A zero energy home is one that generates as much renewable energy as it consumes over the course of a year through extreme energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems. It requires air sealing, insulation, efficient appliances and lighting, and a renewable energy system like solar panels. The goal is for the amount of energy produced each year to equal the amount used so the home's annual energy balance is zero. Efficiency Vermont helps homeowners achieve zero energy through energy assessments, financing options like PACE loans, and supporting efficiency upgrades and renewable installations.
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What is a Zero Energy Home?
Extreme energy efficiency
• A lot of insulation
• Very well air sealed
• Efficient stuff in the house
• Lighting
• Appliances
• Heating, hot water
• Energy management system
• High performance ventilation
• Whole home energy
monitoring
+
Renewable
Energy
System
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the Path to a Zero Energy Home
• A plan to create a home that generates as much
energy as it uses over the course of a year.
• It’s based on an analysis that determines the
least cost way to balance conservation and
generation
• A mechanism for paying for the home
improvements and renewable energy system
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Vermont Has a Plan
Thermal Efficiency Task Force
• Save $1.5 billion
• Reduce fossil fuel 10%
• Improve 25% of homes
• Zero energy new buildings
90% by 2050
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What is a Zero Energy Home?
+
Renewable
Energy
System
Extreme energy efficiency
• A lot of insulation
• Very well air sealed
• Efficient stuff in the house
• Lighting
• Appliances
• Heating, hot water
• Energy management system
• High performance ventilation
• Whole home energy
monitoring
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Deep Energy Retrofit
… an aggressive, no holds-barred, informed,
sophisticated, comprehensive project to…
SAVE AS MUCH ENERGY AS
POSSIBLE
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Strategies for Low Energy Homes
• Add insulation to exterior of walls
• Insulate the foundation
• Insulate the roof or attic
• Air seal everything really well
• High performance window replacements
• Install a high efficiency ventilation system
• Highly efficient replacements for appliances and lighting
• Water efficient fixtures and appliances
• Better heating system
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Efficiency Vermont Solutions
Support for homeowners
• What is being proposed
• What are the relative benefits and risks
• What can I expect
• How do I pay for this
Support for builders
• Building science
• Innovations
• Collaboration
• Design
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Home Energy Improvement Finances
Return on Investment
• This is an investment in
your home
• It pays dividends like an
investment
• It’s more reliable than the
stock market
• It’s been beating the stock
market for decades
Cash Flow
• Best for understanding the
impact it’s going to have
on your finances
• Most people finance, so
small payments
• Positive cash flow means
money in your pocket
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It’s Not ALL About Energy
• Significant aesthetic upgrade
• Durability improved greatly
• Air quality assured
• Regular maintenance included
• Excellent comfort
• Often more useable space
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Typical Zero Energy Home Project
• Add insulation to exterior of walls + new siding
• Insulate the foundation + make basement less wet,
more useable
• Insulate the roof + turn attic into man cave
• Air seal everything really well + eliminate drafts and
cold floors
• Replace windows + eliminate condensation
• Install ventilation system + eliminate odors
• Replace appliances, lighting and water fixtures
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Typical Zero Energy Home Project
Efficiency Improvements
Save $3000/year
Cost $20,000
Renewable Energy
Investment
Offset $800/year
Cost $12,500
Non-energy Improvements
Maintenance cost $20,000
Capital upgrade cost $10,000
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Is a Deep Energy Retrofit Right for You?
• Aging in place
• Get control over housing costs
• Make space for caregiver/rental income
• Love your home, hate the smell
• Need an aesthetic upgrade
• Ready for regular capital maintenance
• Asthma
• Growing family
• Buying a home
• Fire restoration
• Noisy road
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DER not for you…
• Need to be willing to pay for it
• Don’t like the location of your home
• Looking for this work to pay for itself
• Home is too big for you
• Need a larger reason to do it
• Climate commitment
• Energy independence
• Commitment to community
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Mechanical Systems
Heat
• Ductless Mini-split
Heat Pump
• Mini-ducted Heat
Pump
• Altherma air-to-
water Heat Pump
• Ground Source
Heat Pump
Ventilation
• Essential!
• Can help move
heat around
• Probably needs its
own ducts
• Just a few products
are truly efficient
Hot Water
• Conservation is top
priority
• Electric resistance
• Heat pump water
heater
• Drain heat recovery
• Solar thermal
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Renewable Energy at Home
• Buy outright
– Prepay all energy bills for life of energy system
• Finance
– Pay as you go, but fixed cost for life of loan
• Lease
– Terms are generally arranged close to level cost
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$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
$5,000
$6,000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Year
Electricity Cost Over 25 Years
Utility Cost with Inflation
Solar Loan Payments
Lease Payments
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Community Solar
Investor-developed
• Monthly membership fee
• Buying a service
Owner-developed
• Pay for your share up front
• Need to pay for real estate
Mini neighbor-developed
• Arrangements vary
• Can be an investment opportunity
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How do you pay for it?
Finance it!
• Spreads your payments out over time, just like your energy savings
• Second mortgage or refinancing (equity)
• Buying new… Include it in the mortgage
• Interest is tax deductible
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How do you pay for it?
PACE!
• Perfect if you own your home outright
• 20% minimum equity
• Not a loan: assessment stays with the property
• Don’t have to recover the cost of the work in resale value
• Easier than a mortgage
• Not enough for the whole project
• www.efficiencyvermont.com/PACE
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Next steps – Your Home
Meet with Dave or Li Ling
• Set goals
• Uncover high level obstacles
• Assess financial resources
Contractor(s) submits proposals
Review proposals with Dave or Li Ling
• Revisit goals
• Get financing in order
• Select strategy
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Next Steps – Your Town
• Is PACE right for your town?
• Is there an interest in community solar?
• Churches, commercial buildings as solar
cooperatives
• Passively survivable buildings as community asset
• Reaching out to neighbors
• Aggressive energy objectives in town plan
• Infrastructure for electric transportation