Going Green Tampa

Finally, a home that embraces energy efficiency and the sustainable lifestyle has come to Tampa!

The search for home energy efficiency just got easier for Tampa residents, thanks to the arrival of ZeroHouse 2.0.  That’s right; the pinnacle of sustainable living is coming to a neighborhood near you and the eco-conscious community is buzzing about it.  Historically, zero energy homes have been reserved for the super-rich, eco-friendly families or those willing to sacrifice amenities for energy savings. That is all changing with the net-zero energy homes that KB Home dubbed the ZeroHouse 2.0.

The ZeroHouse 2.0 is an affordable housing option that can conserve water, reduce smog and make your energy bills disappear for good, while providing all the modern amenities.

Understanding a Zero Energy Home

A zero energy home is truly green as it can produce as much energy as it would likely consume, reducing the family’s carbon footprint and utility bills.  These homes have exciting features such as smog eating roof tiles, solar heated hot water, low flow water faucets and solar panels for electrical power production.  Other cool features include a built in car charger for your electric vehicle (EV) and of course top of the line energy star appliances.  These homes are built from the foundation to the roof with the going green mentality, which is much more cost effective than trying to retrofit an existing home.  For example, installing powerful insulation and double paned windows is much easier when framing the home than once it is complete.

Going Green Can Be a Competitive Advantage

As homebuilders look to compete with foreclosures and short sales, a home with little to no energy bill and the bragging rights of a truly green home, offers a distinct advantage.  KB Home along with other builders says the costs of making a home ultra energy efficient equates to $19,000 - $35,000 incrementally on top of the home price.  While that seems like a hefty amount, when you consider the lower utility bills and tax credits, you may not feel any impact on your monthly expenditures as compared to a traditional home.

Are you still not sure about the zero energy homes and if they are really practical?  I will be the first to tell you I had similar thoughts before digging in and researching it.  The ZeroHouse 2.0 by KB Home is already being built and is available for sale here in Tampa.  You can see this for yourself by visiting the local neighborhood, Emerald Oaks, in Brandon, FL. and taking a tour of the model home.  Based on the consumer demand for these energy efficient homes, we can expect other homebuilders to take notice and start similar projects.  When that happens, the costs will continue to decline and hopefully the industry will shift as a whole to more efficient building practices.  For other eco-friendly tips, please visit my website, isustainableearth.com.