{"id":3481,"date":"2022-03-18T06:49:29","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T06:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/?p=3481"},"modified":"2022-03-18T06:49:33","modified_gmt":"2022-03-18T06:49:33","slug":"zero-carbon-homes-are-changing-how-we-live-heres-what-goes-into-making-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/uncategorized\/zero-carbon-homes-are-changing-how-we-live-heres-what-goes-into-making-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero-Carbon Homes Are Changing How We Live. Here\u2019s What Goes Into Making Them."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/home-design\/5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/home-design\/5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519\/\">Source >>><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h2>We speak with homeowners and architects about what it takes to bring these clean builds to life.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/author\/helena-madden\/\">By&nbsp;HELENA MADDEN<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>FEBRUARY 27, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frobbreport.com%2Fshelter%2Fhome-design%2F5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519%2F%23utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial_bar%26utm_content%3Dtop%26utm_id%3D1234662519&amp;title=Zero-Carbon%20Homes%20Are%20Changing%20How%20We%20Live.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20What%20Goes%20Into%20Making%20Them.&amp;sdk=joey&amp;display=popup&amp;ref=plugin&amp;src=share_button\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Frobbreport.com%2Fshelter%2Fhome-design%2F5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519%2F%23utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial_bar%26utm_content%3Dtop%26utm_id%3D1234662519&amp;text=Zero-Carbon%20Homes%20Are%20Changing%20How%20We%20Live.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20What%20Goes%20Into%20Making%20Them.&amp;via=RobbReport\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Frobbreport.com%2Fshelter%2Fhome-design%2F5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519%2F%23utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial_bar%26utm_content%3Dtop%26utm_id%3D1234662519&amp;title=Zero-Carbon%20Homes%20Are%20Changing%20How%20We%20Live.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20What%20Goes%20Into%20Making%20Them.&amp;summary&amp;source=RobbReport\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"mailto:?subject=RobbReport%20:%20Zero-Carbon%20Homes%20Are%20Changing%20How%20We%20Live.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20What%20Goes%20Into%20Making%20Them.&amp;body=https%3A%2F%2Frobbreport.com%2Fshelter%2Fhome-design%2F5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519%2F%23utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial_bar%26utm_content%3Dtop%26utm_id%3D1234662519%20-%20Zero-Carbon%20Homes%20Are%20Changing%20How%20We%20Live.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20What%20Goes%20Into%20Making%20Them.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/home-design\/5-zero-carbon-homes-1234662519\/#share-more\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When Laurie Pitman bought the land where she would build her new home in Oakland, Calif., the former software engineer rejected the idea of erecting a de rigueur sprawling mansion, opting instead to go smaller\u2014and greener. It was a decision that gave her greater peace of mind. \u201cI [had] owned a helicopter company,\u201d she says. \u201cI was feeling guilty about how much fossil fuel I [burned] to carry people around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pitman hired an architect and settled on a 2,200-square-foot design, then found a contractor who specializes in eco-conscious projects. The team agreed on a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/fsc.org\/en\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Forest Stewardship Council<\/a>\u2013certified wood and a type of concrete that emits less carbon for the primary materials and installed 53 solar panels on the roof for her energy source. She even insisted on placing a 16,000-gallon rainwater tank\u2014capable of storing about eight months\u2019 worth of water\u2014beneath the driveway, with a filtration system in the mechanical portion of the garage. \u201cThe company representative actually showed up because he said it was the first residential installation he\u2019d ever done. It was mainly used for these big commercial sites,\u201d Pitman recalls. \u201cHe said, \u2018I just want to see what kind of nutcase is installing one of my tanks in their house.\u2019 \u201d She notes that the project was \u201chugely expensive\u201d and that it took two years to complete.<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"Zero-Carbon\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=980,551 980w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=660,371 660w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=230,129 230w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=184,103 184w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=170,96 170w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Laurie-Pitman-House.