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SALT LAKE CITY — March 27, 2025 — Utah Clean Energy’s Climate Innovation Center has officially earned two of the most rigorous building performance accolades in the U.S.: Zero Energy Certification™ and Zero Carbon Certification™ from the International Living Future Institute. The designations confirm, through a full year of operational data and independent verification, that the downtown Salt Lake City facility operates as a fully all-electric, energy-efficient, zero-emission building — actually generating more solar energy than it consumes annually.
The accomplishments mark a milestone in the nonprofit’s two-decade mission to accelerate clean energy adoption. Rather than simply promising a sustainable design, the organization proved it with measured performance: 12 months of detailed energy tracking and third-party validation showed the building is 47% more efficient than a conventional office of similar size, slashing utility bills by roughly $11,400 per year. Those savings will pay back the incremental construction costs in just over 12 years.
“These certifications move us from promise to proof,” said Kevin Emerson, Director of Building Efficiency and Decarbonization at Utah Clean Energy. “After a full year of measured performance, the utility data and solar generation reports confirm we’re delivering on our ambitious goal of a truly zero-emission building.”
The Climate Innovation Center’s 38.7 kW rooftop solar array and solar canopy, paired with 30 kW of battery storage, generated 8,906 kilowatt-hours more clean electricity than the all-electric building consumed during the first year of data collection. That surplus — roughly the annual electricity use of a typical U.S. home — was fed back to the grid. Even the building’s three electric vehicle charging stations, used most days by staff, are powered entirely by onsite solar.
Key design features that made this possible include an airtight, highly insulated envelope, triple-pane high-performance windows, variable refrigerant flow air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling, a hybrid heat pump water heater, and ENERGY STAR appliances. The building also uses a three-stage cooling system that combines evaporative cooling, fresh air, and the heat pump to minimize energy use.
Achieving Zero Carbon Certification required more than operational efficiency. Utah Clean Energy analyzed the “embodied” carbon from the full lifecycle of construction materials — steel, concrete, flooring, etc. Using the Athena Impact Estimator, the team (including two University of Utah engineering interns, GSBS Architects, and Blalock and Partners) uncovered a staggering 97% reduction in embodied carbon compared to conventional construction.
The project achieved this by retrofitting an existing 1950s structure rather than building new, using mass timber instead of concrete and steel, and incorporating high recycled or reclaimed materials such as carpet tiles, countertops, ceramic tiles, and reclaimed wood flooring. “Helping bring that vision out of a 1950s shell is the kind of work we’re grateful to be trusted with,” said Jeremy Blanck, President of Okland Construction.
Located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, the Climate Innovation Center serves as both Utah Clean Energy’s headquarters and a community education hub. The organization has documented every design and construction strategy on its project website — www.climateinnovationcenter.org — so building owners, architects, policymakers, and communities can replicate the approach.
“The Climate Innovation Center demonstrates that exceptional building performance is achievable through thoughtful, integrated design — not extraordinary complexity,” said Brian Backe, Principal at Blalock and Partners. “Achieving verified Zero Energy and Zero Carbon Certifications, backed by measured performance data, shows that intelligent design decisions can dramatically reduce energy use and carbon emissions while creating healthy, inspiring places for people.”
The certifications place the Climate Innovation Center among a select group of buildings worldwide that meet both the highest energy efficiency and zero-emissions standards. During the first year, the building avoided nearly 340 metric tons of CO₂ emissions by using clean solar energy instead of fossil fuels.
Utah Clean Energy’s achievement comes at a time when building performance standards are tightening across the U.S. Many cities, including Salt Lake City, are exploring all-electric building codes and decarbonization mandates. The Center provides a real-world case study that such goals are not only achievable but cost-effective.
“The Climate Innovation Center demonstrates what is possible when climate solutions are built into the places where we live, work, and gather,” said Emerson. “These certifications confirm that high-performance, zero-emission buildings are not theoretical; they are achievable today, right here in Utah.”
The Climate Innovation Center is the first building in Utah to earn both certifications simultaneously, setting a benchmark for the state’s growing clean energy sector.
All-Electric Systems:
High Performance:
100% Clean Energy:
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Utah Clean Energy is a nonpartisan, solutions-based organization that has driven clean energy transformation for over 20 years. The group is recognized as Utah’s leading authority on expanding renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, and clean vehicles. The Climate Innovation Center embodies its mission to create healthy, thriving communities powered by clean energy. For more information, visit www.utahcleanenergy.org.
