A new industry report from Parks Associates released Thursday shows that construction of zero net energy (ZNE) homes increased by 75% from 2016 to 2017.
According to Home Energy Management: Road to Net Zero, this growth aligns with increases in expressed consumer demand, as Parks Associates’ consumer segmentation regarding energy efficiency estimates 42% of all U.S. consumers classify as energy-efficient techies.
The report says California currently represents half of all net zero energy homes built in the U.S. The state has bold goals for all residential new construction to achieve ZNE by 2020,” said Denise Ernst, senior analyst, Parks Associates. “Other states have also adopted a similar top-down approach to incentivize ZNE adoption, but low energy costs are a barrier to generating ZNE demand. Parks Associates research shows one-third of homeowners report having a monthly electricity bill less than $100, so while many households recognize the value of ZNE, the immediate financial incentives are not there yet.”
Parks Associates research reveals that distributed energy generation solutions continue to gain adoption and awareness. More than one-third of U.S. broadband households consider residential battery storage to store excess power to be very valuable, and 37% consider solar heating panels to be very valuable.
“Near-zero and zero-ready homes create more choice for consumers—Meritage Homes offered its first ZNE home six years ago to differentiate itself during the housing downturn,” Ernst said. “Federal tax credits and utility incentives can help drive adoption of energy-efficient solutions, and the product manufacturers, trade associations, and local suppliers can work together to drive awareness among builders about innovative solutions. Market opportunities also exist for high-efficiency appliances, home energy management equipment, and smart home energy products and service providers to fill the gaps in household efficiency.”
