The O'Neil Residence

Net Zero Energy Homes became our company’s focus at SolAire Homebuilders in 2010 when an opportunity to showcase a speculative, high-performance home on the open market became a reality. Helping the public understand and have confidence in the product only cemented our resolve to continue building similar homes that should be in everyone’s future. Furthermore, we learned at SolAire that all the technologies and techniques needed to reach this goal are mainstream and virtually “off the shelf.” It is just a matter of putting the pieces together in the right way and in the right order. It then became our personal goal to build our own home this way.

Building Net Zero Energy Homes is the right thing to do because it reduces our dependence on energy generated by non-renewable, carbon-producing resources. The built environment contributes 13% of greenhouse gases, and electricity production produces another 25%. With severe climate storms and wildfires destroying whole communities, why wouldn’t we endeavor to reduce the greenhouse gases from these two sources: buildings and electricity? We are committed to this goal.

As a couple looking to retire and live in our “dream home”, we were resolved to build a Net Zero Energy Home because it would also increase our personal security into the future. A home that produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year is a source of comfort for us. Knowing that no matter what the inflation rate will be for the cost of energy each year, zero times an increase is still zero. Additionally, our Tesla Powerwall has technology that alerts us to severe weather events and fire warnings, automatically increasing our battery backup for potential power losses from the grid. This makes us feel safe and prepared.

Our home is well lit from natural light, is free from drafts and cold spots, and is situated to take advantage of desirable outdoor living areas. The indoor air quality of our home is exceptional, even during times of excessive smoke from wildfires. Architecturally, all the aesthetic features and functions of the home we dreamed of have been realized, but we made sure we integrated energy efficiency principles along the way. The home has become a joy to live in because we feel proud that we are helping to protect the environment that we love, the environment we want to preserve for our grandchildren, and to set an example for all those who follow us in the home building industry. Building a Net Zero Energy Home is just the right thing to do, now and for the future.

...in the home over a period of a year. The goal is to reach 90% on-site energy production.

Mike and I build our homes using five principles:

1. Capture the power of the sun. Site the house to take advantage of solar access, both passive and active, views, and aesthetics.

2. Conserve energy first. From the beginning, we save as much energy as we can through the design of a super-insulated home shell.

   1. Air tightness

   2. Insulation

   3. Wall thickness

   4. Windows – High performance and thoughtfully placed to maximize light and minimize heat gain and loss.

3. Minimize the energy load. We install energy efficient appliances, lighting, and HVAC.

4. Exercise water conservation and improve indoor air quality.

   1. Low flow plumbing fixtures

   2. Reduce VOC containing materials

   3. ERV with an integrated HEPA filter

   4. Low water use irrigation

5. Power from the sun.

   1. We work with Earth Advantage to determine how much power we need from the sun to get to zero.

   2. Install the PV system as the budget allows.

When designing and building our home on Rabbitbrush Dr, Mike and I chose to use Earth Advantage modeling to determine the best pathway to Net Zero Energy and to achieve our aesthetics goals for the home. When making budget decisions, we prioritized energy production and use over aesthetics.

It was tricky to site our home because the mountain views are west-southwest and the best solar access is south. We chose to orient it at 30 degrees off due south and designed the roof for a solar system that would catch both the morning and afternoon sun. We have three outdoor spaces to enjoy our property during all times of the year; a covered southwest facing patio for the winter, another covered patio on the east side for windy days, and a patio on the north side of the home for the hot summer months.

We chose 10” walls for our home shell and the Anderson 100 series for our windows. To maximize the indoor daylight and minimize energy gain and loss, our architect, made overhangs for shade in the summer and solar gain in the winter. We strategically chose fixed and operable windows to allow fresh air and minimize air leaks.

Wildfire season has increased and smoky days in Central Oregon are greater than in years past. Our HEPA filter integrated with our ERV has kept our indoor air quality at its best, even when it’s smoky outside. We also chose low and no VOC materials, paints, glues, and sealers so our indoor air quality isn’t degraded by toxins inside our home.

Our solar array provides all of our energy needs during times of full production. Our Tesla power wall augments our power during lower times of production. We’ve been very happy to have the power wall for self-consumption. If we were to do it again, we would add a second power wall. This gives us a sense of security should the grid integrity degrade as global warming accelerates.