Abode Builders is pleased to announce the completion of a new net-zero-ready home in the Ballard-Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. The “Frelard Net Zero Ready House” will be featured in the upcoming Northwest Green Home Tour, on Sunday April 30, 2017.

John Novak of Velocipede Architects designed this home for his family of three. John and his wife bought a small fisherman’s shack on this lot in 2008, and when they outgrew the small space, they decided that the most affordable way to stay in the neighborhood was to demolish the old house and build something new. They wanted a home that was super energy-efficient, modern, beautiful, not too expensive, and most importantly, comfortable. Their new house features an open layout, plentiful natural light, high ceilings, and a seamless indoor-outdoor connection. Construction by Abode Builders, a Ballard-based construction company that specializes in net zero homes, was just finished.

“Net zero” homes produce as much energy as they consume on an annual basis. The Frelard House is not quite net zero, because solar panels haven’t yet been installed, but the house has the right roof pitch, orientation, and wiring for future solar panel installation. In the meantime, a variety of strategies have been employed to lower the house’s energy demands:
• • • • • • • •
High-performance European triple-pane windows
Structural insulated panel (SIP) walls and roof for maximum insulation Heat and energy recovery ventilation
CO2 heat pump for super efficient water heating
Radiant floor heat
Energy-efficient Energy-Star appliances
LED lighting throughout
Programmable thermostat

With the house is standards. However, the savings in energy costs over time are significant. Most net zero added cost of triple-pane windows, SIPs, a heat pump, and solar panels, a net zero indeed marginally more expensive than a comparable house built to lower energy homeowners say that these up-front investments more than pay for themselves within twenty to thirty years.

Forty-two percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from heating, cooling, and providing electricity to residential and commercial buildings. Designing homes that require minimal energy for people to conduct their normal day-to-day activities could go a long way in reducing the future impact of climate change. But in the absence of more stringent building codes, families like the Novaks, and companies like Abode Builders, have taken matters into their own hands.

“We have to begin the process of doing with less in every area of our lives,” Tony Hansen of Abode Builders said, “We’d love to see Seattle’s building code embrace these practices, but in the end, it has to start with individuals.”

This year’s Northwest Green Home Tour features over 25 residential sites. Along with the Frelard House, sites range from high design, luxury homes to houseboats and historic houses renovated for sustainability. Site details and the official tour map are available online at NWGreenHomeTour.org.