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17
ZEB
annual report 2015
In this way, they will already be well positioned
when the demand for zero emission buildings
increases. Politics influence the development
of zero emission buildings, and policies may
significantly affect the speed and direction
of the development. The development to
date is marked by a lack of control and weak
or inconsistent signals. A key question is
therefore whether it makes sense to agree
on a CO
2
factor for the use of electricity in
Norway. If yes, what should this factor be?
There are a number of different opinions
about this issue, and the positions taken affect
further reasoning. Reducing greenhouse gas
emissions from the operation of buildings
is not a significant challenge in Norwegian
buildings, nor is the reduction a solution
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
general. This is because electricity based on
hydropower is the dominant source of energy,
and the CO
2
emissions from Norwegian
electricity have been considered to be
zero. However, because energy efficiency
is considered sensible in any case, efforts
have still been made to reduce energy use
in new and existing buildings. The question
is whether this could have been achieved by
shifting focus from kWh to greenhouse gas
emissions and by expanding the perspective
from the operational phase to the life cycle
phase of the building? In this way, a holistic
focus could be achieved, one where material
optimization becomes particularly important.
The ZEB centre bases its definition on a
European energy mix for buildings that
produce energy, and the greenhouse gas
emissions calculations are based on this.
Leading industrial players advocate this
approach, one where inputs and processes
are examined and optimized.
Due the absence of clear political signals,
some representatives from the building
industry have chosen their own interpretation,
often based on EU developments. In this way
the development of a variety of concepts are
encouraged. This may be considered a good
thing during the start of an innovation system.
In a similar way to many other innovation
systems, some actors are slowing down
the pace of development of zero emission
buildings because new products threaten their
established product portfolio. There is also
a lack of willingness to share experiences,
especially negative, with other members of
the industry. This situation may be helped
because internal knowledge about the topic
is accumulating, and interest in participating
in research in this has area increased. Being
part of a competent research environment
also reduces the risk inherent in making an
early start with a new concept. Pilot projects
have helped to develop new knowledge, and
this kind of project is often very visible both
during development and after completion. This
provides the market with valuable learning and
with publicity for the members of the industry
involved, and it shows potential tenants and
contractors that the concepts do work.
Reducing the negative impact on the global
climate is an important reason for developing
a new building concept, even though the
effect is controversial. The good news is that
the effect of zero emission buildings is an
issue on which most of the actors appear to
agree. Also, when buildings produce more
energy than they use, they will in the future
be able to reduce the problems with power
peaks if adequate storage is in place. If, in the
future, zero emission buildings are to become
a larger part of the Norwegian construction
market, the potential benefits of this concept
need to be promoted. An obvious but vital
point is therefore that it is essential to have
a better understanding of how greenhouse
gas emissions from buildings should be
considered.
3,0
2,0
2,0
2,5
4,0
1,0
1,0
2,5
0,0
0,5
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
3,0
3,5
4,0
Knowledge development
and -diffusion
Entrepreneaurship and
innovation
Marketformation
Positive externalities
Legitimation in the building
industry
Legitimation in the power
sector
Guidance of search
Resource mobilisation
Preliminary assessment of indicators for
the development of zero emission buildings
Preliminary assessment of indicators for the development of zero emission buildings.
Illustration: Ann Kristin Kvellheim