Zero carbon housing

Zero-carbon housing is a term used to describe a house that does not emit greenhouse gasses, specifically carbon dioxide (CO2), into the atmosphere. Homes release greenhouse gases through burning fossil fuels in order to provide heat, or even while cooking on a gas stove. A zero carbon house can be achieved by either building or renovating a home to be very energy efficient and for its energy consumption to be from non-emitting sources, for example electricity. According to a 2020 UN report, building and construction practices are responsible for ~38% of all energy-related carbon emissions. For this reason, the building industry is finding alternative means and methods to reduce the amount of emissions that are associated with both the construction process and the day to day operations to maintain buildings. Zero carbon housing: A home that is designed and implemented in such a way that it does not release any additional carbon emissions into the atmosphere by sustaining itself with clean energy. This means that the energy the house consumes is purely electric. Zero energy housing: A home that is designed and built to produce enough of its own renewable energy to sustain itself without needing to rely on the grid. This is different from zero carbon housing because its goal is to produce 100% of its own clean energy. Passive house: A home that focuses of high insulation with an airtight building envelope. High levels of insulation mean the house is able to use less energy for heating and cooling depending on the climate it is in. Active house: A home that focuses on the health and comfort of the occupants. This focus is present in the increased natural lighting and ventilation the house is designed for. There are a two main goals to strive for in creating zero carbon homes: The first goal is to create a passive house which is remarkably well insulated and nearly completely airtight. In constructing a new home, this means windows are placed strategically such that they absorb the heat from sunlight in the winter yet also minimize its heat in the summer.