“Getting a utility bill that reads ‘zero’ is not just a dream. Any builder can do it– the elements to produce a net-zero energy home are already here; you just have to pay attention.” –John Wesley Miller, Tucson, Arizona, developer
Thanks to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Zero-Energy program, subdivision developers are building homes with state-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction and appliances. A Zero-Energy home is hooked to the grid, but it cuts energy bills by at least 50 percent and generates electricity with solar panels. Ultimately, its goal is to reach net-zero annual energy use.
Participating developers
• Dallas-based Centex Homes has built prototypes in California and is considering offering Zero-Energy features in future developments.
• Clarum Homes has built two subdivisions and is planning a third in California. Zero-Energy elements are standard.
• John Wesley Miller Companies’ Armory Park del Sol development in Tucson, Arizona, includes a Zero-Energy house, the first designed to be truly net-zero, according to the developer.
