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ConSol Energy Consultants Moving Ahead With Zero Energy Homes
Appear in: Million Solar Roofs Website, Summer 2002
Rob Hammon, principal at ConSol Energy Consultants, has a background in neuroscience. In fact, he’s got a Ph.D in the field. For years, he said, his research was in the field of vision. So how did a Ph.D neuroscientist end up in a place like ConSol? Seems like Rob and Mike Hodgson, President of ConSol, went to graduate school together, where they shared an interest in solar energy, engineering and self employment. In 1981, Rob, working with production homebuilders, wrote software to deal with California’s newly-enacted Title 24 regulations. In 1988, Rob joined his friend, Hodgson, at ConSol, this time as a principal with the firm. “Our vision is to build entire zero energy communities,” said Hammon. Did he say vision? Maybe Rob’s putting his research to practice.
MSR: Rob, how did ConSol become involved with the ZEH program?
RH: It’s an extension of several things. In addition to our general interest in the program, what got us involved and excited was the Shea project in San Diego. They had adopted our ComfortWise program - a turn-key energy star construction program that Shea does as part of their normal business practices. Shea had a program manager that wanted to do more than just energy efficiency. They pursued the idea of zero energy homes with a variety of stakeholders, including DOE. As it happened, DOE was beginning to form their own plan for this concept. Soon, DOE issued a solicitation for the initiative, and the winners were announced last year. We were fortunate to be among the winners.
We think, among the four partners in this initiative, that our work is unique. We’re trying to go beyond code-related strategies to get production builders to offer net zero energy homes as part of their normal business. Our first step is to encourage some builders to build production homes with dramatically lower energy use, but not yet true net zero. That initial, lower goal is a 60% reduction in annual energy cost and annual net zero electrical bill.
MSR: Has it been hard to find the builders to participate?
RH: Yes and no. We’ve got seven builders with whom we are working on this initiative: Pardee, Morrison, Clarum, Estrella, Shea in San Diego, John Laing in Sacramento, and Centex in L.A. Clarum, for example, is building an entire subdivision (389 units) in Watsonville, California, using the 60% zero energy rule. This is an awesome commitment. They’re just breaking ground on this project, and the models are expected to open in January. Though they’re excited about this initiative, builders are concerned that implementing the 60% rule will cost more - as much as $12-14,000/unit.
MSR: Yes, but over the 25-30 year note, it’s really negligible, isn’t it?
RH: It’s close to break even for the consumer, but it’s still an important cost issue. Look, there are two ways our builders are making this work. They’ll build a model with a zero energy option, then they’ll market this zero energy option. Others will build a percentage of the homes with zero energy as standard in the subdivision. Shea’s done this, and it’s made a huge difference. Showing a house this way gives potential buyers a chance to look more closely at the basics and the quality of construction, rather than being dazzled by decor. Though the homes are more expensive, they’ve been selling.
MSR: On your website, there are a number of PDF files, like green builder certification, air ducts, PV procedures for design and installation - who are these designed for?
RH: These are protocols for how to properly install things, and are aimed mostly for builders and subcontractors. For instance, there’s a statement of work that describes how builders and contractors should install insulation. If you’re in the ComfortWise Program, builders must do certain things. For a home to be rated with the Energy Star rating in California, the energy efficiency must be 15% over Title 24 regulations and must have blower door and duct blaster tests. In addition to these Energy Star criteria, ComfortWise homes must also use tight ducts, spectrally selected glass and mechanical design. ComfortWise homes must also use the construction protocols, and we inspect all of the energy efficiency features for design and installation. We’re requiring our builders to do more from a construction standpoint, and our builders are amenable to these guidelines. Our biggest market penetration is in Southern California, followed by Nevada.
Our smallest market penetration is in Northern California.
MSR: Are consumers asking for zero energy homes? Do they see both the economic and environmental value of these choices?
RH: We don’t know yet . . . we’re trying to gather that information with this project. We’re surveying some of our
builders' customers to try and answer this. But the builders that are participating believe that these features are important to consumers, and they will help them sell homes.
MSR: What’s the range of prices for these homes? Are they affordable?
RH: Actually, there’s a wide range of prices. Estrella is an age-restricted community, using the Del Webb model. Some of the Clarum townhomes and apartments will qualify as affordable, according to the HUD definition. Clarum’s homes in Paso Robles are going to be in the $200K range. Morrison will be higher, and Pardee is at the upper end, from $600-$800K.
MSR: So Rob, what do you think has been your biggest obstacle in trying to implement this initiative into your work? And when can we expect to see these homes in the marketplace?
RH: The biggest issue for builders building zero energy homes is cost - and whether consumers are going to want to pay this extra cost. Pardee’s Santa Barbara’s model has been complete since February. Their first production home will be complete this summer. After that, Morrison in Sacramento and Shea in San Diego are next in line for completion.
More: About DOE’s Zero Energy Home initiative.
Related articles:
On the Path to Zero Energy Homes
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