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Rising energy costs drain more of our income every month. But a Utah homebuilder is showing off an energy-efficient house that could drastically cut those bills.
It's called a "Net Zero" home. The aim is to cut your energy bill to zero. You do that by generating as much energy as you use and eliminating waste through efficiency.
When the Salt Lake Parade of Homes opens tomorrow, the Net Zero house in Daybreak will generate a lot of buzz, in part because this Gold Medallion home generates it's own electricity.
"The goal would be to generate as much as you use so the net consumption would be zero," explained Kristen Nilssen, licensed contractor and co-owner of Gold Medallion Homes.
PVT solar panels installed on the roof create energy for the home. The panels provide both electricity and thermal energy. The thermal heat created is used to heat the air and water in the home. The electricity runs all the lights and appliances in the house.
On sunny days, you send electricity back to the grid. A "net electrical meter" will run backwards when the solar panels are generating more electricity than the house is using and "sell" the excess back to Rocky Mountain Power.
But Nilssen says the shell is the key. The walls and roof are made from eco-panels.
"These panels are very structurally sound and perform well in a seismic zone, like we have here on the Wasatch Front, and they're super energy efficient," Nilssen said.
The house is so tight, it draws in fresh air. "We place the house to take advantage of solar opportunities, and then we start to add the technology," Nilssen explained.
The house also includes a high-tech, gas-fired water heater, a solar storage tank and a hydronic furnace that receives heat from the domestic hot water. It's a green home that looks like a regular home: bright, inviting, not techy.
"In a home this efficient, you can have a vaulted ceiling and not pay for it in your energy bill," Nilssen said.
A solar shade keeps intense heat from the windows. Native plants and subterranean irrigation save water.
Gold Medallion says it wanted to build an affordable home. This one is listed at $365,000. That's slightly less than the average sales price in South Jordan.
"It's gratifying to have other people excited about it. It's been my passion, but now other people are catching the fever, and that's a big wow," Nilssen said.
For more information on the Salt Lake Parade of Homes, or to order tickets, click the related link to the right of the story.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
