Take a look inside a $1.1 million ‘zero emissions’ home
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
Real estate is a key puzzle piece in achieving the U.S.’ climate goals, according to federal officials.
Residential and commercial buildings account for 31% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, after accounting for “indirect” emissions like electricity use, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s more than other economic sectors like transportation and agriculture.
The Biden administration has adopted various policies to cut residential emissions.
The Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, offers financial benefits including tax breaks and rebates to homeowners who make their homes more energy-efficient, for example. The White House also recently issued guidelines for buildings in order to be considered “zero emissions,” meaning they are “energy efficient, free of onsite emissions from energy use and powered solely from clean energy,” according to the Department of Energy.
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Morgan Wojciechowski, 33, is among the first homeowners to get that federal “zero emissions” label. (That assessment was bestowed by the third-party firm Pearl Certification.)
Wojciechowski, her husband Casey, and their three dogs — Dixie, Bo and Charlie — moved into the newly built residence in Williamsburg, Virginia, in August 2023.
Wojciechowski, who is also the president of Healthy Communities, a local real-estate developer focused on sustainable construction, spoke with CNBC about her new home, its financial benefits and how consumers can best upgrade their homes to be more efficient.
The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Morgan Wojciechowski and her husband Casey.
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
Greg Iacurci: What does it mean for your home to be considered ‘zero emissions’?
Morgan Wojciechowski: It’s a very, very, very highly efficient home that’s all-electric. Those are kind of the first two bullet points of the White House definition.
The third part is we are part of the green energy program with [our power provider] Dominion. Not only am I producing solar [energy] and any excess is going back onto the grid, but the power from the grid coming into my home is clean and sustainable. It’s about $10 extra a month for me to get that clean energy.
GI: How much did your house cost to build?
MW: Like $1.1 million.
GI: And how big is the house?
MW: 5,800 square feet.
It’s a large home. But mine is not what everybody’s doing. My home was my personal project because I believe in sustainability and wanted to do it in a home that would be my forever home. But one that’s more replicable would be like what [Healthy Communities] builds at Walnut Farm, which is like 1,500 square feet. We’re selling it for $433,000.
GI: Can you break down your home’s estimated savings?
MW: Our utility bills are projected to be about $917 a year with [solar] panels, or around $80 a month.
The annual savings are $7,226 [relative to an average U.S. home, according to rater TopBuild Home Services]. That’s just from the efficiency of the home with solar.
If you took the solar production away, I would be saving $5,431 annually. The solar offsets it.
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
GI: What do you mean solar offsets it?
MW: You create energy. Your home uses that energy and sends excess energy back to Dominion. Those credits are stored in an account, and then those credits offset your bill. It’s called net metering.
GI: So the power company is paying you that money?
MW: Those credits are applied to your next billing cycle. They offset your overall utility bill, and that’s where your savings come in.
Solar panels only make sense if you build an energy-efficient home that’s really all-electric.
Courtesy: Wojciechowski Family
GI: Why is that?
MW: You have to have a home that’s constructed energy-efficiently enough or retrofitted — by replacing your windows with higher-grade windows, adding insulation — so that you will need fewer panels on your rooftop, so you have a quicker return on your investment. Solar only makes sense if you’re going to have a return on your investment within a few years.
GI: That makes solar more attractive?
MW: If you don’t do energy-efficient upgrades to a pre-existing home or if you don’t build a home that’s energy-efficient enough, you have to add more panels to compensate for the lack of energy efficiency. And if that number gets too big it turns people upside down.
Solar has to make sense with the home that you’re putting it on, or else, don’t do it. Maybe just upgrade your windows, add insulation, condition your crawl space, upgrade your mechanical systems.
There are a lot of things consumers can do. You don’t have to do it all at one time. You don’t have to have a solar home to be zero emissions; you have to have an energy-efficient house that’s all-electric, and you have to buy renewable energy from your utility company.
That’s extremely approachable. Lots of people can do that. Everybody can join in at their level of sustainability.
GI: How do you recommend people get started?
MW: I would tell a consumer, why don’t you start with windows and doors. That’s a very easy one. Do that and see how you notice any [efficiency] changes.
In a lot of older homes windows are very old and they leak. Air is coming in and out. If you think about it, a house is like an envelope. You you want to seal the inside of your home the best that you can.
I would hit insulation next.
A lot of older homes have HVAC systems, duct work inside of their attic. Insulate it so that it’s a conditioned space, so that those building systems don’t have to work in overdrive to keep up with really hot temperatures or really cold temperatures. That keeps it more energy efficient.
And there are tax incentives [available] for energy-efficient upgrades to your home. Consumers can get and write them off, so that’s attractive to people as well.
GI: If you’re a renter, there are certain things that are out of your control. I suppose you can ask your landlord.
MW: Depending upon what your rental situation is. I feel like that’s a little bit more daunting, to change someone else’s mind. Once you get to your own home, eventually, then you have more say of what you can do.
