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 a three-part series we look into health risks and the cost to society rising from conventional construction approaches. Most people are unaware of the health risks that permeate their homes. Ironically, all homes present dangers, but it is a deeper understanding of building science and greater attention to detail that make energy-efficient zero homes healthier than conventional ones. Part One of a three-part series lays out the risks and costs.

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.

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!

A zero carbon economy is possible in four steps.

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.

This analysis, using standard business investment metrics, shows that a complete zero energy home retrofit can return 15% a year with zero risk. Beat that Wall Street!