NET PLUS HOME™ OPTION
This home built by Transformations in 2010 achieved
a -8 Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index.
With higher efficiency panels or additional insulation techniques, Transformations, Inc. is able to design and build homes that produce more energy than they consume on an annual basis. Our Net Plus Home™ option allows for solar electric generation to be used for other energy demands besides the home. A homeowner is now able to not only reduce the 40% of the carbon consumed by building a Zero Energy Home, but also reduce the 40% of the carbon used in the transportation sector, by generating additional electric power for electric vehicles and plug in hybrid vehicles---the Net Plus Home™.
The Zero Energy Home: A typical Transformations Net Zero Energy 3 bedroom house has a footprint of 24 x 36 feet. The roof can fit a solar electric system of (36) 210 watt panels for a system size of 7,560 watt system (7.56kW). The typical solar electric panels have an efficiency rate of 14-15% (conversion rates of the sun to electricity). This is enough energy to supply all of the energy needs of the house over a year’s time in New England. From about mid spring to about mid fall, more energy is generated and sent to the grid than is used in the home. From the mid fall until the mid spring again, more energy is used in the house, especially for heating, than is produced by the panels. To have the electric meter be in the same approximate place is a wonderful accomplishment for both the environment and the homeowner’s bank account!
The Net Plus Home™: There are two ways to achieve a Net Plus Home™:
- Increase renewable power: Transformations is able to purchase SunPower panels, with their 18-19% efficiency as compared to standard 14-15% efficient panels. This means for the same size home example above, Transformations can fit (42) SunPower 225 watt panels for a total system size of 9,450 watts (9.45 kW). That’s an additional 25% more power. With a good southern exposure and limited shading, the additional 1,890 watts should generate about an additional 2,200 kilowatt hours of power. This is about the amount of electricity required to run an electric vehicle 40 miles a day, five day a week, throughout the year.
Note: The same SunPower technology that is used in new homes can be used for the benefit for existing homes as well---generating that additional 25% solar electric power. - Further reduce consumption loads: There are various building attributes that are available at additional costs to further reduce the heating, cooling, appliance, and plug loads. Adding 4” of rigid insulation to the exterior of the 12” thick wall, higher R-value windows, thermal mass, shading windows on the south, and super high efficiency appliances are among the first picks. There are also monitoring systems that may help homeowners reduce energy loads such as the eMonitor. We can design and model the various options that you may be interested in for a custom Net Plus Home™.
Please contact us to find out how Transformations can help you reduce your carbon footprint and save on utility bills---both for new homes and solar electric retrofits. We also offer consulting and our solar installations to home builders (both for profit and non-profit organizations).
