According to the Living Building Challenge 2.0:
"The intent of the Energy Petal is to signal a new age of design, wherein the built environment relies solely on renewable forms of energy and operates year round in a pollution-free manner.
In addition, it aims to prioritize reductions and optimization before technological solutions are applied to eliminate wasteful spending – of energy, resources, and dollars. The majority of energy generated today is from highly unsustainable sources including coal, gas, oil and nuclear power. Large-scale hydro, while inherently cleaner, results in widespread damage to ecosystems. Burning wood, trash or pellets releases particulates and carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere and often strains local supplies of sustainably harvested biomass. The effects of these energy sources on regional and planetary health are becoming increasingly evident through climate change, the most worrisome major global trend attributed to human activity"
The Energy Petal:
- Net-Zero Energy = One hundred percent of the project’s energy needs must be supplied by on-site renewable energy on a net annual basis.
Again, if you are thinking that this one seems hard, it's because you are not in the conservation mode already. I go into peoples homes for my job and I am almost constantly amazed at how wasteful most people are. Even those who are on the edge of being able to make it. The TV is always on, or the heat is turned up, or the dryer is going non-stop in the middle of summer. I know that I sound preachy and it is not my intent. I just don't get it. Maybe someone can explain it to me. For us, we hope to comply with this Petal and then some. We are extremely excited about trying and we will probably throw a big party when we do. Woo Hoo!!
From here on out, the Living Building Challenge 2.0 gets a little touchy feely. The Health Petal is next. I am hoping that you will see what I mean. Peace out for now.
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