BOULDER, Colo. — Aiming to reduce energy costs and minimize the carbon footprint of their buildings, governments, corporations, and home builders are pursuing zero energy building (ZEB) solutions, notes Navigant Research. Also called net zero energy buildings, ZEBs bring together existing energy efficient technologies to form a high-performance building. According to a new report from the research firm, worldwide revenue from ZEBs is expected to grow from $629 million annually in 2014 to more than $1.4 trillion in 2035.

“The global zero energy building market has many pockets of potential growth, but challenges remain in defining what exactly a ZEB is, as well as raising awareness of the increasing accessibility of these solutions,” said Noah Goldstein, research director with Navigant Research. “The strongest driver for this market is regulation, as policies like the European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and California’s evolving Title 24 building code bring ZEB markets into being for new commercial, new residential, and retrofitted commercial spaces.”

The technology and equipment associated with the building envelope are developing rapidly, reducing the soft costs associated with zero energy buildings, according to the report. New developments in building envelope materials should help lower the energy use intensity of buildings. This focus on improved envelopes is expected to aid the greater building ecosystem, reducing energy costs for non-ZEBs, as well.

An executive summary of the report is available here.

Publication date: 9/15/2014

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