Are Zero Energy New Homes (ZENH) Good for the Builder, Good for the Buyer, and Good for the Electric Utility?

Rob Hammon and Steve Vang, ConSol
Judie Porter, Architectural Energy Corporation

Keywords

Abstract

The California Energy Commission’s PIER Buildings Program is sponsoring research programs to develop new market models to promote the development of ZENHs in California. One project team proposed a market model in which electric utilities have a role in paying for or owning photovoltaic equipment on private residences. A key research question is the value that ZENHs provide to the utility. To answer this question, a proposed project was analyzed using building simulation software. Project goals are for each ZENH to be 25% more energy efficient than 2005 Title 24, reduce electricity cost by 70% and draw no more than 1 kW from the utility during the peak summer hours. The ZENHs will incorporate advanced energy efficient features with solar-electric systems. They will receive electricity from a different underground branch circuit than the one serving the non-ZENH homes. Southern California Edison will monitor energy usage to both groups of homes at the branch circuit level and use the information obtained to determine the benefits ZENHs provide to them. Additional monitoring equipment will be installed in 20% of the ZENH homes to evaluate the performance of individual homes.