What is Net Zero Energy?

NZE homes combine advanced design and superior building systems with energy efficiency, solar panels & battery storage, and smart-home controls to produce a better home.

NZE homes are ultra-comfortable, healthy, quiet, sustainable homes that are affordable to live in. They are simple to live in with no special considerations.

These are “forever homes”, with accessibility, elevators, energy security, and lifestyle features, comfort, convenience in a home with a conscience.

E=MC²

BENEFITS ↓

Let’s break down the benefits of Net Zero Energy homes with a simple acronym:

Energy, Money, Comfort, Conscience."

E=MC²

• Energy Benefits,

• Monetary Benefits

• Comfort: more comfort, simplicity ahd health

• Conscience: a home with a conscience about energy and sustainable choices.

ENERGY

Get peace of mind with a Home Energy Rating Certificate (linked here >>>), guaranteeing your home is crafted to the highest standards. Rigorous third-party Energy Raters conduct thorough field inspections to ensure these benchmarks are met.

PRICE & MONETARY BENEFITS

A house that pays you back, day one and every day

“GREEN ENERGY PLUS” OPTION

• Price:  $1,599,000

• Net Effective Price: $1,410,000. $189,000 more house, same payments

• Future Value of energy savings over 20 years = $473,800

• Green Energy Tax Credits: $17,325

“NET ZERO” OPTION

• Price: $1,698,500

• Net Effective Price: $1,510,000 $188,500 more house, same payments

• Future Value of $10.500 energy savings = $480,500

• Green Energy Tax Credits = $75,530

  • The price of upgrading to NET ZERO option from “Green Energy Plus” option is $99,500. It adds geothermal HVAC and hot water. It also increases the tax benefit from $17,325 (Green Energy Plus Option) to $75,530 (“Net Zero” option)

  • Net Effective Price to upgrade to “Net Zero Energy” option is $17,530

Terms

• “Payments” = “PIE” payments = principal + interest + energy costs

• “Net Effective Price”: A buyer’s “PIE” payments equal to a standard existing home value. Much more NZE home for the same money. Our network of green energy appraisers have recognized up to 8% green energy premium value added to comp \value on high performance homes across the country including our region.

• “Future value”: @ 7% / yr + 1% inflation of energy savings

• “Energy savings”: as compared to an average US home built 2006 or before

COMFORT

SUPER SEALED AND INSULATED:

The comfort and quiet of additional insulation

• WALLS New homes at R=19     Our NZE home R=31  162% + better seal →

• ROOF New homes at R=49    Our NZE home R=75   167% better

• BASEMENT WALLS New homes at R=15   Our NZE home R=21 140% better 

• DUCT INSULATION AT ATTIC New Homes R=8.   Our NZE home R=75, within building envelope, 900% better

• BASEMENT FLOOR New homes R=1 concrete only, no insulation requirement . Our NZE home: R=7, 700% better

• AIR INFILTRATION:  New homes 3 ACH (air changes per hour in volume).  Our NZE home: 1.5 ACH  100% better

HEALTHFUL FILTED FRESH AIR

Since an NZE home is so well sealed, it brings filtered fresh air in and exhaust stale air out. It recaptures the energy in the exhaust air using an Energy Recovery Heat Exchangers (ERV). The ERV also filters the fresh air down to one micron in size, the size of bacteria.

SMART HOME

Living in a Net Zero House is even simpler than a conventional house. Smart-home lighting, HVAC, media, and access controls make life more convenient and efficient.

ELEVATOR

Accessibility for friends and family, or aging in place. It’s such an enhancement to have access to all levels of the house and a wheel chair accessible level transition from the garage into the house.

CONSCIENCE

A home with a conscience

Verified Energy Performance

HERS - the “Home Energy Rating System”

It’s the nationally recognized system of rating a home’s energy efficiency, newly incorporated into our 2018 Residential Building Code. The lower the HERS Index score the better.

Our NZE HOMES are 10 tp 25 years ahead of the building and energy code requirements. Learn more about HERS Index ratings here.

A perfect HERS Index Score of 0

HERS index analyzes the building envelope for insulation value, infiltration, window and door efficiency, HVAC efficiency, and alternative energy sources like Solar and Geothermal.

