Net Zero Residential

Our local real estate world has been busy. As an increased number of Sellers are making their move, Buyers now have homes to see and purchase. I wanted to share some of the buzz about LEED Certified and Zero Carbon building. My hope is that you still scan to the end for some current real estate stats.

The difference between the two looks like this: Built Green or LEED-Certified is a “rating system” measuring environmental impact on a point system, and Net Zero is a “performance-based” standard that requires a building to produce as much energy as it consumes.

A great example of a Gig Harbor LEED-certified commercial building is Table-47 and Ocean5. The owner and visionary Troy Alstead saw to it that it would be sustainably built starting with the 3.6 miles of geothermal piping beneath the building and a parking lot that heats and cools the indoor spaces. Most of the lighting in Ocean5 on the entertainment side is solar and there are reclaimed materials to be found throughout the 57,000 square foot space. The carpeting is woven from recycled fishing nets. It’s impressive and what I love is there was no compromise in design to make it happen!

One Step Further to Net Zero

For residential real estate in the state of Washington this could be our future. To be classified as Zero Carbon status, the building must be 100% self-sufficient — it must rely entirely on an on-site energy supply and must produce as much in energy they use as used. This may not be as crazy impossible as one would think! It just requires an energy-efficient design, sustainable materials (often using an existing building versus tearing and building another), and innovative technologies. It’s truly a mental shift from one set of learned building standards and practices to another, and from what recent studies suggest perhaps 3%-5% higher in cost to build. The benefits suggest lower energy costs, improved occupant health and comfort and a reduced environmental impact.

Below are a few fun residential projects happening in the state of Washington. Many of the homes don’t look remarkably different than traditionally constructed homes.