A school building consumes electricity from the grid at night while contributing energy back to the grid during the day from on-site solar panels, resulting in the school having no electricity costs. This is an example of?

The scenario describes a school building that generates its own electricity through on-site solar panels and uses that energy during the day while consuming from the grid at night. This interaction leads to a balanced situation in which the total energy consumed is equal to the total energy produced over a defined period, typically a year. This characteristic is defines a net-zero energy building.

In the context of LEED and energy sustainability, a net-zero energy building is designed to produce as much energy as it consumes over a specified time frame, effectively reducing reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The school's operation illustrates this principle perfectly, as it offsets its grid electricity usage with solar energy, achieving a net-zero energy consumption status.

On the other hand, the other options pertain to distinct energy concepts. Renewable energy credits relate to the certification of renewable energy generation and have a different focus than the net-zero energy concept. Energy conservation refers to practices that reduce energy consumption but do not necessarily involve energy generation methods like those seen with solar panels. Active energy management typically involves monitoring and optimizing energy usage, but does not inherently address generation and consumption balance as clearly as the net-zero energy definition does.