Aug. 31, 2004: DOE Building Near-Zero-Energy Homes
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - An electric meter that sometimes runs backwards is just one of the advantages of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) near-zero-energy homes. While low or no electric bills are an obvious benefit, high energy efficiency homes and businesses also reduce the amount of electricity that needs to be generated, thus reducing pollution, said Jeff Christian of DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
In Tennessee, air pollution is of special concern as the state ranked third behind California and Texas for smog, according to a September 2003 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report. And in June 2003, ozone alerts were in place 25 of 30 days in the Smoky Mountains, the most heavily visited national park in the United States.