Demonstration of Affordable, Comfortable, and Grid-Integrated Zero Net Energy Communities

California has taken the lead toward ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets as the state tries to meet its overall decarbonization targets – achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. California has set objectives for new home construction to reach zero net energy targets by 2020. Electrification of space conditioning, water heating, and cooking are critical components toward building decarbonization. Understanding the holistic performance and adoption of these technologies in the development of future communities is critical to meet California’s decarbonization and zero net energy targets. To help support this, construction of new low carbon/zero carbon residential communities that incorporate advanced energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy technologies could also result in considerable California ratepayer benefits, including reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and advancing California’s labor workforce. This project’s main objective was to understand how the development and construction of zero net energy homes with energy-efficient measures could help achieve California’s decarbonization goals by demonstrating that zero net energy home development can be cost- effective for builders, developers, and their customers and tenants.

This project included investigating how zero net energy concepts, such as building electrification and on-site renewable energy, can be implemented as part of the normal workflow of housing development/construction. Four new residential communities were designed, built, and analyzed to understand how best to build new homes in California to meet California’s energy targets. This project included both market-rate and affordable housing communities, small- scale and larger-scale developments, and installations designed for various California regions. Results from this project include the positive economic and non-energy benefit impacts but also challenges with workforce availability and potential considerations to avoid energy burden for California’s disadvantaged communities. Data from this project is also intended to help inform future California building codes and other energy stakeholders and developers interested in developing zero net energy communities.