What is a net zero home?
Net-zero-energy homes combine energy saving techniques with renewable energy generation so that they produce as much energy as they consume over the course of a year. These ultra-efficient homes usually add energy to the grid when the sun is out and take energy from the grid at night and during the winter, boasting a net zero-energy consumption on an annualized basis. A net-zero home can be made net positive by adding further solar panels to the south roof, and this additional power can be used to charge an electric car.
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Benefits of Net Zero
Once you experience a net zero home, you’ll never want to go back.
Comfort
Net zero homes are easy and comfortable to live in. You can say goodbye to cold drafts in the winter and overheated spaces in the summer. The indoor temperature stays steady and delightful, and there is a constant fow of fresh air that has been fltered and preconditioned.
No Power Bills
With your energy generation atop your roof, you will not be paying an electricity bill and will not be concerned by rising energy costs.
Great Windows
A net-zero home is very well daylit to reduce lightbulb energy use. All those windows mean you have great views.
Future Proof
With highly insulated walls and roof, a net-zero house provides shelter against increasing temperature swings.
Reduced Environmental Impact
Housing causes 30% of global carbon emissions. A net-zero house proves that housing can be designed to totally eliminate carbon emissions.
Net-Zero House Design
Designed from the ground up to take advantage of the sun.
Solar Oriented
A net zero house should face south (in the northern hemisphere) to gather sunlight onto rooftop solar panels, and admit controlled daylight through windows on the south wall.
Minimalist Shape
A simple rectangular footprint is ideal for net-zero design, with the long wall facing south. If a house is larger than 1,500 square feet, then a two-story design is cheaper to build and more energy efficient.
Floor Planning
The high occupancy rooms, the kitchen, dining, and living rooms, are located to the south, where the daylight is strong. Occasional spaces, like stairs, bathrooms, utility rooms, and entrances, are located at the north.
Accessibility
A house should have a first-floor bedroom so occupants can have the choice to age in place. Additionally, there should be an accessible first-floor bathroom.
Net-Zero Systems
Everything must be optimized to achieve the net-zero goal.
Insulated Panels
Structural insulated wall and roof panels are manufactured off site, reducing construction times, increasing quality, decreasing air leakage, and providing vaulted ceilings.
Insulated Foundation
Under-slab and foundation-edge insulation decrease energy loss and place the concrete floor slab within the insulated envelope, which keeps internal temperatures constant and eliminates the need to turn down your thermostat at night.
Heat-Recovery Ventilator
HRV units are fitted as standard. These heat exchangers reduce ventilation energy loss by 80 percent and ensure a wonderful quality of fresh, filtered air delivered at room temperature.
Heat Pumps
Electric heat pumps provide both cooling and heating, ensuring excessive summertime overheating can be avoided. No fossil fuels need to be burnt to heat or cool the house.
Solar Panels
Rooftop solar panels produce more than enough clean, renewable electricity to offset the modest energy needs of the house. Most of our designs have enough south-facing roof space to install enough extra PV to charge one or more electric cars.
FAQ
Is net zero possible in my cold/hot/cloudy location?
Yes. We build net-zero houses in the Pacifc Northwest, which is cloudy and yields 3.5 hours of sunshine per day on average. With this level of cloudiness, we spec between 3.1 watts of solar per square foot (for a 2,500-square-foot house) to 4.8 watts per square foot (for a 1,000-square-foot house) to achieve net zero.
Does a net-zero house have batteries?
Not necessarily. A net-zero house does not need batteries because the house is tied to the electricity grid. Because net-zero houses are often all electric, a battery is a good idea if your area has power outages. You can also keep a generator for these eventualities.
Does a net-zero home cost more to build?
Great Question! The pay back on solar, extra insulation, air sealing, better windows, and heat pumps averages between 10-15 years. When you amortize the cost over a 30-year mortgage, your monthly payment plus energy bills is actually less than if you built a conventional home. If you add in an electric car or two, the monthly savings can be substantial. A typical Powerhouse Designs home can have a similar mortgage to other homes in the neighborhood, yet have an electricity bill of $7.49 per month which includes electric car charging. Not having to buy gas for as long as you live in the home contributes even further to the cost savings.
Why isn’t every home net zero?
We think the main reason is that most people don’t even know that it is possible. We use SIPs, triple pane windows, and heat pumps for heating, cooling and hot water. That gets our homes down to about 30% of the energy cost of a typical new home. We use solar panels on the roof to produce that power, and even charge electric cars.
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The simplest path to a net-zero home.
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