As
Green Canopy Homes’ first net zero energy house and third overall Built Green® Net Zero Energy-labeled project, "Louise," exemplifies the care and attention to detail it takes to achieve Built Green 5-Star and Net Zero Energy certification.
Long before they broke ground, Green Canopy Homes devised a plan for how to build a healthy, energy-efficient, and beautiful home. They worked with their subcontractors and verifier to ensure energy use would be offset with solar panels, the home would be airtight, and the finishes would promote good indoor air quality.
Vital Stats
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Section
|
Points
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Location: Magnolia
Star Level: 5-Star + Net Zero Energy Label
Checklist: Single-family/townhouse new construction
Verifier: Evergreen Certified |
Site and Water |
131 |
| Energy Efficiency |
226 |
| Health and Indoor Air Quality |
122 |
| Material Efficiency |
102 |
| |
Total Score |
604.5 |
The project boasts 13.3 kW of solar panels to offset the energy use in the all-electric house. Both ducted and ductless mini-splits are used to heat and cool the home. Domestic hot water is provided by a hybrid heat pump water heater, which functions similarly to the ducted/ductless mini-split system, moving heat from the air to heat water at an efficiency of over 300%. In addition, LED lighting and ENERGY STAR appliances were installed to reduce the electrical load.
To maximize the efficiencies of the systems installed, the home was air sealed to a blower door score of 1.0 ACH @ 50Pa and insulated to R-23 in the exterior walls and R-72 at the ceiling. With such a tight building envelope, a balanced ventilation system was needed to provide fresh air throughout the house. The heat recovery ventilator allows for the heat from stale exhaust air to be transferred to incoming air, minimizing the overall energy needed to heat air being supplied to living spaces.
In tandem with the airtightness and balanced ventilation, the project promotes excellent indoor air quality in its material selection. The bamboo, linoleum, and cork flooring installed are naturally-made and third-party certified for indoor air quality (GreenGuard and Floor Score for the cork and linoleum, respectively). The combination of materials and paints, caulks, and adhesives with little to no VOCs minimizes off-gassing within the home.
Congratulations to Green Canopy for their first net zero energy project!
Built Green Highlights
Site and Water
- Drought-tolerant plantings
- 100 percent permeable hardscaping
- Low-flow plumbing fixtures
Energy Efficiency
- Ducted and ductless mini-splits
- Hybrid heat pump water heater
- Blower door score: 1.0ACH @ 50Pa
- ENERGY STAR appliances
- 13.3 kW of solar panels