Gov. Deval Patrick delighted an estimated 1,ooo people at this morning's opening session of Building Energy '08 by saying that he's forming a Zero Net Energy Buildings task force. He said he's asking the group to give him recommendations for construction practices in time for this conference next year and to have the specifications in force soon afterward.

After gushing over the attributes of the Genzyme's seminal green headquarters in Kendall Square, including that it uses 40 percent less energy than a typical building of similar size, he said, "buildings that reduce their energy use by 40 percent are great, but that is simply not enough.

"We need to set our sights lower."

The governor said he would ask the group to include new standards for construction finance, "to find ways around pennywise, pound-foolish" practices in which builders use the least expensive methods to lower the cost to the customer, who then pays premiums in energy costs for the life of the building.

His closing line, "I ask you, the people in this room, to help us as a state government and as a society to get to net zero," brought the crowd to its feet for prolonged applause.