This home by Boulder ZED Design Build of Colorado is a U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home that will cost its homeowners less than $10 a month in utility bills.
Boulder ZED fit the 2,504-square-foot home on a small urban infill lot using natural comfort orientation to maximize the potential to capture beneficial solar heat gain in the winter while blocking unwanted solar heat in the summer with solar window shading, including pergolas and roof overhangs.
All of the floors are made from renewable cork or bamboo, and an abundance of windows provide light for the natural daylight home.
High-efficiency appliances include an ENERGY STAR-labeled refrigerator and dishwasher that provide energy and water savings.
Ultra-efficient triple-pane windows include insulating frames and invisible advanced technology coatings that let in light while reflecting solar heat in the summer and keeping heat inside in the winter.
Forest Stewardship Council-certified formaldehyde-free cabinetry with certified low/no-VOC finishes help provide a healthier indoor environment.
All of the floors are made from renewable cork or bamboo, and an abundance of windows provide light for the natural daylight home.
About 80% of the home’s fixtures use advanced solid-state lighting technology.
The professionally installed balanced fresh air system brings fresh air to every room via 95% efficient heat exchange technology with moisture recovery and high-capture filtration.
The balanced fresh air system provides filtered fresh air throughout the home via the central air handler system while exhausting stale air from the bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, and master closet.
Ultra-efficient lighting and water-saving fixtures are just two ways that owners can save money and resources.
Water-saving fixtures that are certified through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program are installed throughout the home.
An on-demand hot water pump speeds hot water to showers and faucets and substantially reduces waste.
The professionally installed fresh air system includes timed exhaust fans that pull moisture out of bathrooms to help contribute to healthy indoor air.
Looking to the future, separate drain lines were installed for greywater fixtures (sinks and showers) and blackwater fixtures (toilets). Currently both lines discharge to the sewer because legacy water rights regulations prevent homeowners from using the greywater for irrigation. Should that change in the future, the lucky owners of this house will be able to easily divert shower and sink water to their gardens.
Porcelain tile flooring was selected because it does not require annual sealing with potentially harmful products. Other steps to contributing to a contaminant-resistant home include making the garage a separate building.
Using certified low-/no-VOC finishes is one of many steps that helped the home qualify for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor airPLUS label.
A high-efficiency heat pump water heater provides all the hot water needs.
Water-saving EPA WaterSense-labeled fixtures save water and energy.
High-efficiency advanced wall framing with 2-by-6 studs spaced 24 inches apart provides a deeper wall with more room for insulation.
An air-sealing layer of spray foam is applied under the roof deck and inside the walls before filling with blown cellulose to contribute to comprehensive draft protection.
The ultra-efficient wall insulation system includes framing cavities filled with spray foam and blown cellulose plus a continuous thermal blanket with 4 inches of rigid foam insulation wrapping the exterior framing.
The ultra-efficient attic insulation includes 1 inch of closed-cell spray foam plus blown cellulose inside the vaulted ceilings and a continuous thermal blanket on top of the roof deck with an additional 3.5 inches of rigid foam insulation.
The professionally sealed comfort delivery system includes right-sized, rigid metal ducts that are sealed at every joint and seam with mastic that lasts longer and seals better than tape.
The roof water barrier system includes a continuous underlayment and self-adhering ice-and-water shield overlapping the edges of the roof under the rigid foam insulation.
The high-performance window system properly integrates air-sealing and moisture barrier layers around the professionally installed windows.
High-efficiency foundation insulation wraps the exterior, while open-cell spray foam coats the interior of the crawlspace foundation walls.
The exterior oriented strand board (OSB) wall sheathing is coated with a liquid-applied wall water barrier that serves as a drainage plane, and air and vapor barrier.
The ultra-efficient wall insulation in the Boulder ZED homes includes installing 4 inches of rigid foam over the coated OSB.
"You have no operating costs in the future."
“Our homes are super-healthy, energy-efficient, and you have no operating costs in the future.”
– Builder Brian Hludzinski
