How home design leads to net zero

Savings, environment, comfort—whatever the reasons, an increasing number of people are investing in net zero homes. It’s something everybody agrees is an ideal to strive for. The “whys” garnering headlines are pretty straightforward: curbing carbon emissions, fighting global warming, potentially lowering costs by increasing efficiency, the list goes on.

But sometimes, the “how” can be a little murky. Here are some examples showing how a well-designed home can lead to carbon offsetting.

Consider Your Climate

We all know the needs of a Floridian differ from somebody who lives in Washington. Sure, this is pretty intuitive, but there’s a vast array of research dedicated to how this impacts the ways people live. Our usage and reliance on various resources differ wildly depending on the climate of where a home is located. Think about your family or friends even just a few miles away—they may get different sunlight, wind, or even average temperatures than you.

All of the above is relevant when considering design applications. A big part of achieving net zero is diminishing the amount of energy needed in the first place. Designing to fit the area you live goes a long way towards achieving this.

Let’s look at wind

Outside of when wind is destructive, many consider this force to be either a welcome reprieve from the heat, or a curse when it’s already cold. The reality is that placing cooling towers, ventilation systems, or exhausts without considering windflow drastically increases the energy needed to heat or cool a home.

In warmer climates, simply creating a draft to flow through a home is a trusted technique employed throughout the years. The basic idea is to create opening and exiting points to allow air flow, naturally creating a subtle breeze to cool off the residents without being overly reliant on air conditioning. This isn’t a modern trick: humans have been using the “windcatcher” design in areas across the world for 3,000 years. Many of these, however, were most popular in desert regions where temperatures are consistently warm.

As you know, though, in much of the United States it’s only hot in the summer months. Keeping this in mind, it’s just as important that when it is cold, your house is the opposite of drafty. An improperly sealed home can lead to 15% less efficiency when heating your home, making your efforts of achieving net zero much more difficult to obtain.

The moral of the story? Design a home that is air flow friendly, yet simultaneously able to be sealed off from outside elements.

Lighting and Windows

Throughout human history (at least until the last century and a half or so) we relied on the sun as our primary source of light. The signifier to when it was time to get up and going, and when it was time to wind down. Beyond this, it’s our primary source of Vitamin D, helping both our emotional well being and bone health.

Many modern architectural designs are constructed to allow as much natural light as possible into the home throughout the entire day, as this can drastically decrease electric consumption (as well as provide a warm feeling tone throughout the building).

The way we design new homes should take this simple notion into consideration. Taking into account what sides of your house feature more windows can have a drastic effect, though it may be slightly counterintuitive. Placing your bedroom on the east side of the home seems to make sense, as that’s likely where you rise. A dining room being placed on the west side applies for similar reasons.

But don’t get too enamored with placing too many windows in these locations, as they can gain too much heat in even the chilliest of climates. The ideal placement for the majority of windows is typically on the south side of a home. Shading, such as awnings, is a smart way to combat this problem as the seasons change.

Comfort needs a solid foundation

Any Boy Scout could tell you that heat rises. If you’re one to lay in a hammock in the fall you’re sure to have experienced that. Something to keep in mind though is how this applies to your home. While the heat rises, it cools off in lower levels. It’s why basements in northern states stay cooler than their upstairs counterparts.

We’ve covered the importance of sealing homes here and elsewhere. Under slab insulation is a way of sealing your home off further. It keeps the temperature even, just like sealing a hole in the wall or crack under a door would. Only this may be even more important, as it affects your entire home, rather than a small portion. Essentially, this is placing a layer of insulation underneath the entire length of the bottom of your home. Remember, it’s been estimated that 46% of a home’s energy costs (read: consumption) comes from heating and cooling. So the more efficient you are in doing so, the easier it is to achieve net zero.

Consider materials and energy sources

We’ve covered some of the basics of what to take into consideration when designing a home, yet these steps alone are unlikely to get you all the way to net zero. As you continue down the path, energy sources like solar, water management systems, and even the building materials used during construction will all help you get there. The most important thing to remember?

No part of designing a home is too small to make a difference.