"Just about all the larger builders are focusing on energy efficiency," says Kevin Morrow of the National Association of Home Builders.
But while net-zero building--a home that’s designed to produce as much energy as it uses annually--has become common in Canada, few affordable net-zero housing units have popped up in the United States, says David Johnston, author of Toward a Zero Energy Home.
More U.S builders are planning to change that.
To celebrate Earth Day on Friday, Meritage Homes announced that it will offer a "net- zero" home. While a nine-panel rooftop solar array will become a standard feature on some of its homes, home owners who can afford a $10,000 upgrade will be able to get 24 more solar panels, which can reduce utility bills to zero. Prices for the homes will start at $140,000 and will be available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas.
“It’s a new way of building homes,” C.R. Herro, vice president of environmental affairs for Arizona-based Meritage, told the USA Today.
Last month, KB Home announced it will include a small, six-panel rooftop solar array as a standard feature in 10 of its Southern California communities. The solar panel will be capable of shaving 30 percent off energy costs in a 1,800- to 2,000-square-foot home.
"Shiny granite can only go so far" to lure buyers from low-price foreclosures, says Nate Kredich of the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council. Kredich says builders like Meritage are "really pushing the envelope" on sustainability.