Event Description

District scale projects and campuses lend themselves well for the goals of complete decarbonization and net zero energy and water. Depending on the project type, context, and location, these goals may also represent the best first and lifecycle cost approach. But getting there will involve navigating everything from utility rates, regulations, and connection fees, metering configurations, integrating electric vehicles, district electric and thermal technologies, managing a phasing plan, and managing ongoing operations.

This session will start by reviewing the various definitions of net zero energy and carbon, and Zero Water and One Water, including those developed by the USGBC and ILFI. It will then provide some context in terms of integrating renewables from the built environment into the larger utility mix, addressing duck curves and evolving rate structures. Lastly, it will walk through a step by step process of evaluating district systems, moving towards a decision of onsite technologies and configurations — including financial and incentive analysis, evaluating the potential for onsite storage, and partnering with third party entities where appropriate. It will also include best practices regarding performance management so that the project’s ultimate zero carbon and lowest life cycle cost are realized. This will include reference to 3-4 actual projects around the country in various phases of development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

•    Review definitions and challenges of Net Zero Energy, Water, and Carbon.
•    Examine the role of the built environment in transitioning to a 100% clean energy future.
•    Describe various utility contexts, rate structures and the changes that are taking place in the utility space.
•  Discuss how to approach district energy and water projects from technical and economic perspectives, and the challenges and opportunities unique to these project types.