Posts From March, 2020

Younger Homes - January Builder of the Month

Younger Homes - January Builder of the Month
This Austin, Texas, project embodies sustainable luxury through its two connected residences: a main home with a HERS of negative 30 with PV and a guest home with a HERS of 54, both EPA Indoor airPLUS certified. Thoughtfully designed, these residences merge elegance with energy efficiency, showcasing how sustainability enhances, not limits aesthetics. At the core of this property is a beautifully designed 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system, capable of capturing up to 6,000 gallons per inch of rainfall from the main residence, supporting irrigation, potable use, and gardens on the eleven-acre property. Solar energy is generated by discreetly positioned ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels, designed to meet the homes’ energy demands while minimizing their carbon footprint. For energy independence and resilience, the home integrates its own well for fresh water, the option to use city water, and a Generac generator to provide backup power during emergencies. Stepping... read more
 

Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood

A collaboration between DOE, utilities, and a long-standing homebuilder create an opportunity to explore how homeowners are using energy in a real-world, smart home environment.
Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood
"Altus at The Quarter," a townhome community consisting of 46 units, recently opened in Atlanta, Georgia and will serve as real-world research for understanding "how emerging smart technologies and distributed energy resources can impact energy efficiency, energy management and resiliency." The townhomes include PV panels, battery storage, heat pump water heaters, and other energy efficient building elements - all managed by a "grid-interactive control system" developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory ("ORNL") and the Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office ("BTO"). Oak Ridge National Laboratory was originally established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project. They are currently managed and operated by UT-Battelle as a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the DOE. ORNL supports DOE's national missions of scientific discovery, clean energy, and security. The DOE's Building Technologies Office leads a vast network of research and... read more
 

Collaboration and Energy Efficiency for Affordable Homes

It’s great to hear about net zero energy communities being built, and even better to discover the aim is to make them affordable.
Collaboration and Energy Efficiency for Affordable Homes
In many areas in the country, home prices are growing faster than incomes are increasing. Making sure homes stay affordable once they are occupied is essential in keeping costs down once they’re occupied. Collaborating on projects is becoming more and more popular when attainability is of utmost importance. In Hillsborough County in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, Commissioners are working with the Florida Home Partnership, a 501(c)3 nonprofit community home builder to build seven zero energy homes. The houses will utilize solar panels and aim for monthly electric bills of $20 or less. Other features will include metal roofing and concrete walls for hurricane resistance and lower insurance premiums. Along with their collaboration with Florida Home Partnership, Hillsborough County has also secured a $150,000 grant from Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo has a history in housing philanthropy and recently announced a partnership with Enterprise Community Partners to create the Housing... read more