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Russell Abraham\/Eva V\u00e1zquez<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But she\u2019s not the only one reconsidering the nuts and bolts of her shiny new digs. Homeowners who once put curb appeal, grand square footage and showy kitchens and bathrooms at the top of their lists are now thinking about environmental issues that were formerly swept under the rug. \u201cIt does feel like people are more and more aware of the fragility of life,\u201d says Alex Carter, a partner at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cundall.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cundall<\/a>, an engineering firm that specializes in this sort of uber-sustainable development. \u201cPeople don\u2019t feel like they\u2019re necessarily invincible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Far from it. Homeowners, like everyone else, are increasingly cognizant of seemingly constant climate disasters, from wildfires to floods, and the role their lifestyles might play in the havoc. According to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">United Nations Environment Programme<\/a>, 38 percent of global carbon-dioxide emissions come from buildings, and 17 percent of that number from housing. New construction is a prime offender, so some architects are experimenting with gentler ways to build. Some have touted the awash-in-foliage vertical forest, which crams thousands of plants onto the balconies of residential towers, as a solution; others champion 3-D printing to cut down on carbon emissions associated with the construction phase. Both ideas generate buildings that often have a distinctive look to them: One resembles a botanical garden, the other a sleek, futuristic dwelling reminiscent of the domed huts on Luke Skywalker\u2019s home planet Tatooine. Still other architects are making environmental impact a key factor of the equation while continuing to design in a range of styles, such as Pitman\u2019s midcentury-modern-inspired abode. But just how widely these practices will infiltrate the industry remains an open question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hot new buzzword here is \u201czero carbon.\u201d The concept can be broken down into two distinct concerns: embodied carbon, or the carbon emitted during the construction process (including production of the materials), and operational carbon, which is the home\u2019s footprint while lived in. The former is decidedly more difficult to optimize. \u201cOn the embodied side, looking at all the energy that\u2019s used to harvest, extract, manufacture, ship and install every product in the building, there\u2019s only so much control that one organization or one team can have over that full scope,\u201d says Shawn Hesse, the director of business development at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/living-future.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">International Living Futures Institute<\/a>&nbsp;(ILFI), an organization that grants zero-carbon certifications to deserving projects. \u201cWe require teams document [emissions] and make intentional choices to minimize and reduce [carbon] throughout the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A development that\u2019s on the path to receiving ILFI\u2019s stamp of approval is Zero One, a new build in Malibu that\u2019s asking $28.5 million for the first in a series of four homes. On the face of it, the modern, 14,429-square-foot design looks similar to countless other California mansions\u2014there\u2019s an outdoor pool, an open floor plan and an opportunity to fling open a massive sliding glass door in almost every room for that inside-outside vibe that\u2019s come to define the state\u2019s architecture. Tear up the floorboards and you\u2019ll find a different story. The developer,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.marisolmalibu.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Crown Pointe Estates<\/a>, minimized concrete usage\u2014the material reportedly accounts for a whopping 8 percent of global CO2 emissions\u2014by placing a layer of rubber beneath the floor instead, and much of the concrete used elsewhere is recycled. The builder also swapped out steel for local timber, which, unlike the man-made metal, naturally stores carbon, and installed solar panels on the aluminum rooftop to supply renewable energy, enabling it to be off-the-grid. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult because if you\u2019re going to do this, you\u2019ll likely be the first one in your community,\u201d says Scott Morris, the director of carbon sequestration at Crown Pointe Estates. \u201cBut it\u2019s easy because the answers are right in front of us.\u201d The company estimates the home\u2019s carbon reduction is equivalent to removing 46 nonelectric cars from the road for a year.<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"Zero-Carbon Homes\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=980,551 980w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=660,371 660w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=230,129 230w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=184,103 184w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=170,96 170w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Zero_One.