Take a look inside a $1.1 million ‘zero emissions’ home

Real estate is a key puzzle According to federal officials, this could help achieve U.S. climate goals.

Residential and commercial buildings occupy After accounting for “indirect” emissions such as electricity use, it accounts for 31% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is more than other sectors of the economy such as transportation and agriculture.

The Biden administration has adopted a variety of policies to reduce residential emissions.

For example, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides financial benefits including tax credits and rebates to homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient. The White House has also recently Publish building guidelines In order to be considered”Zero emissionsThis means they are “energy efficient, produce no on-site emissions from energy use, and are powered only by clean energy,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Morgan Wojciechowski, 33, was one of the first homeowners to receive the federal “zero emissions” label. (This assessment is given by a third-party company Pearl certification.)

In August 2023, Wojciechowski, her husband, Casey, and their three dogs, Dixie, Bo, and Charlie, moved into their newly built home in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Wojciechowski, who is also the president of Healthy Communities, a local real estate developer focused on sustainable construction, spoke to CNBC about her new home, its financial benefits and how consumers can best Upgrade your own home to increase efficiency.

The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Greg Iacurci: What does it mean for your home to be considered “zero emissions”?

Morgan Wojciechowski: This is a very, very, very efficient all-electric home. These are the first two points of the White House's definition.

The third part is our participation in green energy initiatives with (our electricity provider) Dominion. Not only do I produce solar (energy) and any excess energy goes back to the grid, but the grid power that goes into my home is clean and sustainable. It costs me $10 more per month to get clean energy.

GI: How much did your house cost to build?

Molecular weight: Approximately $1.1 million.

GI: How big is the house?

Molecular weight: 5,800 sq. ft.

This is a big house. But mine isn’t what everyone is doing. My home is a personal project of mine because I believe in sustainability and wanted to achieve this in a home that will be my forever home. But what is more replicable is that (healthy communities) walnut orchardapproximately 1,500 square feet. We sold it for $433,000.

GI: Can you break down your family’s estimated savings?

Molecular weight: With (solar) panels, our utility bill is expected to be about $917 per year, or about $80 per month.

Save $7,226 per year (relative to the average U.S. home, according to rating agency TopBuild Home Services). That's just the efficiency from a solar home.

If I removed solar power, I would save $5,431 per year. Sunlight cancels it out.

GI: You mean solar energy cancels it out?

Molecular weight: You create energy. Your home uses that energy and sends excess energy back to Dominion. These points are stored in the account, which can then be offset against your bill. This is called net metering.

GI: So the power company paid you the money?

Molecular weight: These points will be applied to your next billing cycle. They offset your overall utility costs, which is where your savings come from.

Solar panels only make sense if you are building a truly all-electric, energy-efficient home.

GI: Why?

Molecular weight: You must have a sufficiently energy-efficient or retrofitted home (by replacing windows with higher-grade ones, adding insulation) that you will need fewer panels on your roof, allowing you to secure your investment faster Return. Solar power only makes sense if you want a return on investment within a few years.

GI: Does this make solar energy more attractive?

Molecular weight: If you don't make energy-efficient upgrades to your existing home, or you don't build a home that's energy-efficient enough, you'll have to add more panels to make up for the lack of energy efficiency. If the number is too large, it will turn people upside down.

Solar power must be suitable for the home you are installing it in, or don't use it. Maybe just upgrade your windows, add insulation, condition your crawl space, upgrade your mechanical systems.

There's a lot consumers can do. You don’t have to do it all at once. You don't have to have a solar-powered home to be zero-emissions; you have to have an all-electric, energy-efficient home and you have to buy renewable energy from a utility company.

It's very approachable. Many people can do this. Everyone can participate at their own level of sustainability.

GI: How do you recommend people get started?

Molecular weight: I would tell consumers, why not start with doors and windows? This is a very simple thing. Do this and see how you notice any (efficiency) changes.

Many old houses have old windows that leak. Air moves in and out. If you think about it, a house is like an envelope. You want to seal the interior of your home as much as possible.

Next I'll do the insulation.

Many older homes have HVAC systems and ductwork in the attics. Insulate it, make it a conditioned space, so those building systems don't have to work on overdrive to keep up with very hot temperatures or very cold temperatures. This makes it more energy efficient.

There are also tax benefits (available) for energy-efficient upgrades to your home. Consumers can get them and log them off, so that's also attractive to people.

GI: If you are a tenant, there are some things you cannot control. I think you can ask your landlord.

Molecular weight: It mainly depends on your rental situation. I find it a little daunting to change someone else's mind. Ultimately, you'll have more say in what you can do once you arrive at your home.

Until then, you can pay attention to the energy you use. Turn off the lights. I mean, this is a real thing. People won't turn off the lights. I mean, even though my home is very efficient, I still have timers because I don't want to waste energy. It's a simple thing that anyone can do.