A Near Zero building is one in which the total amount of energy used is nearly equal to the amount of renewable energy it creates. We’re striving to make Green Earth Village Canada’s first Near Zero community, and in order to achieve this we’ll need to rely on a host of sustainable and energy-saving technologies. In this post we’ll outline a few of the technologies that will make Green Earth Village a living, breathing showcase of smart design and long-term sustainability.
The Power Haus Concept
Most Near Zero buildings utilize improved window glazing, insulated piping, LED lighting and more efficient HVAC to help achieve their efficiencies. The most forward-thinking of these developments also rely on The Power Haus Concept.
Power Haus uses solar battery storage to create a scenario where on-site power generation can offset the most expensive energy load in a home. And the electrical savings can pay for the solar battery system on a mortgage.
A Power Haus Home saves 1.2 tonnes or 24% of GHG emissions in relation to a typical house model.
Solar Technology
Green Earth Village will be built solar ready, with an intelligent energy management system for homeowners that will be used in conjunction with Power Haus solar battery storage.
Green Earth Village will also house a community microgrid powered by a solar field. The communal energy supplied as part of the microgrid will help ensure the community can sustain power in the event of an outage and also produce enough supplementary energy to help contribute towards our Near Zero designation.
Geothermal
Geothermal harnesses the natural heat stored in the ground through a network of pipes called a ground loop. A water-based solution circulating though the pipes collects the heat. This ground loop solution is passed through a heat exchanger or heat pump, which replaces the traditional home furnace and air conditioning system.
Geothermal heating and cooling is safe, clean, reliable and efficient. And because the system transfers heat, rather than creating it, the systems produces drastically lower GHG emissions than traditional systems.
Green Transportation
Transportation accounts for a large portion of the average person’s ecological footprint. Alternative options like public transportation and cycling are gaining popularity in urban centres but often there is no avoiding the use of a personal automobile. That’s why Green Earth Village will be equipped with a host of options for charging electric vehicles. Charging canopies will be complimented by 240V EV Charging Stations, which charge electric vehicles in half the time of a standard 120V outlet and are compatible with a wide range of EVs, further reducing the community’s GHG emissions.
Greywater Reuse
Greywater is the gently used water from bathroom sinks, showers, tubs and washing machines. The Greyter Water System, which will be used in Green Earth Village, reclaims, filters and disinfects greywater to a near potable quality so that it can be reused. It’s capable of supplying 100% of the water required for flushing toilets, reduces interior household water consumption (and costs) by 25-30%, is simple and easy to maintain and operates using very little energy.
Greywater recycling has a multitude of environmental benefits. It reduces freshwater extraction, has less impact on wastewater treatment infrastructure, helps maintain topsoil nutrition, and reduces the energy used and chemical pollution from treatment plants.
These are just a few of the sustainable and energy-saving technologies we plan to implement at Green Earth Village. And as development continues we’ll keep researching new ways to achieve our goal of becoming Canada’s first Near Zero community.
