Some people tend to be intimidated by the term “Net Zero”. Cutting off the gas line can be scary. Just like sending your oil burner to the recycler, it may seem an impossible task.
Building Energy recently completed building this net zero home in Shelburne, VT. It produces as much energy as it consumes. All without being connected to a gas line!
1. The first step on our way to net zero was insulation, insulation, insulation allowing the home to use hardly any energy for heating or cooling.
2. Next, we installed triple-glazed windows: quiet, energy efficient, super strong, and nearly impossible to break into.
3. To supply the extremely airtight home with clean filtered fresh air, we installed an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilation) System. This system includes ductwork silencers, providing a delightfully quiet operation.
4. The home was topped off with a few energy saving bells and whistles like a hot water drain heat recovery device (a simple heat exchange technology with no moving parts)!
5. And a heat pump hot water system. Heat pump water heaters use electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. Therefore, they can be two to three times more energy efficient than conventional water heaters.
6. But the real guts of any net zero home are Building Energy’s specialty, heat pumps and solar! This allowed us the option to completely cut the gas line!
Imagine safe, affordable year-round comfort. A net zero home is just that! A home with a net zero energy bill that is quiet and carbon-free and never too hot or too cold during Vermont’s extreme weather seasons.
If you think there is no way to get your home to net zero, think again. Give Building Energy a chance to show you the steps that may work in your home to get started.