New Report Details the Cost of ZNE Homes
A new CEC-funded report, Approaches to Zero Net Energy Cost Effectiveness in New Homes, answers one of the most asked questions about ZNE homes – How much does a ZNE home cost?
The research found that optimally designed single-family and multifamily homes result in lower lifecycle costs against the all-electric and mixed-fuel baseline homes they evaluated. However, first costs were higher, with some climate zones lifecycle saving more than the incremental first costs.
|
Lifecycle Cost ($) |
Initial Cost ($) |
|||||
|
Fuel Type |
Baseline |
Cost-min |
Savings |
Baseline |
Cost-min |
Savings |
|
Single-family, All-electric |
$72,531 |
$68,209 |
$4,322 |
$70,362 |
$76,041 |
$5,679 |
|
Single-family, Mixed Fuel |
$68,567 |
$67,416 |
$1,151 |
$72,786 |
$74,943 |
$2,157 |
A 2,100 SF all-electric home with a $5,600 first cost increase would have $4,300 in lifecycle savings. In comparison, a mixed fuel home of the same size may have a $2,100 incremental first cost and a $1,100 lifecycle savings. Across all climate zones, all-electric single-family homes are comparable in lifecycle costs to mixed-fuel homes in most climate zones. However, first costs are reduced when natural gas infrastructure is eliminated.
The report identifies the conditions in which battery storage and precooling options can be cost-effective and provide non-energy benefits. All-electric homes with onsite solar PV coupled with electricity storage offer the potential for greater resiliency, fewer power disruptions, and reduced potential hazards associated with power outages. ZNE homes are a minimal investment, provide superior comfort, and support a low carbon future. Transitioning to ZNE all-electric new single-family and multifamily homes by 2050 would result in more than 3.3 million metric tons net carbon dioxide savings, equivalent to nearly 400,000 homes' annual energy consumption.
The report identifies the conditions in which battery storage and precooling options can be cost-effective and provide non-energy benefits. All-electric homes with onsite solar PV coupled with electricity storage offer the potential for greater resiliency, fewer power disruptions, and reduced potential hazards associated with power outages.
ZNE homes are a minimal investment, provide superior comfort, and support a low carbon future. Transitioning to ZNE all-electric new single-family and multifamily homes by 2050 would result in more than 3.3 million metric tons net carbon dioxide savings, equivalent to nearly 400,000 homes' annual energy consumption.
This article is provided by NBI (New Buildings Institute).
