AIA announces net zero energy (ZNE) building design winners

The AIA California has announced the winners of its ninth annual Architecture at Zero competition for zero net energy (ZNE) building designs. The competition strives to generate new, innovative ideas for zero net energy (ZNE) construction to help achieve California’s goal for all new residential construction to be ZNE by 2020 and all new commercial construction to be ZNE by 2030.

This year, AIA CA partnered with the San Benito County Free Library in Hollister, CA. ZNE structures are designed from the start to be energy efficient and offset the energy they consume through onsite renewable energy generation such as rooftop solar. Winners were chosen by a panel of international experts and awarded up to $25,000 in total prizes.

“The American Institute of Architects, California has been excited to collaborate on this important initiative that affirms the role of architects in leading efforts to use design to curtail climate change,” AIA CA president Debra A. Gerod said in a statement.

Student winners include:

A single citation award given to students at Academy of Art University in San Francisco and Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan for the entry, “Illumination.”

Three Merit awards were given to students at:

• Cankaya University in Ankara, Turkey for the entry, “TO GATHER “
• Wroclaw University in Poland for the entry: “Atrial Creep”
• CEPT University in Ahmedabad India, for the entry, “Meraki”

Professional winners include:

• A citation award to the firm, DIALOG + Byrens Kim Design Works for the entry, ”THE BRANCH”
• A merit award to the firm Murphy Burnham and Buttirck Architects for the entry, “Community Currents”
• An Honor award to Jensen Architects for the entry, “Book Garden.”

Competition entries were juried by international experts including Paul Torcellini, principal engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Gregg Ander, president of Gregg D. Ander, LLC; Allison Williams; Cole Roberts, ARUP and Marsha Maytum.