Two trends are now converging that will promote a zero energy lifestyle. First, electric vehicle sales are poised to grow dramatically. Second, positive energy homes are growing in popularity. These homes create enough energy to supply all at-home energy use and much of the transportation energy for households. It's time for building professionals to build positive energy homes for homebuyers who will soon be driving and charging electric vehicles.

Home buyers can have a daunting task when looking for a home that is green, healthy and energy efficient. Much of the available real estate sales information ignores vital metrics in these areas. But if you’re looking to buy or sell a home with exceptional environmental and energy efficient features, here is an online tool that will help.

The sixth annual inventory of zero energy homes has just been released. It shows considerable growth to almost 28,000 units. Projections indicate the number could double in 2021.

There is an elephant in the utility room. Clothes dryers have big energy appetites. As homes go all-electric, switching to heat pump technology for clothes drying will save energy and reduce carbon emissions, while reducing the wear and tear on your clothes.

Since before the dawn of civilization, humans have stayed comfortable by harnessing the forces of nature. These principles can also be applied in today’s homes and buildings to reduce or eliminate energy used for conventional air conditioning.

Economists often say that markets make the best decisions. But that can be true only when markets have accurate and complete information. Today, the housing market is flying blind regarding one of the most important characteristics of a home: energy use. The solution is mandatory energy disclosure at the time of sale. It’s good for buyers, sellers and the climate.

Ted L. Clifton of Zero Energy Plans has been designing and building zero energy homes using structural insulated panels (SIPs) for many years. He shares his thoughts about affordability, building codes, and electrification in this interview.

A good product meets real human needs. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provides a powerful framework for converting those needs into effective messaging to homebuyers. To sell more zero energy homes, sellers need to link the needs of home buyers with the many tangible benefits of zero energy homes.

At current rates, most offices and homes will not be retrofitted for decades or even centuries to acceptable levels of energy efficiency. One approach is mandatory building performance standards—requiring existing buildings to meet a performance benchmark (energy or carbon intensity, performance rating, etc.), with owners having multiple years to bring buildings into compliance.

A national marketing campaign to build awareness of zero energy homes is coming soon from Team Zero. Everyone in the zero energy value chain will see more demand and higher sales from this collaborative generic marketing effort. Check it out and join the movement.

On new and retrofitted roofs, you can now use aesthetically pleasing solar shingles to keep the weather out and generate renewable energy. They’re more cost-effective than you may think. We compare costs with other roof options and review pros and cons to help you decide if they are right for you.

Zero energy homes need thick layers of insulation, but some materials have serious climate impacts. Identify the key factors that affect the carbon footprint of insulation materials and some good choices for future projects.