This section is about designing for Net Zero Emissions in building construction. The goal is to share concepts and technologies that can drastically reduce the energy consumption of a building during construction and operation.
Building Envelope
Randy Chatterjee has documented a cost-effective external wall system with an insulation factor close to R30. Here is his white paper.
Ventilation
While many buildings in North America are now incorporating heat recovery ventilators (HRV), its such an important component of an energy efficient building that its worth mentioning. Modern homes are (or should be) built with an air barrier that completely surrounds the living space. The problem with this is that we need to have air circulation or it gets stale and unhealthful inside. HRVs solve this problem while keeping heat loss in cold weather to a minimum. They do this by drawing in fresh air and expelling stale air through one port, where heat of the outgoing air is transferred to the incoming air. No new house should be built without a well-sealed envelope and an HVR.
Direct Solar Heating
TBD