Zero Energy Homes
A Zero Energy Home combines state-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction and appliances with commercially available renewable energy systems, such as solar water heating and solar electricity. The combination results in a home that produces its own energy – as much as or more than it needs. Even though the home might be connected to a utility grid, it has net zero energy consumption from the utility provider.
Zero Energy Homes include and optimize the following design features:
- Climate-specific design
- Passive solar heating and
- Alternative framing construction
- Energy efficient appliances and lighting
- Solar water heating system
- Solar electric system
Zero Energy Homes have several advantages:
- Improved comfort – reduced temperature fluctuations
- Reliability – designed to continue functioning even during blackouts
- Energy security – produces energy that protects its owner from energy price fluctuations
- Environmental sustainability – saves energy and reduces pollution
- Reduced maintenance – uses higher-quality, more durable materials that reduce the cost of upkeep over time
A zero net energy building (ZNEB) is one that is optimally efficient, and over the course of a year, generates energy onsite, using clean renewable resources, in a quantity equal to or greater than the total amount of energy consumed onsite. In addition to saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, zero net energy buildings can provide significant cost savings for residents and businesses, and stimulate clean energy technology development and job growth in the Commonwealth.
Massachusetts’s Zero Net Energy Building Task Force