DOE rescinds national definition of ‘zero emissions’ buildings

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation rescinded its national definition of a zero emissions building.

According to department news announcing the decision, this action lowers costs and promotes freedom of choice in the buildings sector by relieving developers, investors and building owners of indirect pressure to account for federal guidelines that never had the force or effect of law.

“The interaction of America’s 130 million buildings with our energy system should not be further complicated by arbitrary and imprecise federal guidance,” states Lou Hrkman, principal deputy assistant secretary for critical minerals and energy innovation, in the DOE news item. “The department will no longer make use of this definition and recommends that state and local government agencies and standard-setting bodies do the same.”

Originally published by DOE in June of 2024, the definition established discretionary standards for energy efficiency, on-site emissions from energy use and consumption from “clean” energy sources. These were not regulatory standards, and compliance was purely voluntary, according to DOE.

“The goals that underly the national definition of a zero emissions building are not consistent with current administration priorities, and, as a result, DOE no longer supports the definition,” according to a notice by DOE in the Federal Register, which cites directives in the administration’s executive order “Unleashing American Energy.”

References to the rescinded definition have been removed from DOE’s website and informational resources. DOE will no longer provide technical assistance related to the definition.

Related Articles

State of the Industry: Preserving energy choice

Trump executive orders: What propane businesses, consumers need to know