Every certified Zero Energy Ready Home represents a whole new level of performance with rigorous requirements that ensure outstanding levels of energy savings, comfort, health, and durability. A DOE Zero Energy Ready Home is a high-performance home that is so energy efficient that a renewable energy system could offset most or all the home's annual energy use. Each home meets rigorous efficiency and performance criteria and are verified by a qualified third-party as part of the certification process.
Why focus on Zero Energy Ready Home and Energy Efficient Building Methods...
Proven methods of building science. Focusing on "Zero Energy Ready" building methods is important because it significantly reduces a building's environmental impact by minimizing energy consumption through highly efficient design and construction practices. Leading to lower energy bills, increased comfort, and a smaller carbon footprint, while also potentially increasing property value and contributing to a more sustainable built environment.This is the focus of a RESNET Energy Smart Builder.
What is the difference between "Green Building or Sustainable Building", " Net Zero Energy Building" and "Zero Energy Ready Building and Energy Star® building methods"?
The goal of green building and sustainable architecture is to use resources more efficiently and reduce a building's negative impact on the environment. Zero energy buildings or "net zero energy" buildings as is often the more recognizable term in the industry, achieve a key goal of creating as much renewable energy as it used over the over the course of a year, and sometimes exporting energy back into the grid.
A Zero Energy Ready home or building is specifically designed to be highly energy efficient, often "ready" to install renewable energy sources like solar panel systems to achieve net-zero energy consumption, while a "green building" encompasses a broader range of sustainable practices including energy efficiency, water conservation, material selection, and sometimes renewable energy, but doesn't necessarily aim for a net-zero energy balance; essentially, a Zero Energy Ready building is a more focused subset of a green building with a primary goal of achieving near-zero energy usage.