Future-Proofing Your Home with Net Zero Ready

A DOE Net Zero Energy Ready Home, for example, is designed and built to operate 40% to 50% more efficiently than a traditional home and is third-party verified to ensure reliability. While less than 2% of newly constructed homes are Net Zero Ready, this market is growing and increasing in popularity. 

Want to see some examples of Net-Zero Ready Homes? Head over to the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website that provides virtual tours of 260 Net-Zero Ready Homes across the United States.

Are you looking for a builder that specializes in Net Zero Ready homes? Click here for an inventory of builders in both the United States and Canada.

Case Study: Hill Bros. Homes

Hill Bros. Homes have been building energy-efficient houses in New Brunswick, Canada, for a long time. All their homes since 2000 have met Canada's R-2000 standard. This legacy of good building practice saves the combined group of homeowners over $150,000 a year in energy bills. They recently developed a high-density residential development called Reynolds Street and a traditional residential development called West Hills. 

Now Hill Bros. has stepped it up a notch, building Net-Zero Ready Homes. They are following the new standard launched in 2017 by the Canadian Home Builders Association. These homes more than meet the R-2000 standard. They are even more energy-efficient and built solar-ready, which means they have conduit, planned space, and connection capacity in place, ready to install a grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) array to generate their electricity.

Operating at net zero starts with minimizing energy demand. These homes use 80% less energy than code-built homes in the Canadian climate. They have thick insulation, triple-glazed windows, and airtightness rivaling the best in the world. Combine that with heat recovery ventilation, ENERGY STAR appliances, and LED lighting. The energy consumption is so low that a modest solar panel array on the roof can offset all of it annually. Hence, the "Net Zero" name – the home's net energy consumption is designed to be zero each year once the solar panels are installed.

Beyond energy efficiency, the homes feature environmentally sound choices like water-saving fixtures and low-VOC finishes that maintain healthy air quality. They have been designed for healthy living conditions and a lower environmental footprint. The heating and cooling are provided by a heat pump, backed up with a high-efficiency condensing gas furnace.

Hill Bros. build townhomes, garden homes, duplexes, and single-family dwellings. All their projects going forward will be at least Net Zero Ready.

Case Study: Healthy Communities

Healthy Communities is a builder in Virginia specializing in Net Zero Energy Ready Homes certified under the DOE's Certification program. They are known for their Walnut Farms and Villas at Rocketts Landing housing communities that provide 40% to 50% more efficient homes than traditional homes. Walnut Farms consists of 75 Net Zero Energy Ready Homes and is the first community in the region. Likewise, the Villas at Rocketts Landing includes 45 homes that went an extra step to have solar power - achieving its reputation as Virginia's first solar community. 

In addition to creating custom plans, Healthy Communities provides over a dozen home plans that meet local building codes and are Net Zero Energy Ready. These plans range in size and cost but typically average around $400,000 per home. Their work speaks for themselves - they have won the National Department of Energy Housing Innovative award five years in a row!