Solar thermal magazine House Achieves Net-zero Energy
The Moore House Achieves Net-zero Energy Usage by:
Passive solar design:
Used proper building orientation, thermal mass and windows to allow the sun to heat and cool the house cleanly and for free. Clearstory windows allow natural convection to exhaust hot summer air high and bring in natural sunlight to the living and dining rooms.
Super-insulated and air-tight construction:
Walls of 7” spray foam insulation plus 1” rigid for thermal break, R-30; air changes of 0.07 NACH; quadruple glazed windows.
Solar thermal panels:
180 evacuated tubes feed a 2000 gallon tank (reclaimed stainless steel milk tank) to supply both hot water and supplemental heat for the home by use of a water-to-air heat exchanger and radiant floors.
10kW photovoltaic (PV) system:
Generates more carbon-free electricity (14,400 kWh per year) than the house requires. Instead of using batteries, this grid-tied PV system will spin the electric meter backwards.
Fresh air conditioning system:
Air will be pre-heated in the winter and pre-cooled in the summer as it is routed through 300 feet of duct in the earth.
Energy-recovery ventilator (ERV):
Will save most of the heat from exhausted air in the winter.
Home Energy Rating System
The US Energy Star program states that a standard new home has a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score of 100. The better a home performs, the lower its HERS score. The green building strategies used on the Moore Studio earned it an amazing and verified HERS score of -3; one of a few houses in the US to ever do this.