A Tallahassee building has a distinction that even some of the newest structures cannot claim. Ryan Benk reports, the Leon County Extension office has been retro-fitted to become the city’s first net zero energy building.
A net zero building is a new classification of structure which means it uses self-sustaining power. State Director for the Environmental Florida Research and Policy Center, Aliki Moncrief says the building’s state of the art technology helps to eliminate the use of unsustainable power, like coal and natural gas.
“This is a building that was built in the 1950s but recently Leon County installed a geothermal system and solar panels which together, essentially make the building a net zero building over the course of a year.”
Moncrief and other officials will be holding a press conference next Tuesday to introduce the green building to the public. They hope it would drive businesses and homeowners to consider the benefits of sustainable energy.