Sareth Builders built this 1,814-square-foot custom home in Lorain, Ohio, to the high performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.

The highly efficient home achieved a low HERS score of 36, even without solar panels installed. The home should save its owners over $1,000 a year in energy costs.

LED lighting and ENERGY STAR appliances add to the energy efficiency of the home.

High-efficiency mini-split heat pumps heat and cool the home. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) installed in the largest open area of the home ensures controlled conditioned constant fresh air, while a whole-house wall-mounted dehumidifier helps keep the indoor air comfortably dry .

EPA WaterSense-rated low-flow fixtures add to water and energy savings in the efficient home. Continuously running low-energy bath fans pull water vapor out of the rooms to minimize mold and condensation issues.

For the foundation, Sareth used pre-fabricated concrete wall panels that come with an R-20 layer of EPS foam insulation factory attached to the interior side of the panels. The builder added R-20 XPS + polyiso rigid foam on the surface and face of the slab shelf to stop thermal bridging at the perimeter of the slab.

The builder installed 2 inches of rigid polyiso under the entire slab.

The 2-by-6, 24-inch on-center walls were filled with dense-packed cellulose and all joints and seams were caulked or taped to provide draft-free construction.

The walls were wrapped in a continuous blanket of 2-inch-thick rigid foam insulation.

This infrared image shows how well the rigid foam insulation stopped thermal bridging through the walls.