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The Beauty of Zero


Case Studies


Featured Project
  • NIST Test Facility by Betsy Pettit and Cathy Gates, Building Science Corp with  Therrien Waddell and Bethesda Bungalows
Exterior Exterior

NIST Test Facility

Gaithersburg, MD

Since 2013, the U.S. government has been simulating the energy demands of a typical American family in the experimental NZERTF home in Gaithersburg, MD, operated by the U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology. The home was built to achieve a net-zero goal with highly efficient HVAC systems, mechanical ventilation via an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), and a large array of solar panels. Computer controls turn on and off lights and appliances, as well as introduce changes in carbon dioxide levels modeling behaviors of a typical household.

The project demonstrates how a home “similar in size, aesthetics, and amenities to those in the surrounding communities can generate as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis while meeting all of the functional needs of the occupants.”

The advanced wall system of NZERTF's outer shell includes continuous foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulation on the home's exterior walls and roof. This "beyond code" insulating process boosts the home's energy efficiency, creating a tigher structure that maintains internal temperatures longer and shields the interior from outside elements. The work of the NZERTF helps to inform standards and codes in the home building industry, such as the ASHRAE mechanical standards published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The house is equipped with three different air-to-air heat pump systems, allowing the researchers to explore outcomes of each system on energy use and comfort. NZERTF researchers are also closely examining the relationship between energy-efficient building practices and indoor air quality; for example, testing the functionality of "demand sensors" for maintaining optimal ventilation in a super tight home.

Project Data
Year Completed: 2013
Architect: Betsy Pettit and Cathy Gates, Building Science Corp
Builder: Therrien Waddell and Bethesda Bungalows
Engineer: EBL Engineers, LLC
Housing Type: Single-family
Size: 4 beds, 3 baths | 4,200 sq. ft.

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