We are honored to recently receive one of the most rigorous building certifications available. The Zero Energy Certification from the International Living Futures Institute’s Living Buildings Challenge is one of the few that uses actual building data to measure performance – and we had six years’ worth of data for
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The goal of our Net Zero Energy, Zero Carbon, Green Idea House was to reduce our energy load so we can affordably produce more renewable energy than we use.
Our utility bill for our second full year of operation proved that the Green Idea House did just that. The 100% electric
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Even though we are in a temperate climate (zone 6), understanding the climactic conditions is the first step to getting to net zero.
Dry Bulb Temperatures
C1Psychrometric Chart (CZ6)
Wind Speed and Direction
Systems for Reclaiming Water
Approximately 19% of California’s electricity is consumed in getting water to Southern California.
Being mindful of water usage and the energy it takes to bring water to our homes just makes good sense. Especially when we have had only 15% of the average rainfall and the
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Typical Energy Consumption Profiles
Knowing when and how appliances are used helps us understand how to minimize their impact
Passive Solar Heating in the Winter
This diagram depicts how the thermal mass wall in the stairwell
collects heat in the winter and stays cool in the summer
During summer months, the south facing lightwell window is shaded and prevents overheating.
During the winter months the low angles of the sun heats the thermal
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Redistributing the Solar Heat Gain
This diagram depicts how the heat from the thermal mass wall can be distributed
1. The low angle sun during winter months allows for sunlight to heat a thermal mass inside the lightwell.
2. Hot air naturally rises to the top of the lightwell and is collected by
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Thermal Cooling in the Summer
Thermostatically controlled windows at the top of the stairwell create a natural drafting effect as hot air rises out of the building
1.In summer months, the overhang of the roof prevents sunlight from entering the lightwell and overheating the interior.
2.As interior air warms, it rises to toward
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Solar Heat Gain through the Glazing can either help us or hurt us in getting to net zero. Different awning and glazing solutions are dependent on the orientation in relation to the arc of the sun.
Solar Heat Gain through the Glazing can either help us or hurt us in getting to net zero. Different awning and glazing solutions are dependent on the orientation in relation to the arc of the sun.
The Useful Daylight Index helps us keep the lights off when the sun is
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