DOE Tour of Zero: The Vista Palm Drive by Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity in central Florida is making homes truly affordable for its homeowners -- both affordable to build and affordable to live in with average utility bills of less than $70 per month.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The natural comfort shading of this home is provided by a covered front porch, deep overhangs, and native deciduous trees that help keep interiors comfortably cool in the summer with minimal use of air conditioning.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The home’s single-story structure, hip-roof design, and bottom course of asphalt shingles are tar glued as well as nailed to the CDX plywood sheathing to make for a wind- and storm-resistant home, while the slab-on-grade concrete foundation and fiber cement siding add to the home’s termite resistance.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The home’s solar hot water system uses 40 square feet of a solar thermal rooftop collector. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles that are light in color to minimize solar heat gain in the attic.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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Certified low-/no-VOC paints, finishes, and flooring are among the features that help this high-performance home qualify for EPA Indoor airPLUS as part of its DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certification.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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A high-efficiency heat pump heats and cools the compact home.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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High-efficiency appliances including an ENERGY STAR-labeled dishwasher, clothes washer, and refrigerator reduce energy and water use.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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This 80-gallon tank holds water from the solar hot water system, and water-saving fixtures provide additional water heating savings.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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A unique interior comfort delivery system uses roof trusses with a 2–foot-by-2-foot notch next to the center post that is lined with rigid foam to form an insulated central duct chase that runs the length of the home. This effectively brings the main heating and cooling ducts within the insulated space of the home.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The main trunk line of the interior comfort delivery system runs within an insulated duct chase installed in a notch designed into the roof trusses. The trunk duct runs above the home’s central hallway to supply conditioned air directly to most of the home’s ceiling registers.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The home includes a professionally installed balanced fresh air system that removes stale air while bringing in fresh filtered air through a heat and moisture exchanger that captures energy savings and helps control indoor humidity.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The main trunk line of the home’s interior comfort delivery system is installed in a duct chase made from layers of rigid foam insulation further insulated with an outside layer of fiberglass batt.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
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The walls are filled with professionally installed fiberglass batts and wrapped with a continuous exterior thermal blanket of rigid foam over the plywood sheathing.
Photo courtesy of Southeast Volusia Habitat for Humanity
"I could not ask for better. I love it!!!!"
"I keep my AC at about 72-75 degrees so you can see from the bills how efficient my home truly is. I have a friend who lives two streets over with only a two-bedroom home and her electric bill runs from $250 to $325. My home is so well-insulated I have not had to turn on my heat one time this winter. I could not ask for better. I love it!!!!"
– Homeowner
