It’s considered passive because it doesn’t require any machinery to work - just the daily rising of the sun.įor example, in a hot climate, passive solar design might involve extra large overhangs on windows to provide shading. Passive solar, on the other hand, is a type of building design that takes into account the position of the sun to maximize natural heating or cooling. Solar photovoltaic panels are considered active solar because they are systems that generate electricity. But by reducing the energy usage as much as possible, a net zero home can supply all of its own energy with a feasible number of solar panels. In a conventional home, the energy usage is usually higher than the amount of energy that could be generated by the number of solar panels that would fit on the roof or backyard. What exactly are the features that allow a net zero home to do this? Many of these homes are have customized designs, but there are a few building techniques that are common to all net zero homes.Ī net zero home is made to be extra-efficient so that it uses as little energy as possible - and that includes heating and cooling, which tends to be the largest energy consumers in a home. Finally, a solar array and often solar hot water collectors allow the building to generate all of its own power. This is accomplished with the help of an extra tight, highly-insulated building envelope that requires minimal energy for heating and cooling. These things require a lot of electricity, but you probably have some appliances powered by fossil fuels: natural gas, heating oil, and propane are common heating fuels, depending on where you live.Ī net zero home does away with fossil fuel use entirely, and instead uses electricity to power everything. Think of all the things in your home that need power, from top to bottom: lights, cooking appliances, washer and dryer, heating and cooling, hot water, and lots of electronics. Seems amazing, right? Even better: these homes look fantastic too. A net zero house is one that generates as much energy as it uses.