Zero Energy Buildings, Zero Energy Homes (ZEH)

"A ZEH is connected to the utility grid, but at off-peak time periods, it generates more power than it uses by combining renewable energy technologies with advanced energy-efficient construction. As a result, a ZEH lowers the power demand on its utility provider. It produces about as much energy as it consumes during a year, so it is considered to achieve "net zero" energy consumption." -- Online source

Evergreen, Colorado; Indian Hills, Colorado; City of Broomfield; City of Boulder; Masdar, Abu Dhabi;

Net-Zero Energy Homes, Building Zero Energy Homes with Ecofutures : Online source-with many photos, Ecofutures Building, Inc. 862 Ithaca, Boulder, Colorado

The Evergreen Net-Zero Energy Home is designed in a traditional southwest / adobe style, but boasts the latest in construction techniques for energy efficiency. From finely-tuned fiberglass windows with orientation-specific combinations of advanced Heat Mirror glazing to the use of natural and reclaimed products, this home is as green and high-performing as we could make it. Located at 8,000 feet in Evergreen, Colorado, the cold and windy site conditions challenge high performance home construction, but according to preliminary HERS reports, the home will achieve a HERS zero - or lower!

Ecofutures Building specializes in design and construction of healthy, beautiful, and comfortable, zero-energy homes.

United Technologies Ad: First Zero Net Energy Building is Coming Online source Online source

100% recycled structural steel, vertical axis wind power turbines, photovoltaic solar power arrays, zero VOC paints, green roofs with an integrated reclamation systems, conserving energy, fuel cell power plants, and combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) systems

Zero Energy Office Building Online source

a zero energy office tower for the Guangdong Tobacco Company in Guangdong China. Orientation, conservation, lighting efficiency, geothermal, energy reuse and energy storage techniques are used to enable the building to generate enough renewable power to meet its energy demands.

The Net Zero Energy Home
Building Industry Research Alliance (BIRA) Online source

"The goal of BAP is to build marketable, cost-effective Net Zero Energy Homes across the country by 2020.

In order to reach the goal of near-zero energy, PV panels must be used to offset some of the home's electricity consumption. But because PV systems are expensive, it is imperative to first build a super-energy-efficient home. This reduces the amount of electricity needed, which in turn makes it possible to install a smaller PV system. Near Zero Energy Homes incorporate super-energy-efficient building features and a properly sized PV system. Some of those super efficient features are described below."

Online source Online source, or Online source

a net zero-energy building, regulations and economics have gotten in the way during the design process, but they still estimate that the building uses 60% less energy than a typical office building in China (the energy code in China is actually stricter than that in the US).

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Zero energy buildings - a good idea or over the cliff? Online source

from 2016 on, all new homes in the UK will have to be zero-emission for heating, hot water, cooling, ventilation, and lighting

In Search of the Zero-Energy Holy Grail Online source

a Real-world yet hypothetical design problem in a tough climate challenges engineers to think about the measures necessary for reducing a building's environmental footprint; building's annual energy consumption. Lighting accounted for 35 percent, followed by office equipment at 23 percent, and cooling at 25 percent. Modeled the effect of cumulatively adding features such as underfloor air, a high-performance fa?ade, daylighting controls, and occupancy sensors. After tallying the impact of these measures, energy use was significantly reduced but was still at 60 percent of an ASHRAE 90.1 base building

Scale of definition of zero energy building
Online source

BedZED (Beddington Zero Energy Development)

Online source

is the UK's largest eco-village, a mixed housing and work space development located in Beddington, London Borough of Sutton. Initiated by BioRegional and designed and constructed by a team of the architect Bill Dunster, BioRegional, Peabody Trust and Arup, BedZED embraces all aspects of sustainable design with 100 experimental homes, community facilities and workspace for 100 people (1600 m2 of workspace) and offers many eco-living amenities. According to the BedZED website, "It is the first large-scale ˇ®carbon neutral' community - i.e. the first not to add to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and is an excellent example of creative use of brownfield landˇ­The design is to a very high standard and is used to enhance the environmental dimensions, with strong emphasis on roof gardens, sunlight, solar energy, reduction of energy consumption and waste water recycling."

Zoka Zola's Zero Energy House(2005.8)

which is currently being designed for a space on Adams street in Chicago, is as green as it gets. When it is completed, the 3 story, single-family home will be completely self-sufficient: consuming zero energy except for that which is generated on-site with solar panels and wind turbines.

The Lighthouse: A Net Zero Carbon House (2007.6)
Online sourceOnline source

at OFFSITE2007, http://www.offsite2007.com/progress-photos/vistors_9472.jpg

Singapore to get the world's first revamped zero-energy building by 2009 (2008.9)

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Singapore will construct its first zero-energy building (ZEB) at Braddell Road to promote green technology. S$10 million will be spent to retrofit an existing facility to incorporate some of the latest energy-efficient inventions. The building is to be fitted with solar panels on top. These panels provide the energy for most of the building. But any building cannot be completely self reliant without reducing the consumption of energy in a smart way. This building uses some very smart local inventions to reduce the consumption of energy. Fresh energy is only channeled into rooms which have people in them as sensors are used to detect motion. Even the cooling & heating systems of the building are sufficiently revamped to save 60% of energy consumption.

The building is truly a first in the world as it is the first time that an already existing building is going to be revamped into a Zero-Energy Building (ZEB). It paves way for many more constructors to take it up. While the cost in making such a building is 8% more than in the case of normal structures, that can be retrieved in 12 years. This is indeed a small price to pay, if any, for energy saving & achieving a safer planet.

A zero energy home in Oklahoma

Online source

According to Professional Builder, the first zero energy home costing less than $200,000 has been built in Oklahoma. This house produces as much energy as it consumes in a year and combines "renewable energy technologies with advanced energy-efficient construction." This environmentally friendly house is just a prototype and not available for sale. But as it has created lots of interest, I would not be surprised if its builder decided to add it to its catalog

World's First Positive Energy Building in Masdar, Abu Dhabi (2008.5)

Online source