Page 9 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2019 Issue

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Green Building NEWS

The Latest on Sustainability and Renewable Energy
A New Type of

Environmentally

Friendly

‘The Recycle House’ shows a new

way to build a prefab home that’s
good for nature. All you need is CREDIT: RICHARD ERIKSSON/FLICKR

612,000 plastic bottles.

PAIR OF NOVA SCOTIAN builders have created a prefab home
that resists mold and mildew, can withstand hurricane- Net-zero boom. Homes that produce as much energy as they consume
force winds and gives a new use for an environmentally continue to become more popular in North America.
A deadly product: plastic. Dubbed “The Recycle House,” the
structure consists of 612,000 recycled plastic bottles that were Zero-energy
processed into gas-injected, hardened foam and sandwiched between
fiberglass skins to create lightweight composite panels. It’s the first
residentials continue
such known use of PET foam, according to a report in Dwell.

swift climb

The number of green homes in North
COURTESY OF JD COMPOSITES America has risen 59 percent in one year.

HE MARKET FOR RESIDENTIAL ZERO-ENERGY BUILDINGS continues to
show growth across the United States and Canada, with 59 percent
more units in design, construction or operation in 2019 compared to
Plastic prefab? At first glance, you’d never realize that this prefab T the same period one year earlier. The 22,146 units include single-family
home is made of recycled plastic bottles. and multifamily projects that are working to achieve zero-energy-using or zero-
Joel German, who with partner David Saulnier co-founded JD energy-ready performance, according to the Zero Energy Residential Buildings
Composites to fund construction of the beach house, says they Study from Richmond, Calif.-based green construction activist Team Zero.
wanted a way to start a business and build responsibly. The Recycle A zero-energy, or net zero energy building, produces as much renewable energy
House is also exceptionally strong, with its 8-foot-by-8-foot panels as it consumes over a year. A net zero-using building is one that will be net
being tested to withstand 326 mph winds—forces twice as strong zero upon opening; a net zero-ready building can be converted to zero-energy
as that of a Category 5 hurricane. The home exterior is also clad with when desired.
aluminum and vinyl siding for looks. “Our intent is to further develop The report, produced by the group formerly known as the Net Zero Energy
the technology so it can be licensed and built all around the world, and Coalition, also shows a 7.2 percent increase in the number of U.S. projects
we will continue to try different things to bring to various builders,” pursuing zero-energy-using vs. zero-energy-ready status, from 66.6 percent
German told Dwell. “Many hurricane-prone areas need this product, and 21.7 percent in 2017, to 73.8 percent and 29 percent now, respectively.
and we plan on delivering.” In Canada, there was a 240 percent increase in the number of zero-energy
Don’t expect to see homes of this type in North America soon, he units over 2017. And in that two-year-period, multifamily homes with green
adds. “The building codes [there] need to adapt. It will take some time energy capabilities have risen to dominant shares in both countries: 67 percent
for them to adjust and learn our technology through testing.” in the United States and 90 percent in Canada. The study is available at
https://teamzero.org.

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