Published by HomeLight: Buildings account for 40% of all energy consumption in the U.S. annually, with the residential sector accounting for as much as 21% of that figure. For the eco-minded, this is concerning. But what if there was a way for our homes to create as much, if not more, energy than they used every year? This capability is no longer the stuff of science fiction: Net-zero homes are designed to produce as much energy as they consume. If this building method becomes more accessible, we could solve the residential sustainability crisis.
Since the beginning of the new millennium, advances in insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and government incentives for green building have made the idea of a building that creates more energy than it consumes became not only possible but attainable. New Buildings Institute (NBI), an organization that promotes energy efficiency and tracks net-zero buildings, has found a 700% increase in verified net-zero buildings in the United States and Canada since they first started tracking them in 2012.