Energizing the Green New Deal: Part One of a Three-Part Series. Realistic climate action requires clear goals and objectives and an achievable timeline. If it is to have any chance of becoming reality, it must also align with the free enterprise system in which most of the work is accomplished by the private sector. Here is a comprehensive set of specific goals and objectives plus how best to achieve them, with the least government involvement.

High performance homes are a great investment for the homebuyer, no matter how you measure it, as described in Part One of this series. But there are also many non-monetary benefits for the homeowner. These highly efficient homes are a win for everyone involved, including builders, realtors, lenders and utilities. Here’s a powerful list.

In Part One of this two-part series we show the real financial returns for zero energy homeowners. — “A penny saved is a penny earned,” according to Benjamin Franklin. Let’s start thinking about energy improvements as investments that bring a financial return. Here are four ways to evaluate the financial performance of zero energy homes. They all demonstrate that zero energy homeowners benefit financially, making zero a wise investment.

The move away from fossil fuels requires that buildings and vehicles be powered by electricity from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, etc. All-electric homes in cold climates present a challenge for comfort and cost, but those barriers have fallen to recent developments in design and technology - making all-electric homes desirable even in cold climates.

For most people, developing a vacation rental would be about profit. For these two Washington state couples, it was about much more. Oh, and the profit is there too.

Every buyer wants an energy-efficient home, but there are so many factors to consider that many buyers become overwhelmed. Did you know that the energy performance of any home can be expressed in one simple-to-understand number? Here it is.

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.

A new study shows that the cost of zero energy homes is very close to that of homes built to code. Best of all, costs are dropping and the trend is expected to continue.

A state-by-state report of clean energy jobs by E4TheFuture makes a powerful statement about the economic importance of the energy efficiency industry. Twenty-seven states each have more than 50,000 energy efficiency workers. Twenty-five states have more than 30,000. The number of energy efficiency jobs grew 3% in 2017 and the good news doesn’t stop there...

If you design, build or are otherwise involved in a new zero energy home or building, the Net Zero Energy Coalition wants to hear from you. They have been tracking the significant growth of zero energy buildings for several years. In 2017, there were 70% more projects than a year earlier. Submit your project for the annual inventory and be counted!

Location is one of the first decisions made about a new home purchase, and it is one of the most consequential. While it may not occur to you that location affects energy efficiency… it does!

The only reason that most people feel that their new home is okay is that their old home was even worse.