Net Zero-Energy Home Design Strategies Learned From Canadian Experience

Abstract

In response to the growing demand for zero-energy housing, today's home needs not only to be energy-efficient, but also to provide part of its own energy requirements. The energy efficiency may be improved by applying high thermal performance building envelope and passive energy and environmental systems to housing. Micro-power can be generated through the use of renewable energy technologies. This paper is aimed at providing a comprehensive guideline on the design techniques and approaches to the delivery of net zero-energy healthy housing in view of the ÉcoTerra house, which won the Canadian federal government's EQuilibrium sustainable housing competition. The house was built in Eastman in the province of Quebec and it is currently open to the general public in order to sharpen the consumers' awareness of commercially available net zero-energy healthy housing today.