The idea of a Net Zero Energy (NZE) home is that it employs enhanced energy efficiency design strategies to cost effectively reduce energy needs, while meeting those needs with renewable energy technologies, with the result that the building consumes equal to or less energy than it produces on an annual basis.
The Net Zero Energy community project attempted to assess and resolve the challenges in relation to, among other things, site planning, construction, equipment, grid connections, cost, trade capability, warranty, reliability, sales, marketing, and homebuyer information/education.
The project successfully engaged production builders and completed 26 net zero energy or net zero energy ready homes. Team members continue to be involved in the net zero community and volunteer their time to move net zero forward as the country considers a near net zero or carbon neutral future.
This project demonstrated that NZEH is technically feasible for a production builder. The next step is to continue to disseminate this knowledge and encourage other influential production builders to build NZEH communities of their own. More field experience and data will help regulators move this target forward.
A full report on the Project can be found here: