For Addison Homes, building the Attainable Zero Home was the perfect addition for its group of forward-thinking clients who simply want to live better. The home will be built to the standards of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program – an exacting goal that both client and Addison are eager to meet.

The Attainable Zero Home is designed as a three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,300-square-foot home in Greenville, S.C., that satisfies all requirements for design and construction in the ZERH program. Included in the new home are a comprehensive water protection package, advanced moisture and humidity control, optimized duct location, and water efficiency. On-site power generation through a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) array will supply electricity to the home. Wiring will be installed to prepare the home for an electric vehicle (EV) charging station, should the homeowner opt for one in the future.

Todd Usher, owner of Addison Homes, is very familiar with building homes that exceed basic code. He relies on the ZERH program to help ensure that every aspect critical to a customer’s health, welfare and comfort meets or exceeds the bar.

“We’ve been building homes to the ZERH standard for the past 10 years, and everything we want to accomplish in delivering homes that are durable, resilient, comfortable, efficient, and healthy for our customers is all covered in the (ZERH) program,” Usher says. “For us, the added benefit is it makes the process easier to manage, and easier to communicate to customers and trade partners.”

Homes that achieve ZERH certification must meet the rigorous performance criteria set for new construction by the federal government’s voluntary program. The program requirements are structured around a set of required specifications, followed by a performance threshold, and finally, third-party verification by a rater who inspects and tests the home to verify it meets ZERH technical requirements.

The required components include compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star for New Homes and EPA’s Indoor AirPlus requirements, and also require the home to be laser-focused on the best practices for insulation, HVAC, and water heating systems. These performance thresholds set the bar for energy efficiency levels. Builders can achieve compliance through prescriptive measures or energy modeling that allows for trade-offs in design and materials. This flexibility is ideal for builders who want to offer customers options while still delivering a home that meets the above-code energy efficiency performance levels set by the program.

The final step in the ZERH process is testing and verification of the home’s performance. The program provides detailed checklists for the rater to track clear and transparent documentation of the building envelope, duct system(s), water heating efficiency, lighting, appliances, and IAQ. Also important is that the home is ready to incorporate renewable energy generation and an EV charging station. When the inspection is complete, the rater submits the necessary documentation to obtain ZERH certification.

For the Attainable Zero Home, achieving ZERH certification includes a design that evaluates all aspects of the home’s performance - indoors and out. To address the mixed-humid climate of Greenville, the home’s site orientation and shading overhangs maximize thermal performance and comfort. The ducted-heat-pump heating and cooling system, a dedicated dehumidification system, and heat pump water heater for domestic hot water are all powered by the home’s electrical system. Thoughtful specification of all mechanical equipment and appliances in the home helps ensure that occupants will not only be comfortable but also save thousands of dollars in energy costs over the life of the home.

According to Usher, ZERH certification often impresses customers who may be on the fence about building to a higher standard of quality and efficiency due to its national presence and affiliation with the U.S. Department of Energy.

“It’s one thing to say that you build homes that are ‘better’ than regular code-built homes, that the new home will be more energy efficient, quieter, and more comfortable. But, having the stamp of approval from the Department of Energy and the ability to quantify how much better a home will be opens the client’s eyes,” Usher says. “We don’t have to convince anyone; They know it will be backed by the standards set by the DOE. That makes our job of communicating with potential customers much easier.”

Now in version 2, the ZERH program continues to gain traction among residential home builders of single-family homes, duplexes, and town houses. Financial incentives from utility programs, state and local governments, and manufacturers have increased over the years. There is currently a $5,000 federal tax credit (expected to continue until 2032) available for each home that achieves the ZERH certification, making ZERH construction all the more attractive to home builders trying to deliver high value without increased first costs. In addition to the financial benefits, Usher appreciates the tools and support that the ZERH program provides to support both this mission and his business.

“One of the challenges in delivering high-quality and high-performance homes is keeping track of the details. All the systems in a house interact with each other and ultimately impact how the home will perform. There is a direct benefit to integrating the ZERH checklists into our quality system. We ensure that we aren’t missing any of the key components, from insulation and air sealing to duct design,” Usher says.

Usher also notes the value of having the ability to model the home’s performance using typical design software to ensure compliance and provide a performance expectation during pre-construction.

“Everything the ZERH program offers makes our job easier in marketing, designing and building the kind of home we believe in,” Usher says. “More and more customers want a home that is high-quality, resilient, energy efficient, healthy and comfortable. When they choose us to build their home, they may not specifically say they want a ZERH home, but when we explain the standard, they get it – and they want it.”