Will California’s 2020 Net Zero Housing Set a Trend for Other States?

By the year 2020, California is pushing for all newly constructed homes to be Net-Zero Energy housing. This means that each home is able to sustain itself without intervention from the power grid. The mandates and goals already set by the state of California include 33-percent of all power be derived from renewable sources. If the goals are met and Net-Zero housing becomes a reality for new constructs, California could start reducing a great deal of energy needs from traditional power plants.

1. Trendy Building

Could this be a trend for construction of new homes for our future? Many have already begun renovating homes in order to support solar and wind energy sources. However, a large portion of these installations also power devices in the home that are still outdated according to energy star standards. There is more to Net-Zero housing than simply installing solar panels.

2. More than Panels 

Granted you could install a solar power system that can accommodate 100-percent of your power needs. However, how much of that power can be reduced by installing new technological improvements in regards to appliances? For instance, traditional water heaters can use a great deal of gas or electricity in order to keep the water at a specific temperature. A tankless water heater only heats the water as it’s needed greatly reducing how much power that unit consumes. Televisions, dish washers, washer and dryer combinations, refrigerators and more can be installed to consume far less power than the entire household needs in order to be self-sustaining. This means that fewer panels may be needed to sustain the home – further reducing the cost of solar energy.

3. Additional Components

 If you include natural insulation and non-toxic compounds to the construction of the home, it can further reduce energy consumption. Products such as Insuladd or other paint-additive can provide a profound impact to how much cool air a home needs in the summer to be bearable and how much heat is needed to stay comfortable. There is technology everywhere that can help create a Net-Zero energy home.

4. Increasing the Value 

Aside from the communal benefits to self-sustaining homes, it can be cheaper when considering the overall cost of living. Of course, these Net-Zero Energy homes could be more expensive to purchase. Just adding solar panels to your home could add up to $30,000 to its overall value. However, you could live in a home that is free from energy and gas bills. In the event of rental homes, greed might kick in and landlords could hike up the rent because of the additional sustainability. There are many people who would pay an additional $100 per month if they didn’t have to worry about electricity or gas bills.

5. Power Company Woes?

One aspect that I don’t read much of is how power companies are going to adapt to homes that are Net-Zero Energy. While it may be a great deal of time down the road, will current energy producing companies begin losing income and start throttling back employment? For those companies that simply won’t involve themselves in renewable energy, the clock may be ticking. If more areas utilize California’s role into sustaining energy and enforcing Net-Zero housing, these companies may find themselves with fewer and fewer customers.

For the most part, building a Net-Zero Energy home doesn’t have to be extravagantly expensive. Aside from the power inverter from solar arrays and wind turbines, the materials are already affordable and don’t put much more strain on a construction budget. Most appliances are energy star compliant these days – all that’s needed is a power source.

Author Bio:
This post is contributed by Linda Bailey from housekeeping.org. She is a Texas-based writer who loves to write on the topics of housekeeping, green living, home décor, and more. She welcomes your comments which can be sent to b.lindahousekeeping@ gmail.com.