What is a ‘net zero’ home? A ‘net zero’ home is one that consumes little to no energy from the electrical grid, and therefore has a net zero energy consumption rate.

The topic of ‘off-grid’ homes is becoming increasingly popular as people become more aware of them and how they can change their lives. Being ‘off-grid’ refers to homes that are not connected to any main or national grid for water supply, sewer, natural gas, or electrical power, instead they self sufficiently survive. However, a new, less radical trend is taking place in green housing communities. The most popular phrase in eco-friendly discussions is now ‘zero net homes’.

A zero net home is a house that consumes little to no energy from the electrical grid and therefore has a zero net energy consumption rate. Most zero net buildings use the electrical grid only for energy storage; however, some are independent of the grid. Energy for these buildings is harvested on-site through a combination of solar and wind technologies, while reducing the overall use of energy with a highly efficient HVAC and lighting technologies. As we become increasingly aware of the negative impact we all have on our planet, and fight to continue to reduce carbon emissions, we can only hope that the trend of net-zero homes will increase in the coming years.

‘Net zero’ is becoming more practical as the costs of alternative energy technologies decrease and the costs of traditional fossil fuels increase. However, the process of building or retrofitting a home to transform it into a net-zero isn’t simple by any means, but Knutson Custom Construction has the knowledge and skills to help you with this undertaking. Please contact us and we would be happy to get you started on living ‘net zero’.