Achieving Net-Zero: How AEI Decarbonized CARB’s Southern California Headquarters

As one of the most advanced air quality research centers in the world, the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) new state-of-the-art facility sets the standard for energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Designed to be the largest net-zero energy facility of its type, it plays a pivotal role in California’s transition to zero-emission transportation technologies.

In an article for the ASHRAE Journal, Principals Paul Erickson and Brett Friedman, along with Building Performance Practice Leader David Conant Gilles, highlight how AEI helped decarbonize this award-winning facility. They explore the innovative design strategies that enhance the building’s energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort while reducing its environmental impact.

A standout feature of this facility is its cutting-edge approach to net-zero energy. Energy use was significantly reduced and optimized through climate-responsive active mechanical system strategies, including dual-temperature cooling, evaporative fluid coolers that generate compressor-less chilled water, adiabatic humidifiers, and a heat recovery chiller. Photovoltaic arrays, coupled with a battery energy storage system (BESS), maximize on-site renewable energy generation and consumption, effectively offsetting the building’s energy use and promoting grid harmonization.