Green Home Building: Passive vs LEED vs Net-Zero Energy
Many people are starting to take back their lives and the life of this planet through greener lifestyles. Through modern technology, there are ways we can reverse our own harmful effects on the earth and live happier and more earth-friendly lives. Learn from green home builders in Scottsdale what types of efficient homes are available, their differences, and how you can contribute to saving the planet with your own green home. Use this article to truly understand green home building: Passive vs LEED vs Net-Zero Energy.
Passive Homes
Passive house standards are the most demanding yet most energy efficient living standards for green homes. Compared to non-green, code buildings, passive homes consume 60-80 percent less energy. In a passive house modeled home, average day to day energy consumption will be lowered while maintaining the same home temperature year round in order to achieve maximum energy efficiency. With its primary focus on energy efficiency, building a green home modeled on passive house standards is always based on these principles: sunlight usage, value of insulation and airtight infrastructure.
These principles used in passive building are designed to maximize your gains and minimize your losses. Solar gain is employed to use the sun’s energy for heating in the cooler seasons and minimizes it in the warmer seasons. Continuous insulation and high-performance windows and doors are incorporated without the use of thermal bridging. The building is also created to be extremely airtight, stopping any air infiltration from the outside and preventing air leakage from the inside. Passive building principles can be applied to all types of building structures, including single family and multifamily homes.
In order to achieve the goals of passive house standards, installing fiberglass windows is very important. Fiberglass windows add to each technique of Passive House energy efficiency in different ways. One way these windows work within a passive home is that they can increase the passive solar gain and limit temperature cooling if necessary when combined with low insulating values. Find out how Peak One Builders can help turn your dream home into a green home with these passive house standards.
LEED Homes
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design , is a rating system aimed at increasing the number of sustainable buildings in the US. LEED measures the environmental impact of buildings and homes through a points system. LEED does not focus on final energy performance, but instead the materials and techniques used in construction with points rewarded for each green addition. The amount of points given to a home or building determines what LEED category it is placed in; Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
The benefits of owning a LEED home are not only for the homeowner but for the environment as well. Each and every part of a LEED home is tightly sealed and insulated, preventing air leakage and lowering heating and cooling costs. Lower water bills and usage is possible due to the use of low-flow faucets, toilets and showerheads. LEED homes also have superior air quality and produce less waste into the environment because no toxic chemicals are used within the home. LEED homes also have a much higher resale value, making it an ideal home in every sense.
LEED homes ensure the use of safe building materials for quality, comfortable living and clean indoor air. Aimed at healthy and affordable living, LEED standards call for less water and energy usage for lower utility bills. LEED standards can be used for: single family homes, 1-3 story low-rise multifamily homes and 4-6 story midrise multifamily homes. Improve your standard of living with a new house design with Peak One Builders.
Net-Zero Energy Homes
A Net-Zero home produces as much energy as it consumes in one year. This green home plan aims to lower overall energy used by using a sustainable infrastructure and energy efficient products, and meets remaining needs through renewable energy systems. Net-Zero energy homes produce comparably less greenhouse emissions than non-green homes. Although a net-zero home is still connected to the grid for backup, it is mostly reliant on the energy produced through solar and other renewable sources.
A critical way for creating a completely net-zero and self-sustainable home is through solar energy. Without it, it would be impossible to build a home even close to a 0 rating. Other ways to improve efficiency and lower net rating include advanced framing techniques, sophisticated insulation and pre-built trusses.
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Contact the green home building experts at Peak One Builders & Restoration to learn more about building a custom cutting-edge energy efficient home. Request a free estimate or call (480) 569-7977 now!
