Sept. 18, 2012: DOE Announces New Partnership to Certify Net Zero-Energy Ready Homes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new partnership between its Challenge Home program and Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) on a voluntary certification process for net zero-energy ready homes. These are homes that are so energy efficient that they can offset most or all of their utility bills with a renewable energy system. DOE said home builders participating in these programs gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace by providing their customers with homes featuring superior energy savings, quality, comfort, and health.
According to the DOE, this partnership will provide a path for builders to achieve maximum energy efficiency by providing Challenge Home certification as a first step to the Passive House program’s certification.