Zero Energy Homes are popular among home buyers

For construction companies, homeowners looking to save money and the solar industry, net zero solar powered homes are good news all the way around.  First, they address a sagging housing market that is slow to recover.  This is because they help homeowners save a ton of money by producing as much energy through solar panels as is required to run the household.  That adds up to savings of about $2000 per year for the average home!

Finally, for solar power companies net zero solar powered homes help demonstrate to the public the efficiency and practicality for turning to this renewable resource.  That means more sales of solar panels in the future!

Building net zero solar powered homes

New home construction companies around the United States are getting into the net zero solar powered homes market.

In Tuscon, Arizona, you can get a zero energy home starting at $140,000, constructed by Meritage Homes.  Solar panels are included in the price.  You can also find Mertitage Homes net zero energy homes in California, Nevada, Colorado and parts of Texas.

Beyond Meritage Homes, other builders are looking to lure buyers with net zero solar powered homes.  Dell Webb in Phoenix Arizona includes solar panels and energy efficiency upgrades in its Sun City communities.

If you are looking for a home in Southern California, KB Homes includes solar panels on the rooftop at no additional cost in some of its communities.

Perhaps not surprisingly, you can find solar powered homes in Florida, as well.  Shea Green Certified Homes are constructed with a standard 3 kW solar panel system.

We love how home builders are tapping into solar power to help sell homes and save homeowners money!

Solar panels boost home sales

We’ve blogged about it before, but its worth discussing again just because anything that can increase the sale price of a home is welcome news these days!

Solar homeowners get higher prices for property sales.  In other words, if you install solar panels on your rooftop, the feature could help you sell your home, depending on its age and location.

A study published by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, supports the theory that solar powered homes enjoy higher resale prices than comparable “non-solar” properties in the neighborhood.

With solar panel prices averaging $4-6 per watt in California, an entire residential rooftop solar panel system can run approximately $15-20,000.  Local, state and federal rebates and incentives can lower that price, however.  Most solar power systems have a lifetime of 25-30 years, so if you sell your home before you reach your return on investment (the point at which you break even on utility savings, or approximately 7 years for most homeowners), you can still recoup the costs of your solar installation.

Interesting, the study found that homes with existing solar panel systems sold for even more than new homes constructed with solar panels.  Don’t forget that, for every $1 you save in annual electricity costs with solar power, the value of your home increases by $20.  That means, a saving of $500 (less than $50 per month) can quickly translate to a $10,000 boost in home equity!

If you are thinking about selling your home in a few years, now just might be the time to install panels because solar homeowners get higher prices for property sales.

The National Mall: Location of Solar Decathlon showcase

This Friday on the National Mall, the doors will finally open to the public to view solar-powered homes presented by competitors in the Solar Decathlon. For the next two weeks (except Wednesday October 14), you can come to Washington D.C. and take a look at some of the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered houses, designed, constructed and operated by 20 college and university teams.  The solar village will be located between 10th Street and 14th Street and between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive, accessible from the Smithsonian Metro Station.

Did I mention that its FREE?

No, the Solar Decathlon is not an actual race… unless you consider the race to implement viable renewable energy resources one that we cannot afford to lose.  The Decathlon is held every two years, with the last event in 2007, and the first one taking place in 2002.

Come and get inspired this weekend!

Solar panels on view at the Solar Decathlon this weekend

The U.S. Department of Energy is sponsoring the contest for which engineering and architecture students from all over the world have been preparing for the past two years to come up with examples of solar-powered homes to showcase solar energy’s potential.  According to a recent CNET article:

Teams are judged by architects and designers in 10 categories, including lighting design, the market viability of their projects, and architectural design.

Whether you want to be awed by the latest solar design/technology, or impressed by the practicality of other solar installations, the solar powered homes run the spectrum from simply sustainable to impressively ingenious.  The only constant is that the homes are no larger than 800-square feet.

Who will win this year’s Solar Decathlon?

While many of the homes here cost over $500,000 to build, Rice University says that its prototype Zerow House costs $140,000 to build. With smaller panels, it could be made for $80,000. Like Team Boston, the Rice team has found a buyer for their house after the completion.

Don't miss the solar decathlon in Washington D.C. from Oct. 9-18

Each of the hard-working teams have reassembled the solar homes they designed on the National Mall.  They’ll remain in place for two weeks, running entirely on solar power for the duration of the event.  Many of the homes rely on both “direct” solar power (using photovoltaic panels and/or solar cells), and passive solar energy.  Here’s a quick list of the other features you’ll find if you head to the National Mall this weekend:

• Heat pumps to cool/heat buildings
• Microinverters to change the D/C from solar panels to A/C for your outlets – they also increase efficiency by 10%
• Daylighting (a specific components of passive solar), including use of south-facing windows and internal window coverings
• “Green” building materials, including blue jeans insulation or reclaimed wood

If you go:  Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu is scheduled to speak at the Solar Decathlon opening ceremony Thursday afternoon. The solar-powered homes will be open to the public starting on Friday the 9th, through the 18th of October from 11-3 (M-F) and 10-5 (weekends), excepting Wednesday, October 14.  Consumer workshops are also offered: be sure to check the official website for details.

Intrigued by the Solar Decathlon?  Want to compete in 2011?  Better get moving… the requests for proposals (RFPs) are due in just over a month on November 19, 2009.  Your team will be notified in December this year if it is eligible to compete.