Off the Grid Design built this 7,008-square-foot multifamily project in San Francisco, California, to the high performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
A solar awning over the rooftop deck helped this builder achieve net zero energy on this five-story apartment building in San Francisco.
Photovoltaic panels make up the roof of this rooftop deck, providing roofing that generates electricity while providing waterproof shading that lets 15% of the light through to brighten the space below.
ENERGY STAR appliances and EPA WaterSense-labeled plumbing fixtures add to energy and water savings.
All of the home’s light fixtures use LED-based light sources.
The entire unit is heated and cooled with a single minisplit heat pump that delivers heating and cooling throughout the home via short ducts.
The builder estimates that each unit should save more than $7,000 in annual energy costs thanks to the efficient design and roof-mounted solar panels.
A triple-filtered energy recovery ventilator provides ducted fresh air throughout the homes.
An extensive battery storage system saves solar-generated power for use during evening peak hours.
“The owners are extremely satisfied to be living in a very healthy, quiet, and technologically advanced ‘nanogrid’ home.”
– John Sarter, Off The Grid Design
“The owners are extremely satisfied to be living in a very healthy, quiet, and technologically advanced ‘nanogrid’ home that is not only a resource for them but for the entire community in the event of grid outages. The strategy to use Passive House for the building yielded no increased cost for wall construction other than air-sealing and purchasing very airtight but only dual-glazed windows.”
– John Sarter, Off The Grid Design