Until then, you could be mindful about the energy you use. Turn lights off. I mean, that’s a real thing. People don’t turn lights off. I mean, even though I have a really efficient home, I have timers on things because I don’t want to be wasting energy. That’s an easy one that anybody could do.
Enbridge, a Canadian energy company, just announced it’s moving forward with an 815-megawatt (MW) solar project called Sequoia in Texas. When it’s done, it’ll be one of the largest solar farms in North America. The project’s price tag is a hefty $1.1 billion.
Enbridge’s Sequoia, around 150 miles west of Dallas, has already landed long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with AT&T and Toyota, ensuring most of its output is sold for years to come. This deal was highlighted in Enbridge’s third-quarter report on Friday.
Sequoia will be built in two phases, with power expected to start flowing in 2025 and 2026. Enbridge says it’s taken steps to reduce risks by securing equipment and procurement contracts in advance. Permits and purchase orders are also locked down.
Toyota’s PPA with Enbridge’s Texas solar project is part of Toyota’s broader push toward sustainability, as the automaker aims to achieve net zero by 2035 and match 45% of its purchased power with renewable electricity by 2026 as it still clings to its “diverse powertrain strategy.”
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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Environment
NIO’s EV sales top 20,000 for the sixth straight month as new low-cost SUV shows promise
With its new electric SUV rolling out, NIO’s (NIO) sales topped the 20,000 mark again in Oct, its sixth straight month hitting the milestone.
NIO sold 20,976 vehicles last month, up 30.5% from October 2023. The NIO brand sold 16,657 vehicles, while its new “family-oriented smart vehicle brand,” Onvo, contributed 4,319 in its first full sales month.
After launching its new mid-size Onvo L60 electric SUV in September, NIO said production and deliveries are steadily ramping up.
At the end of October, NIO’s Onvo had 166 Centers and Spaces throughout 60 cities. Onvo plans to continue expanding its network to drive future growth.
NIO’s new electric SUV starts at around $21,200 (149,900) and is a direct rival to Tesla’s Model Y. The base $21K model is if you rent the battery. Even with the battery included, Onvo L60 prices still start at under $30,000 (206,900 yuan), with a CLTC range of up to 341 miles (555 km). That’s still less than the Model Y.
Tesla’s Model Y RWD starts at around $35,000 (249,900 yuan) with 344 mi (554 km) CLTC range in China.
NIO’s new Onvo brand drives higher Oct sales
NIO has often compared its new electric SUV to the Model Y, claiming it’s superior in many ways. The L60 has better consumption at 12.1 kWh/100km compared to the Model Y at 12.5 kWh/100km).
With a longer wheelbase (2,950 mm vs 2,890 mm), NIO’s electric SUV also provides slightly more interior space.
Despite the L60’s success so far, NIO believes its second Onvo model will be an even bigger hit. It could be a potential game-changer.
“If you think the L60 is good, then this new model is a much more competitive product,” NIO’s CEO William Li told CnEVPost after launching the L60. Onvo will launch a new EV every year. Following the L60, Onvo will launch a new mid-to-large-size electric SUV next year.
NIO’s leader claims the new model will be revolutionary. According to Li, it will offer even more surprises than the L60. Deliveries are planned to begin in Q3 2025.
| NIO Onvo L60 vs Tesla Model Y trims | Range (CLTC) |
Starting Price |
| NIO Onvo L60 (Battery rental) | 555 km (341 mi) 730 km (454 mi) |
149,900 yuan ($21,200) |
| NIO Onvo L60 (60 kWh) | 555 km (341 mi) | 206,900 yuan ($29,300) |
| NIO Onvo L60 (85 kWh) | 730 km (454 mi) | 235,900 yuan ($33,400) |
| NIO Onvo L60 (150 kWh) | +1,000 km (+621 mi) | TBD |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | 554 km (344 mi) | 249,900 yuan ($34,600) |
| Tesla Model Y AWD Long Range | 688 km (427 mi) | 290,900 yuan ($40,300) |
| Tesla Model Y AWD Performance | 615 km (382 mi) | 354,900 yuan ($49,100) |
Local reports suggest a six-or seven-seat electric SUV could hit the market even sooner. With rumors of a launch around Q1 2025, deliveries could happen as soon as May 2025.
According to sources close to the matter, the L60 is just a “stepping stone” with even more exciting EVs on the way. The source claimed the new six-seat option will start at around $42,100 (300,000 yuan).
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Velotric Ebikes are designed by some of the most brilliant minds in the business. And now, you have the opportunity to own one (or two!) of these high-performance, elegant, reliable rides. You won’t want to miss these fantastic early-bird Black Friday deals running from November 1-14, and, also get a sneak peek at special offers that start on November 8.
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Velotric Black Friday deals – give to get back
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Velotric Discover 1 Plus Ebike
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Don’t forget to use Velotric’s exclusive code for Electrek readers of Electrek20 at checkout to get an additional $20 OFF!
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