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Building a zero energy home (ZEH) is much more than just putting solar panels on the roof. Building a ZEH not only offsets energy usage, but minimizes it from the beginning. Minimizing energy usage requires thoughtful design and building practices and begins with the building’s orientation. After the design of the home is complete, the technologies that enable the home to achieve zero energy are designed and applied. Below is some additional information about design and some of the technologies we use. Check back for updates to our technologies page. For detailed information on these technologies contact us directly.
Building Envelope Design
Orientation Orientation refers to the direction that a building points. Ideally, the long axis of the house should point E-W so that the long side of the house faces N and S. This configuration, combined with proper window selection and placement, allows the house to maximize solar heating in the winter and minimize solar heat [...]
Solar PV
We are certified installers of photovoltaic (PV) equipment. For large, metal roof areas, the thin film Unisolar panels are a good option. These solar modules adhere directly to the metal roof, which simplifies the installation process and provides a low profile and aesthetically pleasing array. Unisolar panels are well suited for Texas climate. They perform [...]
Geothermal
Geothermal (also known as ground source) heat pumps offer significant (greater than 2x) efficiency over traditional air source heat pumps. A ground source heat pump utilizes water, which is cooled by the earth in 250′-300′ deep vertical holes, to dissipate the heat generated by the compression of refrigerant. In comparison, an air source unit attempts [...]
Water
Rainwater Systems We install rainwater collection systems for landscaping irrigation and/or to supply water to the home if desired. Water Conservation Techniques Dual Flush Toilets – One handle for solid waste and an additional handle for reduced volume flush for liquid waste. Low Flow Plumbing Fixtures – Faucets and showerheads that save ~1.5 gallons of [...]
Smart Electrical Panels
CES Smart Electrical Panels offer complete energy management. These panels will help save on overall energy consumption through better usage planning of lights, heating/cooling, and other energy-consuming systems. They also offer important value-added services to residents and tenants such as proactive appliance maintenance. The panels will provide visibility to energy consumption and savings. And the system [...]
Eco-Friendly Landscaping
Throughout our construction process, we are careful to minimize the impact to natural vegetation. Our landscaping designs are very simple and consist of low water tolerant grasses and plants. We add 4″ of topsoil to the areas where we lay Zoysia sod for a lawn and for native plant beds. Under the top soil is [...]
