AGU Debuts DC’s First Net Zero Energy Renovation

American Geophysical Union headquarters

WASHINGTON, DC—The American Geophysical Union headquarters, at 2000 Florida Ave., NW, is the first Net Zero energy renovation of a commercial office building in Washington, DC. Thus, it came as little surprise when Washington, DC’s Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 at the building. The bill includes requiring all DC electricity to originate from renewable sources and calls for vast improvements to the energy efficiency of existing buildings within the District.

“Net zero energy” means the annual total amount of energy utilized by a building is equal to or less than the amount of energy created onsite through the use of technologies and renewable power generation. When a building achieves this net zero energy goal, there is a reduction of waste, water and energy consumption to almost zero and greatly reduce the carbon footprint, all with the intent of putting excess power back on the grid.