May 25, 2015: Students Design Efficient Home with Central Air Cost of Only $38 Annually
Winning Entry in Race to Zero Design Competition Features Small-Duct, High-Velocity HVAC System
ST. LOUIS — The winning entry in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 2015 Race to Zero Student Design Competition includes a HVAC system that is so efficient, it would generate only $282 in annual heating costs, and $38 for cooling. Energy modeling shows that adding solar power would more than offset the energy costs, reducing the energy bills to zero and qualifying it as a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home.
Students and faculty from the University of Minnesota won the grand prize for their energy-efficient design of a three-bedroom, two-bath home. The team consulted with engineers from HVAC manufacturer Unico Inc. on calculations and efficiencies for the proposed home.