The term “green” has been too watered down to mean anything anymore. Instead, I talk about “high performance houses” or “comfort.” I find that my clients have had uncomfortable houses in the past and that talking about comfort really resonates. I also have lots of clients who want low energy bills. The idea of a zero-dollar electric bill is pretty awesome.
Risinger’s four top areas of focus when designing a net-zero home:
1. Designing for efficiency with the architect
2. Air-sealing that utilizes principles of the PassivHaus standard
3. Highly insulating walls and roof-line
4. Design of mechanical systems
Check out more of Risinger’s tips in the video below, and then check out his full blog about designing net-zero houses on the Journal of Light Construction >>
