What is a net-zero community?
Cortona Hills is one of the first communities in the Tallahassee area to feature all homes that are built to the Florida Green building standards, reducing their carbon footprint and achieving net-zero energy use standards. A Zero Energy Home (ZEH) produces enough energy annually (through state of the art energy-efficient construction and equipment with renewable energy systems) to offset the amount purchased from a utility – resulting in a net-zero annual energy bill.
Just like a typical home, a ZEH is connected to, and uses energy from, the local electric utility. But unlike typical homes, at times the ZEH makes enough power to send some back to the utility.
This is accomplished by combining state-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction techniques and equipment with renewable energy systems.
Construction of a ZEH involves many of the same materials and technologies familiar to the building trades and homeowners. Opportunities to reduce energy use exist in all areas of the home. The first opportunity to save energy is to reduce space heating and cooling and water heating loads. This often means that more insulation is required, along with attention to other important features such as air infiltration moisture barriers, and ventilation. Major equipment in the home should also be of the highest efficiency that is affordable and be sized and installed correctly. That includes the furnace, air-conditioner, and water heater as well as the duct and piping systems that deliver air and water to the outlets. The next opportunity to reduce energy loads is to use higher efficiency lighting and appliances (such as Energy Star appliances). The final opportunity is to be aware of energy use on a daily basis and turn off lights and appliances when not in use. Once the home's energy use requirements are reduced, a photovoltaic (PV) system is installed to provide the electricity used in the home and offset electricity supplied by the utility when averaged over the course of one year.*
Specifically, when renewable resources cannot provide all the home's power, e.g., at night or on a cloudy day, the homeowner purchases energy from the utility. When renewable resources produce more than the house is using, e.g., during sunny days when no one is home, power is sent back into the utility grid. Some utilities operate the home's electric meter in reverse, essentially providing the homeowners full retail value for their energy.
Contact us today, let us connect you with one of our preferred builders, and start creating your net zero home today!
