Since 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) Program has been important in encouraging greater energy efficiency, home comfort, and durability in new-home construction.
Now the program is aiming higher, with the announcement in late 2022 of ZERH Single Family Version 2. Homes built using the standard's new version will be ready to plug and play, with photovoltaic systems and high-efficiency electric technologies, and beefed up insulation in the building envelope that surpasses the previous ZERH standard.
Residential housing contributes nearly 21% of energy use in the United States. Certified Zero Energy Ready Homes not only reduce energy consumption, these homes are safer, healthier, more comfortable, and more affordable. High-quality construction and validated performance also translate to lower maintenance and fewer repairs; for some homeowners, energy bills are negligible. Affordable homes, many constructed for low-income and disadvantaged communities, make up approximately 30% of the homes certified to the ZERH standard.
Related Stories
Affordability
Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity Teams up With Local HBA for Affordable Housing Project
Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity is working with the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association to construct two new affordable homes for low-income families
Products
Explore the Products Used to Create the Desert Comfort Idea Home
The custom home in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert set some ambitious net zero home-performance goals. These building products help to meet them
Tiny Homes
Seattle Builders Are Constructing Tiny Homes for the Formerly Homeless
A Seattle-based home building initiative is joining forces with volunteers from a local nonprofit to build energy-efficient tiny houses for the homeless