How Did Box Factory Achieve Net Positive Energy?

Question

Accepted Answer

The house sits on an east-west axis to incorporate timeless concepts of passive-solar design: "to utilize daylight, solar heat gain in the cooler months and shading during the summer, and natural wind patterns for ventilation," she says.

The home's north elevation has a wall of Arcadia storefronts, windows with thermal breaks, dual-pane low-E glass, and increased weather-stripping around all the openings to further lower energy usage. The windows overlook the valley below. Light wells bring daylight into the home's interior. Large ceiling fans and operable windows circulate air, while heat-pump mini-splits provide heating and cooling.

An onsite solar array supports the all-electric house and includes a recycled battery bank for solar energy storage. The zero-energy structure produces more energy than it consumes - it's net positive!