• HERS 130 to 150: Existing older homes

• HERS 100 to 130: A standard US newer home built on or before 2006.

• HERS 65 to 100: A well insulated home 2006 to 2018

• HERS 60 TO 65: A new “energy efficient” home built (code-compliant new homes on the market today) has a HERS score of about 60-65 (the blue arrow). Actual HERS certification is not currently required, only a pass-fail energy inspection, no quality assurance oversight, and no inspection by a HERS-rated inspector.

• HERS 30-35: “High Performance Energy Homes” (example, Toll Brothers “High Performance Energy Option”, California only.)

• HERS 0 - 3: Our Net Zero Energy homes have a perfect gold-standard HERS Rating score of ZERO, true Net Zero Energy homes meeting the highest standards of quality assurance, inspection, and certification

FAQs

Smart buyers have questions

Is a Net Zero Energy (NZE) home complicated to live in?

An NZE home is SIMPLER to live in! Its HVAC system has fewer moving parts and lasts longer than a standard HVAC system It has no special controls or maintenance. It is just better!

Is Net Zero Energy new and untested?

• The US Department of Energy says there are over 12.000 NZE homes in the US as of 2023.

• There are 3.9 Million HERS-rated homes in the US.

• “HERS” is the “Home Energy Rating System” rating system accepted by building codes across the nation. Our homes achieve the GOLD STANDARD rating of HERS Index = 0

Does Net Zero Energy cost more than a standard new home?

The upgrades are an initial additional cost, yes. Unlike other upgrades, our energy upgrades pay the homeowner back. In monthly costs,

• Our “High Performance Energy” option actually costs $100 LESS per month and yields a $17,325 tax credit.

• Our NET ZERO ENERGY OPTION costs less than the average Verizon or Comcast bill and adds over a $75,000 tax credit.

Will my mortgage lender understand all of this?

• Green Energy lenders will qualify buyers for higher purchase prices because they recognize the savings of a net zero energy bill.

• Green energy-trained appraisers will appraise the home at a much higher value than the standard comp. An NZE home will apprais for as much as 10-15% higher than a comparable code-built home.

• Lenders and appraisers who are up to date on the latest government-approved practices will be happy to help. Our green energy consultants are ready to bring them up to speed.

Do other builders offer NZE?

Some builders are introducing higher-performance energy homes. Toll Brothers, one of the US’s largest builders admits that its average new home has a HERS Index rating of 59, a middle-of-the-road score. In California, they are offering a energy-premium option with a HERS rating of 25, much better. It’s not NET ZERO, but a worthy effort)

Why are these the only NZE single-family homes in the Delaware Valley?

• An NZE home costs more to build. Most builders are not willing to risk sales based on bottom dollar comparisons

• An NZE home is has rigorous design and inspection standards. 3rd party energy consultants, inspections, and additional architectural design are all unfamiliar territory to production home builders.

• Our NZE homes are a vision project. We believe we can make a difference and there are smart buyers who want that for their homes as well. We are willing to go the extra mile to make a difference.

• Perhaps builders are very cautious. They want to repeat a proven formula, then build, profit, and repeat. Innovation is not in their DNA.

Why don’t building codes require NZE?

They will !

Five years ago, in June of 2018, the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously adopted a resolution to urge mayors to adopt the IECC as a strategy toward net zero building construction by 2050. Two and a half decades away

The International Code Council (ICC) writes our PA, NJ, and Del building codes. They already require a HERS Index Rating of about 55 for new homes. They are planning on introducing better HERS Index ratings requirements by their 2030 and beyond codes. PA currently uses the 2018 Residential Code. The ICC plans on making energy requirements better and better, with a path TO NET ZERO standards (not requirements) 10 to 15 years away. By then, our NZE buyers will be over $450,000 in future value ahead of the crowd. ($15400 / year @ 20 yrs @ 7% + 1% inflation)

The US Department of Energy already has a Zero Energy Read program. Design Build LLC is a US DOE ZERO ENERGY READY partner.

PENDING UPDATED INFO… Links to Realtors’ listings >>>

• 3607 Gradyville Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073

• 3609 Gradyville Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073