The current climate emergency has motivated building owners and policymakers to set aggressive carbon reduction goals, often on accelerated timelines. Building owners are investing significant capital into building improvements, and policymakers are implementing game-changing policies and adopting codes aimed at rapidly reducing the emissions from buildings. But while leading organizations and many in the environmental community turn their focus to hot concepts like “Zero Emissions,” it is critical to recognize that the majority of U.S. building owners and developers don’t have the knowledge, staff, or financial resources to aim for these lofty targets. Early-adopters and market leaders will show what is possible, but the rest of the market needs practical solutions that allow them to take that first step on the path toward zero-emissions buildings.

As a national market transformation program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® program has worked to create signals that help all businesses and consumers make better decisions and reduce environmental impact. Successful market transformation programs recognize that different audiences need different approaches – some are ready for advanced solutions, but many haven’t even implemented the basics. For over 30 years, the ENERGY STAR brand has focused on energy efficiency, but now it is expanding to focus on decarbonization. In this session, participants will learn about EPA subject matter experts’ lessons learned as ENERGY STAR seeks to promote building decarbonization. When you can’t do it all, what comes first: energy efficiency, electrification, green power purchases? Attendees will get a glimpse into how the ENERGY STAR Residential and Commercial Buildings programs evolving beyond energy efficiency through the programs’ newest recognition for energy efficient low-carbon buildings – ENERGY STAR NextGen™ - all while remembering that in order to be successful, ENERGY STAR and other programs like LEED must leave no building behind as we journey toward zero-emissions.