A good net-zero home design is more than a house with solar panels. Net-zero home plans are designed to put energy conservation first. These homes are built with an airtight structural shell paired with additional options, such as highly insulated wall systems, high performance windows, passive solar design and more. These net-zero home design features can easily achieve net-zero energy.
Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive net-zero home design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating net-zero home plans, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.
CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and net-zero home designs with clients, colleagues or professional contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.
CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of net-zero home plans and designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors as well as the National Association of Landscape professionals.
Design and Build Net-Zero Homes
Net-Zero Home Design Plans
Net-zero home design and the opportunities of building a net-zero house in Phoenix, Arizona. The city will be happy to provide you with a full set of net-zero home plans at no cost.
The offer is part of the city’s plan to see all new buildings net positive by 2050, according to an article posted at Architectural Record, and follows a design competition in 2017 challenging architects to develop net-zero home plans for the city’s hot, dry climate.
The winner of building net-zero home plans was Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects, which developed plans for a 2,185-square-foot, three-bedroom home. Home NZ, as it’s called, has a HERS score of 30, making it 70% more energy efficient than an average built-to-code home. With the addition of a modest solar array, the house would be net-zero.
Building net-zero homes are estimated around $344,000 (not including the contractor’s overhead) and is designed to fit on a 60-foot by 110-foot lot. The home plans are orientation neutral, meaning it would perform as intended no matter which way the building lot is oriented.
According to the description posted with the plans, the single-story house takes its design cues from mid-century modern residential architecture. It includes a large front porch and a built-in garage. Operable, exterior shades can be left open when the sun isn’t shining and closed when windows are in direct sunlight, reducing cooling loads. Shades are designed to prevent 95% of direct sunlight from reaching window glass.
Features for Net-Zero Home Designs:
- Structural insulated panels (SIPs) for the walls and roof. Wall panels are 9 1/2-inch thick (R-45), OSB over polyisocyanurate insulation. Roof panels are of the same construction, 11 1/4 inches thick (R-70).
- A reflective cool roof to minimize heat absorption is an excellent feature.
- Passive cooling by means of a solar chimney at the top of the house that can flush out stale air and introduce cooler, fresh air at night.
- LED bulbs, a smart thermostat, and wi-fi enabled energy management.
- Heating and cooling with a Carrier air-source heat pump. Whole-house ventilation with a Zehnder energy-recovery ventilator. The variable-speed air conditioner limits starts and stops for higher efficiency.
- Double-pane windows.
- When building net-zero homes the estimated annual energy costs include $286 in service charges, $240 for cooling, and $597 for lights and appliances.
These net-zero home designs are available free of charge, but they are provided without a warranty, and the homeowner assumes all liability. Also, the city requires that anyone taking the plans agrees to have them reviewed by a local professional architect and/or engineer as well as a licensed contractor before construction starts.