Nation's Largest ZNE Development Gets Preview

Artist Rendering of UC Davis, West Village (Illustration by Transparent House, Inc.)

An exciting new zero net energy housing development at the University of California, Davis is currently underway.  Described as the largest ZNE development of its kind in the U.S., the college's West Village is a 130-acre, mixed-used development with apartment housing for 2,000 students, an education center for Los Rios Community College, recreation and study facilities, a village square surrounded by retail, and 343 single-family homes for sale to faculty and staff.

The highlight of the project is a four-megawatt high efficiency solar system designed to produce 100 percent of the electricity requirements for the entire community.

The site recently welcomed officials, including California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, to a pre-opening tour.

Read more about the project here.

Being Green in the OC is as Simple as ABC

A rendering of the ABC Green Home (courtesy: ABC Green Home Project)

Last week, we announced plans to build an environmentally friendly home near the Orange County Great Park in Orange County, California.  Dubbed the ABC Green Home because of goals to make it affordable, buildable and certified by several of the green-building rating agencies, the house will demonstrate that a solar-powered, environmental home can be built using available materials, technology and appliances at a cost that's competitive with conventional housing.

The ABC Green Home will be the first of two experimental homes that SCE will build in Orange County, with support from the homes' designer, KTGY Group architects and Newport Beach-based Green Home Builder magazine.

The goal would be for the completed home to be displayed for a year so the public and the homebuilding industry can learn from the effort.  The home will then be moved to a new site and given away, most likely to a low-income family or a veteran.  

Read more about the ABC Green Home project here. 

You Can Take That To The (ZNE) Bank

The new TD Bank store in Florida, also known as the nation's first net-zero bank, features 400 solar panels that will produce 100 percent of the store's annual energy needs (credit: TD Bank)

TD Bank, which calls itself "America's Most Convenient Bank" can now say it has America's first zero net energy bank location, too. Located in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., the bank achieves zero net energy through its 400 solar panels - which soak up the Florida sunshine while providing 100 percent of the bank's electricity needs. Pretty cool.

Learn more about America's first zero net energy bank here.