Elements of a Net Zero Energy Home- Read Below
18 videos • 59 views • by Rate It Green Many homeowners are asking for NET ZERO ENERGY homes because they want to either lower their operating cost and protect themselves from rising energy bills OR they are just wanting to be good stewards of the environment. We've had the opportunity to interview some of the top manufactures of high performance products that are commonly used in Zero Energy Construction. We put together this playlist for you with interviews or presentations on components that can be used in Zero Energy Design and Construction. We will continue to add more products to this playlist for each step to you can evaluate which solutions can work best for your project. To get a preview of the thousands of green product and service members visit www.RateItGreen.com Here are some of the major considerations and some videos on components that many already use in Zero Energy Home construction. Step 1. "Smart Design with Energy Modeling" This may seem obvious, however a green builder will have a difficult time if the architect did NOT design the house for maximum efficiency. Also the builder needs to partner with the architect early on in the design process to model the house to see which materials will be needed to achieve net zero energy at the best cost. A green design by an architect that is not build by a builder that understands building science should be avoided as well. To help achieve NET ZERO the house must be all electric. You can create you own power from the sun by installing solar panels to create electricity for your electric home. Creating your own bio fuels for gas appliances is a little trickier and the burning of that fuel also create greenhouse gases which is not good for the environment. Step 2. "Designing with (not against) the elements" Bad designs allow too much solar heat gain or glair which can lead to high energy bills or window shades being used to block the sun. A SMART design uses the sun to produce light when needed and heat when needed depending on the location. Trees can also provide shade during the Summer months and allow the sun to heat up the structure in the Winter when the leaves fall off. Step 3. "Insulation and Air Sealing" To keep your heating and cooling costs to a minimum you first need to SUPER air seal and Insulate the outside of the house. Continuous insulation on all sides of the house including the roof and slab are keep to slowing down heat gain or heat loss depending on the season. Air sealing prevents the loss of valuable conditioned air leaving the house. Step 4. "High Performance Windows and Doors" Window and Doors should be design to allow natural light into the house, but not too much direct sunlight which can cause higher energy bills. Natural light also reduces the need for artificial lighting as well. The energy modeling can help show the Step 5. "Fresh Air" The last 2 steps make the house very air tight so we need to bring some fresh air into the house so the occupants can breath. Cutting a hole in the side is not very efficient and you want "controlled ventilation" so you can filter the air as it enters the house. Luckily there are devices that can bring in fresh air while helping transfer the energy put into the air that is being exhausted to help reduce energy costs. It is called and ERV or HRV. Step 6. "Efficient Mechanical Systems" Once the insulation is optimal, the heating and cooling systems can be designed to be much smaller which will save on installed cost and operating costs. Water heating is important as well since it can account a significant portion of the energy bill. Heat pump water heaters or on demand electric water heaters can be used in your design. Step 7 Efficient Lighting The sun is a free lighting source. At night, LED lighting is the next best choice. Step 8 Efficient Appliances All electric appliances that are designed to be efficient are a key component as well for NET Zero. Step 9 Renewable Energy After all of the steps have been taking to reduce energy loss and create efficiency systems, then renewable energy should be added to balance the energy equation. It would be impossible to create a net zero energy house if the house was not efficient because there would not be enough roofline on the house for the amount of solar needed to completely power the house. That is why you need to consider "Efficiency First" even if you don't plan to create a Net Zero house and (just) an very efficient house.