This is a certified U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home by Clifton View Homes on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound in Western Washington. The lucky homeowners have utility bills of less than $100 per year.

High-efficiency ENERGY STAR appliances, advanced solid-state lighting technology, and water-saving plumbing fixtures save energy and water.

The walls and ceilings use structural insulated panel (SIP) construction with two layers of oriented strand board (OSB) sandwiching a 6- to 10-inch-thick layer of rigid foam insulation for a continuous thermal blanket around the entire home.

Comprehensive draft protection includes rigid foam insulation sprayed in the rim joists, and SIP panels glued together with a double bead of caulk.

Advanced SIP technology panels come to the jobsite straight, dry, and precisely cut for quick assembly, a plus in the often-damp Pacific Northwest climate.

The 7-kilowatt solar electric system more than covers the electric needs of the home. An ultra-efficient geo heat pump comfort system serves the heating and cooling needs, which are extremely low thanks to the high-efficiency enclosure including energy-saving SIP construction, ultra-efficient triple-pane windows, and natural comfort orientation and shading, which allows available sunlight to heat the stained concrete thermal mass floors in winter and block unwanted solar heat in the summer.