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supplied\/Eva V\u00e1zquez<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Zero One represents a newer take on the trend, Tom and Marti Burbeck finished their net-zero house just outside Ann Arbor, Mich., about six years ago. They found that much of what they shelled out for was invisible to the naked eye. \u201cPart of the team was an architect who spent about a year contacting manufacturers of around 900 products\u2014tile, plaster, screws\u2014and getting their data sheets to see what chemicals are in there,\u201d says Marti. \u201cWe ended up using around 500 of those products. But that\u2019s the daunting task.\u201d The Burbecks ended up with a 3,000-square-foot farmhouse-style home that cost about $2 million to build. \u201cOur friends thought it was crazy,\u201d says Tom, who recently retired from a software company that he cofounded. Their additions were valuable, of course, but they\u2019re less obvious selling points than, say, an indoor basketball court or a car gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact that the Burbecks\u2019 home is smaller than most of comparable price in Michigan is intentional. Some even believe that downsizing is a necessary part of the net-zero blueprint (compactness is an element of the ILFI\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/living-future.org\/lbc\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Living Building Challenge<\/a>), which, naturally, isn\u2019t an idea that jibes with the array of mega-mansions in the luxury marketplace. \u201cWe continue to be troubled by the \u2018bigger is better\u2019 atmosphere in the building industry right now,\u201d says Tom. \u201cBig is really overrated these days. It\u2019s wasteful; it\u2019s a lot of space to either heat or cool or take care of.\u201d<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"Zero-Carbon Homes\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=980,551 980w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=660,371 660w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=230,129 230w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=184,103 184w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=170,96 170w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Burbeck-House.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>James Haefner\/Eva V\u00e1zquez<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That may be the general rule, but it\u2019s not entirely impossible to create a large-yet-sustainable residence. Even the couple\u2019s architect isn\u2019t militant about size. \u201cYou\u2019re going to do it, so do it right,\u201d says&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/architecturalresource.com\/meet-your-team\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Michael Klement<\/a>, a principal at the local firm&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/architecturalresource.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Architectural Resource<\/a>. \u201cDon\u2019t feel like some square-footage police is going to sweep in and sanction you because you\u2019re building too big.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Same goes for aesthetics. The zero-carbon movement is not about a particular look\u2014or lack thereof. One could conceivably apply the concept to a Hamptons shingle-style house or a Bauhaus-inspired minimalist design. Real-estate developer&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thrive-collaborative.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Matt Grocoff<\/a>&nbsp;is working on building a net-zero community (think all solar-powered, no gas lines or combustion appliances) dubbed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.veridian.community\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Veridian at County Farm<\/a>, also in the college town of Ann Arbor. \u201cThis whole notion that, you know, we have to invest in bunkers for this apocalyptic future is a really dreary view,\u201d he says. \u201cI think it lacks imagination, frankly. It\u2019s the future out of fear.\u201d<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"Zero-Carbon Homes\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=980,551 980w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=660,371 660w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=230,129 230w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=184,103 184w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=170,96 170w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/veridian-ann-arbor.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supplied\/Eva V\u00e1zquez<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Grocoff also advocates for not relegating the zero-carbon philosophy solely to new construction. There are preexisting residences all over the country that weren\u2019t designed with the environment in mind. The embodied carbon of an older house isn\u2019t a factor\u2014it\u2019s already built, after all\u2014but retrofitting the structure to cut down on its operational carbon footprint becomes paramount. Grocoff made many eco-friendly tweaks to his family home. No small feat, as the 120-year-old, Victorian-era structure is part of a historic district in Ann Arbor, so a renovation came with its own set of stringent rules. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t tear up the plaster walls or remove the exterior cladding; we had to keep all that,\u201d he says. \u201cSo we didn\u2019t have the opportunity to make a brand-new house. What we did was just replace everything with the most efficient stuff.