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The Depot Neighborhood

    • Habitat for Humanity, Grand Traverse Region, built this 1,352-square-foot home in Traverse City, Michigan, to the performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
    • The builder installed a 7.43-kW solar photovoltaic electric system that should contribute about $775 to the nearly $900 in savings each year that the high-performance home will realize, compared to a home built to code (the 2009 IECC).
    • The houses are oriented to a central garden with south-facing roofs optimized for solar energy production.
    • Ceiling fans help to offset air conditioning while ultra-efficient triple-pane, low-e casement windows help to minimize unwanted heat gains.
    • The home was equipped with a high-efficiency ENERGY STAR refrigerator. The home meets the requirements of EPA's Indoor airPLUS certification including structural wood products, primer, paint, cabinets, and flooring that emit low or no levels of VOC air pollutants.
    • All of the home's plumbing fixtures are designed to save water and energy.
    • ENERGY STAR laundry equipment helps to save energy and water.
    • Six inches of rigid foam insulation under the slab and ICF foundation walls wrap the slab in a continuous thermal blanket.
    • After pouring the footings, insulated concrete form (ICF) blocks were stacked 36 inches high and filled with concrete to form sturdy insulated foundation walls.
    • Insulated concrete forms combine rigid foam insulation panels with a steel-reinforced poured concrete core to provide a durable and efficient foundation wall that is part of a continuous thermal blanket.

      The Depot Neighborhood

      Project Address

      Traverse City, MI

      Conditioned Square Footage
      1,352 sqft
      Number of Bedrooms
      3 Beds
      Number of Bathrooms
      2.0 Baths
      Number of Floors Above Grade
      1 Floor Above Grade
      Home Type
      Affordable
      Climate Zone Temperature
      Cold
      Climate Zone Humidity
      Humid

      With PV

      HERS Index with PV
      -1HERS (PV)
      Average Monthly Energy Bill PV
      $9Average Monthly Energy Bill (PV)
      Annual Energy Cost Savings with PV
      $900Annual Energy Cost Savings (PV)
      30 Year Savings with PV
      $39,00030 Year Savings (PV)

      Habitat for Humanity, Grand Traverse Region

      ZERO

      HIA Year
      HIA Status
      Winner
      HIA Category
      Housing Innovation Award

      Learn More

      Key Features

      Key Features
      All-electric home Cold-climate heat pump Energy / Heat recovery ventilator Heat pump water heater High-performance wall with continuous insulation Photovoltaics Raised-heel trusses Triple-pane windows ACH 50 < 2.5 or CFM50/SF of enclosure ≤ 0.25

      Read the Case Study

      See the Poster

      Testimonials

      Video Testimonial
      Home owner (or occupant) Testimony
      Honestly, quite a few times I would get a shutoff notice and go to DHS to get help to pay my electric and gas because I couldn’t afford to pay for rent and groceries and gas and everything [before owning my Zero Energy Ready Home].
      Testimony Citation
      Homeowner

      Additional Media

      Finished Elevations

        Finished Interiors

          Under Construction

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            Other Images

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              Floor Plan