April 21, 2022

Stracker Solar – Going Beyond Rooftops

Now homes and buildings whose roofs lack sufficient solar access to get to zero can access solar power - and do it more efficiently.

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February 23, 2022

Solar Panels Shine in Hail and Hurricane

Since they are made of glass and sit on rooftops - you would think solar panels would be the first to get damaged in high wind and hail. Check out the real story!

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March 18, 2021

Factory-built Homes — Another Path to Zero

The future of residential construction will include more factory buildings. BrightBuilt Home builds modular homes that are modern, durable, and zero energy ready. The precision of factory construction is a perfect match for zero energy homes, and BrightBuilt has been building zero energy homes this way since 2010.

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June 8, 2020

The Many Benefits of All-Electric Design

Decades of advertising tell us that gas is cheap. Even without factoring in the cost of climate change, natural gas is no longer the least expensive choice for residential use. It’s a new era of cost-effective, low carbon, all-electric homes.

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May 20, 2020

Offset Embodied Carbon With Solar Panels   

Thoughtful zero energy design and material selection is only the first step to reducing the climate impact of a new building to zero. In the end, the building needs to generate enough positive energy on site to compensate for both its embodied carbon and its operational energy.

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May 20, 2020

Four Steps to Zero Carbon Buildings

New homes and buildings will stand for decades, if not centuries. The carbon emissions embodied in the building materials and resulting from the manufacturing and construction processes must be factored into their overall carbon footprints. These four steps will get us started on the path to zero carbon.

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November 15, 2019

When Rooftop Solar is Not an Option

Not everyone lives in a place or a situation that allows them to install their own solar panels. If you are among them, fear not! Here are four ways to source renewable power or at least compensate for the carbon emissions of the energy you use. These four methods make zero energy homes and buildings possible for everyone.

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September 10, 2019

We Electrified Everything – and So Can You!

This middle-class family disconnected from fossil methane and saved money. See their step-by-step approach to powering their home and car with renewable energy.

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March 17, 2019

Act on Solar Now!

The amount of Renewable Energy Tax Credit for residential and commercial buildings will soon begin a gradual decline. If you’re thinking about solar, NOW is the time to act!

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January 16, 2019

Mandalay Homes: Zero Energy Grid-Integrated Neighborhoods that Solve the “Duck Curve”

To stay competitive, a production builder must find a good balance between cost, price, and profit. Here’s the story of one builder who has successfully added high-performance, clean energy features to their standard offering. More importantly this builder has developed an elegant solution to the challenge of solar-powered homes producing energy when it is not needed by the grid.

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May 19, 2015

Financing Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Existing Homes

Remodeling or retrofitting existing homes to become more energy efficient and as close to net zero as feasible, is just as important as building new Zero Energy Homes. In fact, there are ample opportunities to turn standard existing homes into Near Zero Energy, Zero Energy Ready or Zero Energy Homes. By retrofitting the existing inventory of homes, […]

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