Zero Net Energy Case Study Homes: Volume 2 (Designing for Zero Carbon / Zero Net Energy - Case Studies of Exemplary Buildings)

This is the second volume of in-depth case studies of zero-net-energy (ZNE) housing projects in California. Following the same descriptive approach and format of Volume 1 of this series, this book focuses on all-electric single- and multifamily housing projects, which will also be zero-carbon in 2045, the date targeted for complete decarbonization of the California electric utility grid. The projects include the single-family private house, both new and renovation, and an ambitious DIY renovation of a 1960’s suburban tract house. There is also a four-unit condominium project stacked in a six-story vertical structure. All of these projects include battery energy storage, making the good case studies of resiliency and “grid harmony”. Three of these projects are built to Passive House standards. The multifamily projects include urban apartments for formerly homeless veterans and an affordable housing project for seniors in a semi-rural coastal city. In this well-illustrated book, all the case study projects are described in terms of how they were built to achieve verified ZNE performance, that is, the energy used by the building over the course of a year was equal to the amount of energy supplied by its on-site renewable energy system. This book goes beyond recent publications on ZNE buildings with its reporting and analysis of the actual measured energy use and renewable energy production, including graphs and charts of this performance over a full year, verifying actual achievement of the zero-net-energy goal. As in the previous volume, each case study concludes with a candid discussion of post-occupancy issues and “lessons learned” for the project. Enhanced by many beautiful photographs, architectural drawings and illustrations, it is attractive and easy to read, while still providing detailed technical information common to all the ZNE and zero-carbon housing projects.