Net-Zero Energy Home Could Make Utility Bills a Thing of the Past
A new cutting edge laboratory disguised as a regular home could help researchers determine best practices for building the next generation of energy efficient homes.
What if instead of paying for your home’s electricity, your home paid you?
It might sound like wishful thinking, but the scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are close to making it a reality with a unique laboratory that masquerades as a Washington, D.C. area home.
Unveiled Wednesday, the NIST Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility, produces as much or more energy than it uses thanks to a litany of high-tech features such as solar panels, cutting-edge heating and cooling systems, and a virtually airtight construction. The energy not consumed by the four-bedroom, three-bath home is sold back to the utility company, helping to offset the electricity owners would have to buy in heavier usage months.
Analysts estimate the 2,700 square-foot home will generate 15 to 20 percent more energy than it uses and sell electricity on net for as many as 8 months out of the year.