Attainable Zero: Choices, Choices, Choices

Preconstruction is one of the more dynamic and fluid stages in the building process. It’s exciting for the client because this is when the big decisions are being made and the dream of having a new home starts to take shape. For us, the home builder, we get to look back on recent projects and evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and start to strategize and organize.

With the Attainable Zero project, the goals of Dan, Mary, and Louis Abel are straightforward. They loved the house we built for them a few years ago and now want the same, or better, for this house they are building for their son. This includes all the aspects of comfort, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and resilience.

The good news for the Abels is that like all the homes Addison Homes builds, the Attainable Zero house will be a DOE Zero Energy Ready (ZERH) Certified home. The program provides a clearly defined set of metrics to hit to achieve the certification, and by doing so we know that we will meet or beat their expectations for comfort and performance.

Preconstruction

The preconstruction phase serves different purposes for the client and builder. This phase is when we can clearly define the project budget and gain a better understanding of the client’s preferences for what they want in terms of aesthetics and basic function within the home. We use a simple survey questionnaire to guide them through the process of selecting everything from lighting options to siding.

During this process, we can make recommendations and offer trade-offs to keep the project on track and that satisfy their needs both financially and aesthetically, while meeting our goals building to the ZERH standards. For instance, if the client is interested in lowering the overall embodied carbon footprint, we might suggest an engineered wood flooring material instead of luxury vinyl plank, or alternative cladding materials rather than vinyl.

For Addison Homes, the preconstruction phase is where we take the proven practices from previous projects and then evaluate different systems, materials, and designs that support the goals for the current build. From our side, most of the performance-impacting decisions—like framing size—have already been made. We use 2×6 framing in combination with exterior insulation in all our homes to boost R-value in the wall assembly. For us, it’s a proven solution that delivers comfort, quiet, durability, and energy efficiency. So, while the questionnaire explores options like siding, flooring, countertop material, and basic lighting, some of the core design elements are simply the way we build homes and are simply part of the package when clients choose to build with us.

The Abels, having already gone through this process with us once, understand this and welcome it. Over the years, we’ve noticed more and more clients in our area are increasingly seeking homes that prioritize efficiency and comfort. Often, they are doing research and understand basic building science, so there is less convincing and educating them on the value of the way we build. We can show them how their home will perform on paper compared with other homes, but what they can’t appreciate is the experience of living in the home.

Yet.

While the reasons to build to a higher standard are logical to us, there are many intangibles that are hard to explain to the client.

“Trust Me, You’ll Love It”

It sounds like a strange sales pitch, but it’s funny how often I find myself saying that to customers. The truth is I say that with confidence because, time after time, we consistently hear the same feedback during our 30- or 60-day post-move-in check-ins. Clients will say, “This house is so quiet,” or “The hot water is instant!” It’s almost predictable—even though we discuss these features with them in advance, something about living in the home makes it all click.

That’s because we make intentional decisions during preconstruction that deliver those results. Take exterior insulation, for example. Sure, it adds some upfront cost, but the payoff is felt immediately: more even temperatures, reduced noise, and energy savings that typically pay for the investment within just a few years. These are the kinds of intangibles you can’t fully appreciate until you experience them.

Same goes for hot water. Zero Energy Ready Homes require an efficient hot-water distribution system. Depending on the home’s layout, we’ll either centrally locate the water heater to reduce pipe length or install a smart recirculation pump that learns usage patterns and delivers hot water when and where it’s needed. Technically, we could say: “Your home will have an efficient hot water system.” But what the client hears is: “Your shower won’t start cold.”

It’s not uncommon to have clients tell me they have adjusted their whole morning routine because they aren’t waiting for hot water in the shower anymore. This may seem incidental, but when you stack up better sleep because of a quieter home, consistent and comfortable room temperatures, fewer issues with allergies, and a home that just “feels” more solid, building to a higher standard is really value added.

One of the things we are interested in is developing a relationship with the clients that starts well before the preconstruction meetings and then extends after they move in and get comfortable in their new home. Our goal, in general, is to create a deep relationship with the clients that will last for years. Even if they never ask us to build another home for them, we want to be engaged with them on a regular basis to help them maintain their home, from changing filters to basic maintenance. This helps them by keeping their home in working “high-performance” order and relieves some of the stress of new home ownership. For us, it is a way to understand how our homes are performing and then use that knowledge to inform and update our building practices.

All of this is coming into play with the Attainable Zero, and I can’t wait to see how this home exceeds the Abels’ expectations.