Experimental Home Targeting Zero Life-Cycle-Energy Balance

Misawa Homes have developed a homeaiming a zero annual energy balance, definedas the energy consumption over production byusing solar energy, in 1997. According to oursurvey, energy balances of what we call ZeroEnergy Hoines built in Tokyo or southern areaof Japan were actually zero but it was not thecase in those homes built in northern areaAs one of the top housing distributors, werealize that it is our responsibility to developand provide environmentally friendly homesto prevent global warming. When it comes tosubstantial effect on environmental impact, notonly annual energy balance but the energy andresources consumed during manufacturing andconstruction periods, is important. In otherwords, life cycle energy (LCE) niust beconsidered. We have now set a new goal todevelop a home with zeroannual-energy-balance no matter where youbuild it. Another goal is to developtechnologies that realize zero LCE balance. Anexperimental Advanced Zero Energy Homewas constructed in February 2008 inAsahikawa city, one of the coldest cities inJapan.