Savings on utility bills, increased comfort for homeowners; environmental and economic benefits for Nevada explained at seminar at Henderson City Hall

Emerging Home Energy Technologies Highlighted Aug. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2019

Contact:
Tom Polikalas, Nevada Representative
tpolikalas@swenergy.org | 775-386-7411

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(HENDERSON, NEV.) – New homes built in Nevada are increasingly energy efficient with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy leading the way by adopting the most recent International Energy Conservation Code (2018 IECC). Most local jurisdictions in Nevada have also adopted the 2018 IECC—which saves homeowners an estimated $360 a year on utility bills as compared to homes built to the 2009 standard, according to a U.S. Department of Energy study.

There are other  ways to save energy and money in homes through new and emerging technologies—some of which will be highlighted at a seminar, “Housing’s  Emerging Energy Technologies” (HEET 2019),  the afternoon of Thursday, August 1, 2019, in the Green Valley Training Room at Henderson’s City Hall, 240 S. Water St.

‘’We’re looking for additional opportunities to save Nevadans money on their utility bills through cost-effective technologies that are not yet commonly used in residential construction,’’ explained Jennifer Taylor, Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Energy. “Accelerating the adoption of energy saving products will benefit both Nevada’s environment and economy, enhancing our overall quality of life.”

New trends in residential construction that will be covered at the seminar include “Zero Energy” and “Zero Energy Ready” homes. Zero energy homes incorporate energy efficient products and building practices with an on-site solar energy system so that the home can produce as much energy as it uses in a year on a “net” basis. These homes sometimes put surplus power on to the utility’s grid, other times drawing power from the grid, equivalent on an annual basis.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines a zero energy ready home as “a high performance home which is so energy efficient, that a renewable energy system can offset all or most of its annual energy consumption.”

“Homes that meet the criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy’s ‘zero energy ready’ designation meet high performance standards so that they live better, work better and last longer than code built homes,” said Jim Meyers, building program director of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP).

“Both categories of homes are very appealing to consumers as well as having a very low carbon footprint,’’ Meyers continued. ‘’We’re educating future homeowners, the building industry, and building code officials about their exciting potential.”

Other topics presented at the seminar include:

  • “Heat pump” technologies for home cooling in the summer, heating in the winter, and water heating;
  • “Smart” water heater thermostats that provide consumer savings through enable thermal energy storage and grid benefits for utilities;
  • Solar and on-demand water heating;
  • Charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs);Home Energy Storage/Batteries;
  • Topics being discussed for the 2021 IECC.

“We hope this event will be another important contribution to the sustainable economic development of Nevada,” Taylor highlighted.

HEET 2019 is sponsored by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy, the City of Henderson, ASHRAE So. Nev., Southwest Gas, NV Energy, NV|EfX, the Green Alliance, and the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association (SNHBA).

The seminar is free without lunch or $20 with a box lunch provided. Space is limited, so persons interested in attending are encouraged to register early at Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/309zJ5S. For more information, please reach Tom Polikalas, SWEEP’s Nevada representative, at 775-386-7411 or tpolikalas@swenergy.org.