\u201d That \u201cstuff\u201d ranged from the seemingly small, including swapping out the gas cooktop in favor of induction, to more extensive reworks, such as getting rid of all combustion appliances\u2014a tall ask that meant replacing the furnace with a geothermal heat pump. Once all the solar panels were added to the gabled roof, Grocoff became the owner of the oldest net-zero home in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Impressive, not to mention admirable, but net-zero isn\u2019t always something that pays off in terms of resale. \u201cIt\u2019s just a lot of paperwork that doesn\u2019t really buy you anything,\u201d says Pitman of her experience. \u201cFor commercial businesses, it\u2019s completely different. There\u2019s some value in being LEED-certified. For a homeowner, no\u2014there\u2019s not really anything there. And that\u2019s a shame.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More homeowners would perhaps pursue net-zero if it were incentivized, but for now, clean-energy mandates remain nebulous. Many countries have set goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, but few governments have made concrete steps (so to speak) toward reaching that benchmark. \u201cThe problem is that [long-term net-zero goals] let political leaders off the hook in the near-term,\u201d says&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/fletcher.tufts.edu\/people\/kelly-sims-gallagher\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kelly Sims Gallagher<\/a>, a professor of energy and environmental policy at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tufts.edu\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tufts University<\/a>. \u201cThey may not then feel any political pressure or compulsion to put current legislation in place that would actually get the country on track.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In locales that lack enforced&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/tag\/sustainability\/\">sustainability<\/a>&nbsp;requirements, developers often struggle to get major zero-carbon projects off the ground. In Mexico, architect Juan Carlos Prazmowski is helping create what will be a high-end net-zero community in the mountains between Mexico City and Toluca Valley, where nearly 70 percent of the land will be conserved as forest. Dubbed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reservasantafe.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Reserva Santa Fe<\/a>, it will house 500 families, and community centers will offer restaurants, a gym and multipurpose rooms. Like Morris, Prazmowski is working with ILFI to achieve some level of zero-carbon certification, but he\u2019s encountered quite a few bumps in the road. \u201cIt feels a bit standardized, how everything is being built [in Mexico],\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of steel, a lot of concrete, even though we have a lot of earthquakes here. When we\u2019re doing our material research, not many companies are open to disclosing what they have within their materials.\u201d Some pieces of the construction puzzle are sold locally, for instance, but were manufactured in Germany\u2014and shipping\u2019s massive carbon footprint is no secret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So those who want to replace resources such as steel and concrete with wood may have to resort to boxing it up and flying it around the globe (unless there just so happens to be a responsibly managed forest nearby). \u201cOftentimes, companies will claim that they\u2019re using sustainable practices just because they do one thing, but they just completely neglect a lot of other things that could be equally important,\u201d says&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/samsonovich.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mark Samsonovich<\/a>, the founder of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/headofmarble.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Head of Marble<\/a>, which claims to be the world\u2019s first carbon-negative furniture company and has been certified as carbon-neutral by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carbonneutral.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Carbon-Neutral<\/a>. \u201cYou know, chopping down wood in a sustainable forest means nothing if you\u2019re taking that wood and shipping it to China and back. And that\u2019s one of the most common forms of production.\u201d More importantly, because of human encroachment, the world\u2019s trees are a notoriously limited resource, and heavily relying on them for mass zero-carbon builds would mean even more severe deforestation, the opposite of eco-friendly. \u201cI mean, if everybody says, \u2018I want to build with wood,\u2019 it\u2019s just too much stress on what\u2019s available,\u201d says Les Norford, a professor of building technology at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mit.edu\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MIT<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?w=1000\" alt=\"Zero-Carbon Homes\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=980,551 980w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=660,371 660w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=230,129 230w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=184,103 184w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=170,96 170w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SF-house-alt.