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year, Built Green considers the home net zero. The good news is the energy bills will prove it! And thanks to renewable energy credits, home owners can even make money from the utility. Speaking of the near future, you've probably heard a lot about electric cars. Well, NZE homes can help support greener transportation, too! Much of the energy used today by buildings and for transportation produces greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. It is important to be energy e§cient and use renewable energy that does not produce greenhouse gases. If a NZE building is used to power an electric vehicle, even better! Built Green has certified homes that achieve net zero energy use even when an electric vehicle is To better support NZE building and spread the word about its benefits, Built Green recently launched its Net Zero Energy label. This will allow builders to market the benefits of achieving net zero energy homes. Learn more about Built Green and net zero energy homes at builtgreen.net being charged. This means less gas used, which leads to cash savings for the resident and fewer pollutants. What about homes that don't achieve the net zero energy standard? Worry not; there are still opportunities to save and sustain. According to the Built Green post-occupancy study, a 4-Star Built Green home that powers an electric car still uses less energy than a non-certified home. Talk about cash and climate savings! Now, all these savings are great, but what about other amenities? Glad you asked, because NZE homes also signify comfort and quality. In part because these homes aren't the norm (yet), the builders put extra thought into their construction, often using some of the best examples of homebuilding technology and methods available. The final product will be more comfortable thanks to the home's e§cient envelope and controlled ventilation. In fact, several residents of Built Green net zero energy homes have expressed their delight at how comfortable their homes are. To better support NZE building and spread the word about its benefits, Built Green recently launched its Net Zero Energy label. This will allow builders to market the benefits of achieving net zero energy in their buildings. The label fits easily within Built Green's existing framework; after hitting a certain star level, builders must simply provide an energy model that shows the building is projected to achieve net zero energy use and share a waiver from the resident that allows Built Green to access the home's utility data for later studies and monitoring. This can be combined with any Built Green star level. Of course, there is still Emerald Star certification, Built Green's highest certification level, which requires net zero energy use. We're excited that the second Seattle home to achieve this robust certification was completed in October 2017 by TC Legend Homes. TC Legend joins Dwell Development as proud builders of an Emerald Star Seattle-area home. As the market shifts toward NZE building, Built Green is here to support home builders on the forefront of the curve. After all, net zero energy really is better for everyone. 21 SPRING 2018 master builder