This course will describe the design, construction, and lessons learned of the Heliospiti (Sun House), a 3200 square foot, ENERGY STAR-certified, net-zero energy, all-electric home at 7100 feet elevation in Monument, Colorado. Designed using the Passive House philosophy, and completed in 2011, the house is ultra-insulated using spray foam and fiberglass. The house employs the following key features: a) Passive solar primary heating, using the concrete main floor as the “thermal battery,” providing more than 99% of total heating; b) Passive cooling using natural convection providing 100% of cooling requirements; c) Solar hot water collectors and a 120 gallon storage tank providing hot water with three days of storage; d) A 10’ deep, 100’ long earth tube preheating cold winter air at the intake to the ventilation system; e) A passive solar wall heating a workshop/garage using only convection; f) Six kilowatts of solar electric power, sufficient to power the all-electric house plus two electric vehicles.
The goal of this course is to provide the design process and results for one example of a net-zero energy home, and the lessons learned over the first twelve years of occupancy. This course is useful for builders, architects, and prospective homeowners seeking to cost-effectively maximize energy and water savings, while maintaining healthy indoor air quality. Participants require no previous background in construction or building science.
Continuing Education Units (CEUS) submitted 1 hour in*
Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
Building Performance Institute (BPI) NonWholeHouse
Passive House US (PHIUS) Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC)
Submitted for American Institute of Architects – AIA (HSW)
Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP) Pillar(s): Energy, Health, Materials
American Institute of Building Designers (AIBD)
State Architect / Builder License may be applicable
Building Science Institute (BSI) Verifier
Society of American Registered Architects (SARA)
Speaker
Jim Riggins retired after 26 years in the U.S. Air Force serving as a fighter pilot, electro-optics research engineer, and strategic planner. Jim built a local business, EnerSmart Energy Solutions, from which he is now retired. He was a home energy rater and consultant, a Professional Building Energy Analyst, an ENERGY STAR home inspector, and an EPA WaterSense Inspector for new homes. He currently serves as a volunteer on the Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity Building Committee as a volunteer building energy efficiency consultant. He and his family live in a net-zero energy passive solar home which he designed, and which has been featured three times in Home Power Magazine and on the National Solar Tour.
Lessons Learned
1. Understand that designing net zero homes involves tradeoffs between various systems, such as heating, cooling, ventilation, and insulation.
2. Analyze the relationship between energy efficiency, decarbonization, moisture management, and health/safety to ensure that the home is not only energy-efficient but also healthy and safe to live in.
3. Introduce a systematic approach to overall net-zero home design that takes into account factors such as energy production, energy consumption, and energy storage.
4. Articulate how new products, materials, and technologies in the past ten years can significantly enhance the energy efficiency of homes, leading to lower energy bills and better occupant health and welfare.
