Zero Net Energy Buildings: Are they Economically Feasible?

During the past decade, energy consumption growth has closely paralleled economic activity. In addition to this growing demand for energy, consumers are demanding increasingly flexible, convenient, and clean energy forms. The focus of a sustainable energy future has been towards the energy demand sector. The building sector particularly consumes one third of total U.S. energy. As a result, reduced consumption in this sector has the potential for high impact. Zero net energy buildings provide a technically feasible approach to reducing energy consumption in buildings. These buildings are designed and constructed to generate all of the energy they require through a combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy generation technologies. Viable renewable energy sources consist of photovoltaic cells, solar water heaters, and geothermal heat pumps. On the energy demand side, passive solar design techniques such as passive solar heating, insulation and air tightness, solar control windows, shading, interior space planning, and landscaping reduce the energy demand of buildings. The use of high efficiency lighting and appliances also contributes to energy efficiency