Efficiency First

The Cutting Edge of Residential Energy Conservation

Extreme makeover of California demonstration home blends historic preservation with net-zero energy use

When green building materials entrepreneur Marc Porat embarked on an energy efficiency retrofit of his 2,780-square-foot home in Palo Alto, he decided to aim high: He wanted to achieve net zero energy use

The project combines unobtrusive building envelope improvements with solar thermal and photovoltaic panels, low-power lighting and appliances, and an ultra-efficient heating, cooling and ventilation system. The innovative HVAC system is powered by a combination of solar thermal power and a single reverse cycle chiller that delivers hot or cold liquid for radiant floor heating and hydronic forced-air heating and cooling, with a customized energy monitoring and control system to maximize performance.

Read about Marc Porat’s home in the San Jose Mercury News:Visit the Palo Alto Net Zero House Web site:

http://www.paloaltonetzero.com 

http://www.paloaltonetzero.com

http://www.paloaltonetzero.com

– meaning that the home would produce as much power as it draws from the grid – while preserving the original character of the historic English Tudor Revival structure, which was built in the 1930s by the renowned architect and artist Pedro de Lemos. http://www.mercurynews.com/greenenergy/ci_13018542?nclick_check=1