Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Building America Join Others to Build a Zero Energy Habitat House

September 2002

Sparked by DOE's goal "to reduce the burden of energy prices on the disadvantaged," the first of five net zero energy building (ZEB) Habitat International houses was built through the sponsorship and efforts of the Building America Program, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), ORNL, Loudon County Habitat for Humanity, and others. Major features of the first Habitat ZEB are: the air-tight structural insulated panels, 2 kW of grid-connected photovoltaics, energy-efficient windows, a heat pump water heater uniquely integrated with the heating, cooling, and mechanical ventilation systems, a heat exchanger to recover shower drain water heat, a highly reflective metal seam roof, other energy-efficient technologies, and all ENERGY STAR^® appliances. The ENERGY STAR rating is 92. The blower door test measured out at 0.16 CFM50/ft², well below the maximum allowable BA specification of 0.79.

Printable Version