ZeroHouse: An Affordable, Net Zero Housing Solution for Greater Toronto
Like many cities, Toronto and its surrounding area have a “missing middle” in available housing. A local group designed and built a prototype that would fill the gap with affordable, net zero energy units.
A Roadmap to Building Affordable Zero Energy Homes
Times are changing. While early zero energy homes may have required a significant up-front cost premium, designers and builders now have many ways to make zero energy affordable. Here’s our laundry list of design, construction and financing ideas for affordable zero energy homes.
Home Energy Savings Successes: PACE Loans Have Low Delinquency Rates
Home improvement loans to fund energy-efficiency improvements are now available around the U.S. A new report shows that they are benefiting borrowers and offering secure investments for communities.
Green Canopy Homes Builds Zero Energy Homes Supported by Impact Investing
This develop/design/build firm is now dedicated to 100% zero energy residential projects. Since lenders continue to neglect the growing zero energy segment, this ambitious company has created its own impact investment fund to finance their zero energy homes.
Designing affordable zero energy homes involves balancing numerous individual energy saving features to reach a cost-effective compromise that also meets functional needs and aesthetic standards. The predictions of two modeling programs – REM/Rate and BuildEquinox Zero – are compared to the actual energy use of a zero energy home.
Every School Should be a Zero Energy School: Here’s How
This new guidebook details how to make new schools achieve zero energy performance. Written by leading professional organizations, the information offers valuable guidance for designer, construction teams and school administrators.
Mandalay Homes Offers Grid-optimized Zero Energy Homes
Some production builders around the U.S. are beginning to shift their businesses to high-performance and zero energy homes. Mandalay Homes is leap-frogging their competition by including on-site storage batteries. This added feature improves each customer’s bottom-line and offers the potential for supporting the larger electrical utility grid with clean, cheap power.
Innovations in a 107-Year-Old Net Positive Victorian Retrofit
What happens when you decide to buy a 1907 Victorian home in chilly Minneapolis, and then decide to turn it into a zero energy showcase? Find out from the man behind the project.
Decarbonizing Your Retirement as You “Age in Place”
The Baby Boomer generation has lived a lifestyle powered by fossil fuels. As they transition into retirement, they are uniquely positioned to lead the way to clean energy.
Golden Real Estate, Inc Promoting and Modeling Environmental Responsibility
Jim Smith, of Golden Real Estate, does more than sell energy efficient homes. He has demonstrated his commitment to clean energy practices in his real estate business by transforming his office building into a positive energy showcase. And he’s not done yet.
