DOE Tour of Zero: The MassDevelopment Devens Green Zero-Energy Community Custom Home by Transformations Inc.
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The homeowner of this certified U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home in Devens, Massachusetts, was used to paying $500 a month for utility bills in his old home. The first utility bill in his new high-performance home was a pleasant surprise –- a $58 credit from the utility company.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
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Behind the vinyl siding is a super-insulated building envelope with double-wall thermal blanket construction consisting of two 2-by-4, 16-inch on-center walls spaced 5 inches apart and filled with 12 inches of open-cell spray foam. The outside walls were sheathed with an oriented strand board (OSB) that is laminated with a wall air barrier that is taped at the seams. The roof water barrier consists of OSB that is laminated with a roof water barrier that is taped and coated at the seams plus and ice-and water-shield at the roof eave and valleys. The vented attic is insulated with 18 inches of blown cellulose on the ceiling deck.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
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The home’s dry-by-design basement foundation sits on a bed of crushed rock. The basement slab is wrapped in 2 inches of high-efficiency extruded polystyrene (XPS) rigid foam foundation insulation while 3.5 inches (R-20) of closed-cell (high-density) foam is sprayed on the inside of the basement walls. The foundation water barrier includes walls that are damp-proofed on the outside and separated from the footings by a capillary break.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
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This DOE Zero Energy Ready Home is one of eight high-performance homes built by Transformations Inc. in Devens, Massachusetts, about 50 miles west of Boston.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
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While most new homes score about 100 in the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index, and existing homes average 130 or higher, this high-performance home scored a remarkable -21, thanks to the 18-kW solar electric system.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
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Homeowners of the eight high-performance homes built by Transformations were expected to receive checks of $700 to $1,300 per year as credits for their solar power production.
Photo courtesy of Transformations
“Last year, I got a check from the utility for $700.”
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"In our old house, our heating was oil and pellets. We paid $1,500 a year for oil, $1,000 for pellets, and electricity was $2,400 a year. I don’t have any of those bills now. Last year, I got a check from the utility for $700."
– Transformations homeowner