The Inventory of Zero Energy Homes is the definitive metric of market growth in this housing sector. Now is the time to add your new project to the database or update your current listing.

One important step toward making zero energy homes affordable is to make them smaller. However, smaller homes don’t mean sacrificing comfort or function. Here are 20 design ideas that allow you to live big in a small footprint.

Designers and builders may need to make adjustments in their homes when California implements its upcoming zero energy building code for homes. Those adjustments are spelled out and illustrated in this new booklet. It’s a great guide for zero energy home design no matter where you live.

Third-party certifier, Earth Advantage, has evolved their zero energy home standards to make it easier for builders to include natural gas in their zero energy homes. Here’s what they did.

The Clean Energy Revolution is happening now. According to a study titled Revolution…Now, just updated by the Department of Energy this fall, clean energy deployment is accelerating and prices are declining. Zero Energy Homes and Positive Energy Homes, with their rooftop solar, LED lighting, and potential for powering electric vehicles are at the center of […]

In 2014, 35 percent of all housing units constructed in the United States were multifamily units—housing units in buildings with five or more units. Demand for multifamily options for housing is stronger than ever and reports indicate that this trend will continue for a while. Multifamily buildings, both existing and new, present a tremendous opportunity […]

A Note From Sam Rashkin: You can‘t start a movement if no one can agree on a name. Is it a Net-Zero Energy Home, a Zero Net-Energy Home, a Zero Energy Home, or a Zero Energy Ready Home? The first key question we need to ask is; why use the word ‘Net’ to modify the […]

California set an ambitious goal known as The California Long Range Strategic Plan, which sets forth a goal for all new homes to be built to Zero Net Energy (ZNE) standards by 2020 and all commercial buildings to be built to Zero Net Energy standards by 2030. In California, homes consume nearly one-third of the energy used […]

Can this new home battery be a game changer for sustainable energy? In April 2015, Elon Musk’s Tesla revealed their latest project, which has the potential to transform the way we store and use energy in our homes. The Tesla Powerwall is a sleek home battery that is charged from electricity generated from solar panels, or […]

We recently wrote a blog post about several options for financing residential solar panels or energy efficiency improvements for homes. For veterans, qualified military personnel and reservists, there is another option: the Veteran’s Administration Energy Efficient Mortgage (VA EEM). An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) provides the borrower with special benefits when purchasing or refinancing a home […]

Remodeling or retrofitting existing homes to become more energy efficient and as close to net zero as feasible, is just as important as building new Zero Energy Homes. In fact, there are ample opportunities to turn standard existing homes into Near Zero Energy, Zero Energy Ready or Zero Energy Homes. By retrofitting the existing inventory of homes, […]

Positive Energy Homes are homes that are so energy efficient that they generate more energy than they consume. They are truly the next frontier in green building as they have the potential to create carbon-free electricity. Think of these homes as miniature power plants, supplying clean, renewable energy needed to power a very comfortable home—with surplus […]