ASHRAE aiming for net zero energy for all new buildings by 2030

According to a story in the Journal of Commerce , North American builders going for glamour in new construction might be missing out on lucrative green building opportunities, said Gordon Holness, president of ASHRAE.
In a series of Canadian talks that wrapped up earlier this year, he said that new builds only account for 2% of construction activity and 12% of construction dollars spent.
In his presentations, themed Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings is our Greatest Opportunity for a Sustainable Future, Holness presented a six-point plan that outlines strategies for existing buildings.
It would bring ASHRAE closer to its ultimate goal: net zero energy for all new builds by 2030.
Holness cited the McKingsley Report, which indicates that if the U.S. were to spend $170 billion on the retrofit of existing buildings it would save, on average, 23% of all building energy use and get a 17% return on investment.
The first move forward for ASHRAE was the release of Standard 189.1 , Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, which sets the bar at 15% higher efficiency than Standard 90.1.

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