Within the past years many new home energy monitoring systems have emerged on the market. These systems help you to measure, analyze and control energy usage by individual circuits and appliances so you can see how much power each appliance is using and how much money each costs to operate.

These energy monitors collect, store and organize big amounts of data to generates specific recommendations to help you reduce usage and save money. Many studies have shown a reduction in home energy use of up to 20% just through use of home energy monitor.

The point behind home energy monitoring is that we can only start to save energy and money when we clearly see how we ‘re using and wasting it.  An energy monitoring tool should be installed in each net zero energy home.

One of the options is to try the Google PowerMeter. It is a free energy monitoring application that allows you to view your home’s energy consumption online.
http://www.google.com/powermeter/about/

Lumenhaus is a “power of light” zero energy modular house. Multiple modules can connect or stack with plug-in stairs and entryways. The Lumenhaus maximizes exposure to daylight and the energy collected during the day is used at night through a low-energy lighting system within the insulating panels. Virginia Tech’s Lumenhaus also Wins the 2010 European Solar Decathlon!

Lumenhaus employs many advanced building technologies.

• RADIANT HEATING IN CONCRETE FLOOR
• PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY AND ELECTRIC ACTUATOR
• TRANSPORT SYSTEM – allows the house to be transported easily
• INTERIOR LIGHTING -  extremely energy-efficient LED lights
• HOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USER INTERFACE – computer interface that manages all of its systems
• RAINWATER COLLECTION
• GREYWATER RECYCLING
• ECLIPSIS SYSTEM – advanced building façade comprising two layers: a metal shutter shade and a translucent insulating panel.
• SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
• PASSIVE ENERGY SYSTEMS LUMENHAUS optimizes the use of passive energy through day lighting, natural ventilation and natural passive heating and cooling.

http://www.lumenhaus.com

The Dow Chemical Company and Cobblestone Homes have introduced an affordable net-zero energy home and the concept and Vision Zero was born. Unlike the conventional homes, the zero energy home produces about as much energy as it consumes.

A net zero energy home uses about 60 to 70 percent less energy than a conventional home. This is accomplished through the combination of energy efficient construction and the renewable energy technology.

The Vision Zero House, located in Bay City, Michigan, is not an “off the grid” home. It uses some energy from the local utility, but generates enough extra energy that can be sold back to the local utility company for energy credits.

This home incorporates a number of energy-efficient technologies and solutions, including next-generation insulation, air-sealing products, geothermal heating, solar generation, solar water heating systems to provide hot water, LED light bulbs, and ultra-high efficiency appliances.

Zero energy technology:

Net zero energy house

1. Insulated Sheathing on exterior walls

2. Solar Panels for water heating

3. Dow Closed Cell Rigid Spray Foam

4. Energy Recovery Ventilation System for mechanical ventilation

• Greywater Heat Recovery Unit
• Dow Tongue & Groove Styrofoam (Under basement floor)
• Dow Perimate Insulation (Exterior basement wall board)

5.Energy Efficient Lighting

6. Low-E Glass, Paradigm Triple Pane w/Krypton Gas

7. WaterFurnace Geothermal Heating

8. Utility Meter spins backwards when solar power exceeds house demand selling power back to the utility company

9. Closed Cell Rigid Spray Foam inside wall cavity

10. Groove Styrofoam in exterior walls

11. Thirty inch overhang manages solar heat gain

12. Powerhouse Solar Shingles

13. Energy Generating Solar Panels

Zero energy home virtual tour

Reports on the Net-Zero home