In May, Ballardites Eric Thomas and Alexandra Salmon announced the construction of their new home. They envisioned a spacious home with big windows that would not only be highly efficient, but also produce more energy than it uses. And they were going to do it all on a budget.

Less than seven months later the couple invited me over to tour their new home. Not only did the construction stay on budget, it finished one month ahead of schedule.

While at first glance the burned orange single-family house on 612 NW 60th Street looks like any other newly constructed house, it’s a one-of-a-kind home.

With its air-tight shell, structural insulated panel (SIP) construction, numerous south-facing windows, highly efficient heat pump, and 6,000-watt solar panel array on the roof, this house is the first zero-energy home in Seattle. Designed by Ted L. Clifton, the house has no electrical bills and costs nothing to heat. No oil, natural gas, or other fuels are used.

When entering the house I was greeted by the smells of a new home, lots of light, and warmth. While the temperature outside was near freezing, the house was a comfortable 69 degrees.

The heat, Thomas explained, comes from the heated stained concrete floor. Except for the heated floor in the upstairs bathroom, the concrete floor is the only source of heat. On sunny days the concrete soaks up the sunlight that pours through the south-facing windows and warms up the whole house as the heat rises up into the high ceiling.

“It’s extremely well insulation and air tight. There are no drafts,” Thomas said, adding that the isolation is one of his favorite features about the house after dealing with drafty and poorly-isolated rental apartments in the past. “It’s nice to feel warm in this climate.”

The design of the house is based on a stock plan from Zero-Energy Plans LLC, a design company based on Whidbey Island. The couple modified the plan slightly to suit their needs.

“I wanted more windows,” said Salmon. “I’m from New Mexico so light is a big deal for me.”

The house features large south-facing windows with gorgeous views from the upstairs working loft.

Architects recommended a limited amount of windows on the north side of the house to prevent heat loss. But with the Canadian-made triple pane windows, little to not heat escapes.

“You can stand right by the window and not feel any temperature difference,” Thomas said.

Salmon said her favorite feature of the house is its energy efficiency and how it enables them to reduce their carbon foot print.

Two different meters on the outside of the house show just how efficient the house is. They measure how much energy is coming in from the solar panels, how much energy is used, and how much energy is either taken from the city grid or given back.

On a cold, overcast December day the house takes energy off the city grid as the solar panels aren’t producing enough energy. On sunny days however, the panels bring in much more energy than the house needs and that energy is given back to the city.

At the end of year, the net meter should be zero or a negative number, meaning more energy was given back to the city grid than was used and the couple will receive a refund check.

Other neat features of this zero-energy home include a rain garden, reclaimed wood floors, gluelam beams and stairs, high efficient appliances, and second use sinks and bath tubs.

My personal favorite was the water saving toilet and sink combo. It looks like a regular toilet but it has a sink on top of the tank instead of a lid. After flushing, fresh cold water is directed to the faucet for hand washing and is then drained into the tank to be used for the next flush.

But the most remarkable fact about this young couple’s home is how they managed to have it built for less than the price of a townhouse in the area.
They bought the land for $180,000; spent $208,000 on materials, labor, and Solar Electric System; paid $16,582 in sales tax; and $12,500 for permits for a subtotal of $417,082.

But Washington State’s solar incentive program will pay them nearly $1,000 a year for the next nine years. They’ll also receive a 30% federal tax credit for their solar installation at the end of this year, equal to about $9,000. This comes to a grand total of $399,082 for their two-story, 1,915 square-foot, three bedroom home.

With their home, Salmon and Thomas hope to inspire more people to consider building a zero-energy house.

“We would definitely like to talk to other people to simplify the process,” he said, explaining that seeking loans and getting the right permits and grants was a lengthy, difficult process.

The proud new home owners set up a blog to share their experience and will host an Open House and Press Tour on Saturday, Dec 10.

“The neighbors have been very welcoming and many have asked for a tour. They are all interested in the design,” said Salmon.

The tour will be held at their home on 612 NW 60t Street from 3 p.m. till 4 p.m. on Dec 10. RSVP’s are required. Contact eric@ericethomas.com.

Click on the image above to start a slideshow of the house.