What Makes My Home Net Zero?
Imagine your home produces as much energy as it uses! Better yet, imagine all the energy your home needs is covered by renewable green energy!
Easy as Pie
● Step 1: Design your home to be all electric.
● Step 2: Slap some solar panels on your roof.
● Step 3: Reduce your energy usage.
40% of all greenhouse gasses emitted in the US are related to carbon production during the construction of buildings, their heating and cooling, lighting, and operation. You could turn the last part to 0% with these few steps.
Step 1: All Electric
How about we drop the gas line and go all electric? Your stove? Electric is just fine. No gas leaks, accidental explosions, or hazardous fumes in your homes. Consider even to use an induction stove and never burn your hands ever again. Your heating system? Go electric with heat pumps. Water heater? Same. Maybe even consider electric inline heaters that heat your water only on command. Done!
electric stove top at our Cohen Davis Residence
Step 2: Solar Panels
Simple. We are at the moment at the cusp of not only getting them for free as you cut out your electric bill, but where you make more money with them than they cost. The electric grid is slowly changing into a gigantic backup battery. You still will be hooked up to it. During the day you feed into it more than you need. During the night you take some of it back. Solar panels have become so ubiquitous, efficient, and cost effective to produce and install, we have run out of excuses not to use them.
solar panels installed at our Gerendák home
Step 3: Lower Your Energy Load
Optimize the effect of the first two steps by using less energy in the first place. The path is simple - design it right:
● Design your home to fit the site and the direction of the sun. If you do so you will allow less direct summer sun into your home and decrease your cooling needs. And you will welcome it during the winter to reduce your mechanical heating requirments. If done right you can do so with larger windows for better views and a happier, brighter living environment.
● Provide for a continuous insulation layer. Picture the cooler you take to the beach or your tailgating. Design your home so that it is tugged in snuggly into a continuous blanket that will keep the conditioned air at the same temperature for longer.
● Provide for a continuous air barrier. Homes have been so porous in the past we practically have been heating and cooling our yards. You might as well have kept a window open 24/7. Button up your home properly and this madness comes to an end.
● Lastly, if you want, go crazy on some highly efficient toys. Such as your appliances, your heating and cooling systems, your lights and whatever else needs energy to run. Read the specs and pick wisely.
foundation detail with a continuous insulation for our Nussbaum De La Rosa Home
It’s Not Rocket Science
Do you see how all this beautifully connects to each other. The less energy your home needs to run, the less you have to produce to cover that usage. The better you design it, the smoother it runs. You could come to the conviction of doing this from two sides. Either be tired of being beholden to the whims of your energy companies. One look at your last electric and gas bill should do the trick. How about turning them to Zero, or better yet, negative, so that those energy companies pay you? Or you are tired of our collective destruction of our habitat and want to create a better world for yourself and those that follow you. Both are allowed. Have at it. There is no reason not to do it right!