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supplied\/Eva V\u00e1zquez<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The wood-for-metal solution is an example of a carbon offset. Instead of this type of material switch, some developers opt to purchase credits in exchange for proceeding with a building process that has a higher carbon price tag. That way, a home might still receive a glossy, zero-carbon certification in the end, even if its construction produced heavy emissions. (But Zero One, for example, did not need to buy any credits to reach its goal, according to Morris.) The money often goes toward reforestation efforts, such as planting trees in Colombia or other heavily deforested areas, but experts have reservations about this method. \u201c[Credits] have been shown pretty definitively, historically, to not really return very much of what they\u2019ve promised to do,\u201d says John Fernandez, a professor of building technology at MIT. \u201cThe \u2018net-zero\u2019 phrase is starting to become really problematic because of that.\u201d The primary concern is that, with little to no oversight, credits may be abused\u2014those just-planted trees could be cut down prematurely, for instance\u2014and, often, there\u2019s an overall lack of transparency into what a project\u2019s supposed \u201ccarbon offset\u201d really means. The haziness points to a much larger problem: Unless you\u2019re trying for an ILFI certification, there are no standardized rules regarding who can call themselves \u201cnet-zero.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As with any feel-good buzzword, there\u2019s potential for the term \u201czero carbon\u201d to go sour fast, despite its well-meaning proponents. The word \u201csustainability\u201d for instance, doesn\u2019t pack much punch anymore, as it\u2019s slapped on just about every Gen-Z targeted brand campaign, luxury or otherwise. Such market saturation, or greenwashing, as it\u2019s called by activists, could just as easily happen in the sphere of zero-carbon housing. There\u2019s already a laundry list of similar-but-different eco-conscious monikers that real-estate listings use interchangeably, such as carbon neutral, energy efficient or carbon negative. Consumers may end up conflating them. \u201cIt\u2019s this funny space between the scientific literature, which is super jargony and very precise,\u201d Fernandez says, \u201cand then the marketplace, which adopts some of those terms but then replaces them very easily with others. There\u2019s a lot of confusion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet despite this murkiness, those who live in and design zero-carbon homes remain convinced that they\u2019re the future. \u201cIf you\u2019re designing a custom home, that\u2019s where the stakes really get high,\u201d says Klement, the Burbecks\u2019 architect. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be thinking about this, because otherwise you\u2019re pouring more good money down a bad chute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The process can be arduous, and often the result is a home that looks just like everybody else\u2019s anyway. Still, the UN\u2019s 38 percent stat looms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having gone through the experience once, Pitman is a true believer. After living in her Oakland digs for four years, she broke even in a $2.2 million sale in 2020. Now she\u2019s building another net-zero home in Washington State\u2014and she has learned her lessons. \u201cThe first house was pretty damn good,\u201d Pitman says. \u201cI\u2019m just doing it this time for about a quarter of the cost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>RELATED STORIES<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/art-collectibles\/nasser-alzayani-wins-louvre-abu-dhabi-50000-richard-mille-art-prize-1234669133\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nasser Alzayani Wins the Louvre Abu Dhabi\u2019s Richard Mille Art Prize\u2014and He\u2019s Splitting the $50,000 With All the Finalists<\/a><\/li><li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/homes-for-sale\/the-ex-ceo-of-levi-strauss-just-listed-his-northern-california-horse-ranch-for-25-million-1234669104\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Ex-CEO of Levi Strauss Just Listed His Northern California Horse Ranch for $25 Million<\/a><\/li><li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/art-collectibles\/bonhams-acquires-new-england-auction-house-as-expands-in-europe-1234669388\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bonhams Crosses the Pond to Acquire Boston Auction House Skinner<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Source >>> We speak with homeowners and architects about what it takes to bring these &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/uncategorized\/zero-carbon-homes-are-changing-how-we-live-heres-what-goes-into-making-them\/\" class=\"more-link\"><span class=\"more-button\">Continue Reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Zero-Carbon Homes Are Changing How We Live. Here\u2019s What Goes Into Making Them.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3481"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3481"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3482,"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3481\/revisions\/3482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eos.co.id\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}