Santa Monica Aims for Net-Zero Status

While perhaps being more famous for its beachlife and "Baywatch", the city of Santa Monica is in the process of becoming the nation's first net-zero city, through increased energy efficiency, relying completely on solar and other renewable energy. The city, with over 86,000 residents has currently over 60 buildings equipped with solar panels, while numerous other buildings, both residential and commercial are in the process of installing solar roofing.

"Solar Santa Monica launched a two year program on January 1, 2007. The voluntary program starts with 50 residential and commercial buildings. With the benefit of what is learned from these 50 projects, the program will be made available to all. The 50 buildings will include 30 to 35 residences, 5 to10 business and 5 municipal buildings."

With a total cost of $1.4 billion, spent over a span of 20 years, Santa Monica will achieve its net-zero status. The city has invested in an array of "greener" municipal cars, with over 80% of the city’s 519 vehicles being either alternate fuel (alt-fuel) or electric. Also, 100 of Santa Monica’s Big Bus fleet is liquid natural gas (LNG), which is according to the city of Santa Monica, 77% cleaner than diesel.

Good incentive Santa Monica, let's hope other follows suit.

Read more at http://www.cleanfleetreport.com/cities/solar-santa-monica/ or http://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/

Discover Geos - Arvada, CO

With the slogan "Earth, Sun, Home", the developers of the master-planned community of Geos in Arvada, CO aims for creating a sustainable, integrated community where energy from the Earth and the Sun replaces all fossil fuels. When completed, the neighborhood will be the largest net-zero energy, urban mixed-use neighborhood in the United States.

The neighborhood follows the pattern of "New Urbanism", a trend experiencing increasing popularity within the U.S. As with other "New Urbanism" projects, the community will focus on walkability and mixed-use development, with housing ranging from condominiums to single family homes, each type with its own subdivision within the neighborhood (see map above).

Want to learn more about Geos? Visit their homepage at http://discovergeos.com/index.php or check this page out for more information http://www.dkahn.com/geos.html

Planning On Building Energy Efficient?

Then this place would perhaps be a good way to start - http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SolarHomes/plansps.htm

This website from "Build it Solar" provides a thorough list of American and Canadian builders and home plans dedicated to energy-efficiency, and especially in terms of using solar power as a main source of energy. In addition, some more alternative builders are shown, e.g. adobe home builders.

The array of builders providing energy-efficient homes are ever-increasing, which is definitely a sign for a positive market change, with increasing demand leading to increased supply.

Also, check out the link below, for an article on affordable net-zero homes, with prices as low as $180,000.

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/11546/a-net-zero-energy-home-for-180000

Net-Zero Energy House Costs Just 7% to 8% More - Colorado

A Colorado construction company called Ecofutures Building Inc. produces market competitive net-zero homes, for the sheer cost of 7 to 8% more than a new conventional home in the state.

"The net-zero-energy measures cost 7% to 8% of the total home price. Our clients pay more in mortgage but less in energy so it's cost neutral -- or even cash-flow positive -- to live in a zero-energy home at today's energy prices." - Eric Doub, company president.

The company built what was Colorado's first net-zero home in 2005, and subsequently won the U.S. Department of Energy's "Builders Challenge" in 2008, becoming the first builder to qualify with a score "literally off the scale", a -3 on the Home Energy Scale Rating System.

You can read more at http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/green_building/article/0,3142,HPRO_27916_6024003,00.html & http://www.ecofuturesbuilding.com/

Net-Zero Goes Worldwide - Southeast Asia's First Net-Zero Building

Singapore recently opened what is Southeast Asia's first net-zero building, as a part of the BCA (Building & Construction Authority) Academy Campus. The building is a test project initiated by the government of Singapore, which has developed ambitious plans in terms of green building: planning on "making 80 percent of all buildings in the island state green by 2030". As for now, only 5% of the state's building can label themselves green, and government is planning to spend US $357.5 million over the next decade on developing green public buildings

Some interesting features include:

• Floor diffusers: These supply cool air which, once warm, will rise to vents in the ceiling to be removed.
• More energy-efficient air-conditioning: This detects carbon dioxide levels and lowers fan speed when fewer people are around.
• Personalized ventilation: Air-conditioning around each desk is adjustable according to individual needs.

Read more at http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2009/10/27/singapore-showcases-its-first-zero-energy-building/

Aloha! First Net-Zero Community in the U.S. Under Development on Hawaii

The Department of Hawaiian Home Land will initiate construction of the net-zero Kaupani Village Community this summer, with the first house scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of the year, while the entire subdivision will be completed by the end of this year.

The community, located in Waianae Valley on the island of Oahu, will consist of 18 homes, all equipped with solar water heating, roof-top photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, and energy-efficient lighting and appliances. The community will consume no more energy than it generates, and aims for LEED platinum certification, making it the first community of its kind in the U.S.

Another interesting aspect to it is the affordability, as the community will be typical of Hawaiian Home Land projects, meaning that certain limitations apply for eligibility. Applicants must be at least half Native Hawaiian to qualify for a lease for a land lot. So far, over 300 families have applied for lots in the community.

I must say, I really like the idea of building green, sustainable homes for the low-income part of the population, instead of limiting this trend to the upper middle class portion of the population.

Read more at http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2010/03/08/story3.html?b=1268024400^2990791

Europe Way Ahead in Terms of Green Building

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=europe-shows-the-way-to-energy-effi-2010-01

"Europeans now have half the carbon footprint of Americans, so we can learn how it’s done from them. It won’t kill us to get our energy from renewables and efficiency. It might even be quite pleasant"

So, what is the reason for this gap between the EU and the U.S.? It might have something to do with certain standards being implemented in Europe, such as feed-in-tariffs paying homeowners to install solar panels on their roof (Germany and Spain), using triple-glazed windows as standard in the building code (Norway and Sweden), and developing an energy efficiency standard where a net-zero house is required (Germany's PassivHaus standard).

Obama's "Cash for Caulkers" program is a start, but more inventive standards is needed, to catch up to our European counterparts.