Building Zero Energy Ready Homes is not about spending money on high-tech appliances or super complex renewable energy systems. It’s about attention to detail, a focus on comprehensive construction specifications, and a desire to build homes the way they should be built today.
May 6, 2024
minute read time
Two commonly held presumptions about high-performance homes often keep home builders and prospective homebuyers from even considering Zero Energy Ready homes (ZERHs): high-performance homes are either maxed-out homes with all the bells and whistles that most American homebuyers cannot attain, or they’re off-the-grid tiny homes, fit exclusively for people with specific lifestyles. The reality is that – for the most part – high-performance homes like those certified to DOE’s Zero Energy Ready Home program look just like the ordinary homes popping up across the country. That’s because it’s not the design and aesthetics that make it a better, ZERH-certified home; it’s the specific set of program requirements designed to deliver efficient, durable, and healthy homes.
ZERH homes have an average size on par with the average single-family home in the United States. They’re built with construction products commonly available to all home builders. They’re outfitted with innovative but proven and readily available technologies. And they’re ‘future ready’ – built with the infrastructure necessary to accommodate future installations of efficient and innovative technologies. In short, building ZERHs is not about spending money on high-tech appliances or super complex renewable energy systems. It’s about attention to detail, a focus on comprehensive construction specifications, and a desire to build homes the way they should be built today.
The graphic at the bottom of this page highlights various components included in every ZERH certified home. Click on the image to see an interactive version and learn more about these various components. The infographic will soon be available in the partner portal for ZERH partners to download and embed on their own websites.
Housing Innovation Award Applications Are Open!
The 2024 Housing Innovation Awards application period opens May 1 and will close on June 14, 2024. For those interested in applying for the awards, the ZERH program has recorded an informational webinar on the 2024 awards and application process. All potential applicants are encouraged to view the webinar, which provides an overview of the award program, provides an in-depth look into the application itself, offers some tips and best practices for completing the application, and answers some frequently asked questions.
Single-Family V2 Training Available
The Zero Energy Ready Home program has released a training webinar on the Single-Family Version 2 National Program Requirements, the effective version for all single-family homes permitted after January 1, 2024. This training provides an overview of the ZERH program structure, a summary of changes from Version 1, the Version 2 requirements, target home requirements, the certification process and oversight, and highlights relevant program documents.
ZERH in the News
Green Builder Media- Zero Energy Ready on Long Island
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