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Zero net energy buildings
From TipThePlanet
[edit] General advantages
- Sustainable, capable of lasting many years longer than traditional homes and buildings
- Affordable, costing no more to build than traditional, "stick-built" homes/buildings
- Produce more energy and power than they consume, with the excess power they produce capable of being delivered to the electric grid, through net energy metering
- No trees needed to be cut down to build homes/buildings
- Energy-efficient, using 50%-70% less energy, than traditional homes/buildings.
- Practically fire-proof
- No materials involved that would produce mold, so homes and buildings are virtually mold-proof
- No wood products for termites to eat, so homes and buildings are virtually termite-proof
- Hurricane-resistant, as evidenced by the similar, first-generation technology used by Net Zero Energy Buildings™ in (2) 4-plexes that survived Hurricane Dennis in Cancun.
- Improved comfort—an energy-efficient building envelope reduces temperature fluctuations.
- Reliability—a ZNEB can be designed to continue functioning even during blackouts.
- Security—a home that produces energy protects its owner from fluctuations in energy prices.
[edit] Technologies employed
- Gen2™ elevators not only use as much as 50% less energy when lifting loads, they also give back the energy on descent.
- UTC Power fuel cells meet the most stringent air emission standards in the US. A single midsized and PureCell 200 equipped building eliminates emissions equivalent to about 500 cars. See Fuel cells.
- Combined Cooling Heating and Power systems double energy efficiency over conventional solutions. Also see: Cogeneration and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Tips.
- Solar photovaltic systems
- Vertical axis wind power turbines. For different manufactures see here
- Refrigerants in Carrier's Evergreen™ chillers have zero chlorine and zero ozone layer impact
- Green roof with integrated water reclamation system
- Electrochromic (adjustable tint) glazing
- 100% recycled structural steel
- Zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) paints
- Tankless water heater
- Geothermal Heat Pump
