Monitoring results over a four-year period document a phased retrofit applied to a central Florida home with very high electricity consumption, eventually ending in a home with near-zero energy use. The retrofit included simple pass-through measures, such as the installation of efficient lighting and low-flow shower heads, as well as deeper measures which included a high-efficiency space heating and space cooling controlled by a smart thermostat, a heat pump water heater, and ENERGY STAR® appliances. The average household electricity use was reduced through a combination of these efficiency measures and photovoltaic power generation by 82%. Results from the case study, and nine other deep retrofits suggest how an effective zero-energy home (ZEH) program can be implemented in otherwise poorly performing existing homes.
From Energy Guzzler to Near-Zero Energy Home: Lessons from the Phased Deep Retrofit Project
*This paper was presented at the 2016 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings in Pacific Grove, CA on August 22 -26, 2016.