The sixth annual inventory of zero energy homes has just been released. It shows considerable growth to almost 28,000 units. Projections indicate the number could double in 2021.

Brightleaf Homes used zero energy ready homes to break into the Chicago home building market. Building higher value high performance homes was just the beginning. Then they had to make the extra cost work for buyers. Here’s how they do it.

While health is always on the list of zero energy home benefits, it was the motivating force that prompted Steve Weise and Brenda Nunes to develop this 60-unit neighborhood in Central Washington. All homes in the development include a comprehensive package of proven features that protect health, maintain durability, and guarantee zero energy ready performance. But Steve and Brenda are taking the health of their homes to a higher level.

Economists often say that markets make the best decisions. But that can be true only when markets have accurate and complete information. Today, the housing market is flying blind regarding one of the most important characteristics of a home: energy use. The solution is mandatory energy disclosure at the time of sale. It’s good for buyers, sellers and the climate.

Ted L. Clifton of Zero Energy Plans has been designing and building zero energy homes using structural insulated panels (SIPs) for many years. He shares his thoughts about affordability, building codes, and electrification in this interview.

A good product meets real human needs. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provides a powerful framework for converting those needs into effective messaging to homebuyers. To sell more zero energy homes, sellers need to link the needs of home buyers with the many tangible benefits of zero energy homes.

There is a special connection between homes and homebuyers. Yet many new homes are marketed like commodities. To effectively sell zero energy homes, it’s necessary to create a direct link between buyer needs and these homes’ intrinsic values.

A national marketing campaign to build awareness of zero energy homes is coming soon from Team Zero. Everyone in the zero energy value chain will see more demand and higher sales from this collaborative generic marketing effort. Check it out and join the movement.

Leading U.S. cities are filling a crucial information gap in the residential real estate market by requiring home energy disclosures for potential homebuyers: a much needed transparency measure and consumer protection practice. This process provides buyers with an energy efficiency rating on every property listed for sale. An online resource and a support network are available for local governments that want to adopt similar energy disclosure measures.

Seven times more heat can escape through a window than a wall. There are more choices than ever to balance energy performance with the other important benefits of windows. Choosing windows wisely will help close the gap.

Experts Say Cooking with gas is hazardous to health, according to research that spans the last several decades. A recent study puts the issue in stark terms. Air inside homes can be more unhealthy than outdoor pollution even during a wild fire that fills the air with smoke.

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.