Driving Industrial Revitalization with Net-Zero Energy

The briefing outlines the advantages of transforming former industrial sites into net-zero energy (NZE) districts, highlighting benefits such as lower energy costs, access to specialized financing like PACE, and the ability to implement district-scale efficiencies. It provides examples of such projects in St. Paul, Denver, and Pittsburgh, emphasizing that NZE development can be achieved without first-cost premiums through innovative business models.

• Redeveloping old industrial sites for net-zero energy (NZE) provides strategic advantages including proximity to city centers and residential areas, lower land costs, and potential waterfront access. These projects can attract diverse tenants such as research facilities, technology companies, and new industry while offering residents improved air quality and reduced energy bills.
• Developing NZE projects at a "district scale" allows for greater efficiency and cost reduction through bulk procurement, common use areas, and district heating and cooling systems. Planners can further reduce costs by optimizing urban forms for natural ventilation, daylight, and rooftop solar photovoltaic panels.
• NZE redevelopment enables access to funding sources that are typically unavailable for standard construction, specifically property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing and various grants for advanced energy projects.
• Several US cities are implementing NZE industrial revitalization: St. Paul, MN, is developing the 135-acre former Ford Motor Company plant with a goal of 20 percent affordable housing; Denver, CO, is redeveloping the 250-acre National Western Center; and Pittsburgh, PA, is transforming the 180-acre Hazelwood Green steel mill site into a net positive energy model.
• The Hazelwood Green project in Pittsburgh demonstrates that district-scale NZE development can be achieved with no first-cost premium for owners, tenants, or developers by utilizing a business model developed by RMI.

APA

RMI (2018). Driving Industrial Revitalization with Net-Zero Energy. https://rmi.org/resources/driving-industrial-revitalization-with-net-zero-energy/

Chicago

RMI. Driving Industrial Revitalization with Net-Zero Energy. 2018. https://rmi.org/resources/driving-industrial-revitalization-with-net-zero-energy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Driving Industrial Revitalization with Net-Zero Energy |date=16 April 2018 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/driving-industrial-revitalization-with-net-zero-energy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2018driving, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Driving Industrial Revitalization with Net-Zero Energy}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/driving-industrial-revitalization-with-net-zero-energy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }