As part of AIA’s ongoing work with the White House Climate Policy Office and Department of Energy to develop the National Definition, AIA is hosting a more detailed briefing Q&A on the new National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building as well as a listening session on the definition of embodied carbon emissions at the AIA Conference on Architecture and Design in Washington, D.C.

AIA is committed to continuing to support the Administration’s aggressive efforts to achieve zero-emissions-building goals and will work to reference and integrate the Definition into the 2030 Commitment program, with over 1300 architecture and design firm signatories.  

Learn more about the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to establish a Zero Emissions Building definition.