Are you interested in learning all you can about building a net zero home?
Maybe you’re about to embark on a home building project of your own, and you’ve come to realize that it would be a very wise move to reduce your carbon footprint by building a home that is an energy miser.
There is a very cool, virtual tool available that can give you a jump start in your quest to build a net zero home.
Builder magazine, KB Home, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia combined forces to put together a net-zero home for the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando this past January.
Now, you can take a virtual tour of the KB Home GreenHouse from the comfort of your home!
You’ll need to register some very basic info in order to take the virtual tour, but it is well worth it.
The information you’ll gain on the virtual tour is like a crash course on how to build a net-zero home.
You’ll see, hear, and read about green homebuilding products and methods that are on the cutting edge of today’s technology simply by pointing your mouse at a spot on the home and clicking. Nothing could be easier.
Among the coolest products that I really like are the SunPower SunTiles that are seamlessly integrated into the roof itself. From their website: “They are the most efficient solar roof tile available, and they deliver up to 50% more energy than conventional roof tiles. SunPower SunTile is roof integrated and blends seamlessly into flat and S-tile roofs.” They have over 200,000 units installed with zero roof leaks. That’s a stellar record!
Another great feature of this home is all of the well-organized closet areas. The shelving is attractive (not the wire mesh material I loathe) and simple.
This net-zero home has earned the following certifications:
- USGBC LEED for Homes – Platinum
- Environments for Living Certified Green
- EPA WaterSense
- EPA Energy Star Qualified Home
Platinum LEED certification! That is outstanding!
There is a service area accessed through a door through the garage in the rear of the home. That’s where you’ll find a heat pump and a propane-fueled generator.
“The house features a 2-ton Carrier Infinity Series 19 SEER/9.5 HSPF-rated, 2-stage heat pump with the Infinity Control and FE4A communicating fan coil (model #25HNA9). The system uses non-CFC Puron refrigerant, offers superior humidity and temperature control, and operates at a quiet 69 decibels.”
Here’s Martha Stewart talking about this net-zero house:
I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a virtual tour of this green feature-packed house!
I started as a home-stalker… visiting brand new homes under construction in the neighborhoods near my house. That inspired me to write about home building and home renovation projects — chronicling homes during different phases of construction from a consumer's point-of-view. Basically, the tips you'll find in my articles are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building or remodeling a quality home.
