Area of Focus: Affordable Housing Technology, Net Zero Housing

Department/Courses Involved: Architecture

Author: Michael Gibson, AIA, NCARB, LEED A.P.

Executive Summary: U.S. homes, with a median age nearing 50 years, are part of a convoluted legacy of production methods prioritizing inexpensive materials and straightforward construction. Consequently, residential buildings end up consuming more energy than commercial ones. The contemporary environmental, economic, and societal challenges create a demand for new housing that can address both energy efficiency and affordability in a radically new way. This chapter explores the evolution of U.S. housing, highlighting the persistent reliance on outdated construction methods and the resultant energy inefficiency. It underscores the urgent need for a paradigm shift towards affordable, energy-efficient homes, given the escalating housing costs and environmental concerns. The discussion reframes the concept of net-zero homes, underlining the role of occupants as central to a system that favors lean technologies over high-tech solutions. Supported by energy modeling, the chapter reveals that simple performance imperatives, coupled with occupant behavior, can make net-zero homes feasible and accessible.