Looking into buying or building a new home?
Net-zero, or Zero Energy Homes are an emergent housing trend gaining momentum as more and more people are looking for ways to upgrade to homes designed for smarter, more sustainable ways of delivering our power needs.
There are many techniques that such self-sustaining homes make use of in order to produce their own energy and avoid the dependency on external energy sources. One of these is the reliance solely on renewable energy sources like solar power. Most zero-energy homes will be equipped with solar panels and some method of storing the energy gained like increasingly more effective batteries. In certain areas, a wind turbine, which is moved by the wind and creates electricity, can also be quite effective.
A less obvious method of conserving energy is the simple design of the home. For example, the home can be oriented and designed in such a way that it takes advantage of the sun’s position for its heating needs. Other sustainable technologies include smart thermostats, energy-efficient windows & doors, low consuming appliances, ventilation systems, multi-layer insulation (MLI), thermal paint and attic ventilation systems, to name a few. Most Zero Energy Homes will be enhanced by such solutions in order to minimize the energy consumption and increase comfort.
There is no doubt that the trend in Zero Energy Homes will continue to exponentially grow. There are several companies like ours working to continually adopt and develop better and better technology and the industry is clearly booming. Next time you or a friend is considering buying or building a new home, be sure to at least consider a Zero Energy Home…You’ll be glad you did!
