The Net-Zero Energy Home

By 864 • December 22nd, 2009

Cardboard house Imagine living in a home where energy consumption is net zero. In other words, the energy used in the home is as much as the building itself can produce or save. Sound impossible? WSJ article, “Builders Zero In on New Goal of Energy-Neutral Housing,” indicates that the future is here.

Such homes are in planning mode or on the market for sale. Nonprofit Rural Development Inc. (Greenfield, Mass.) has finished eight of its total 20 duplex net-zero energy homes. ZETA Communities Inc. (Berkeley, CA) plans to construct a 30-unit net-zero apartment.

Green energy does cost more, up-front. One 3-bedroom home by Rural Development costs about 15% more than a comparable home without net-zero features, according to a Rural Development director. But this net-zero energy home saves in utility costs, helping the homeowner recoup the 15% premium over time.

And the importance of time cannot be overstated. In a world where speedy returns are the norm, the net-zero energy home can prevail when we think about long-term benefits to our pocketbook and the planet.