Path to Zero

Cottle Net Zero Energy Home was the 1st Net Zero Energy new home in California and is recognized as one of the highest-performance, greenest and most energy efficient homes in the State.  It was awarded a special commendation by the California Energy Commission.  It boasts all the features you would expect in a custom luxury home in Silicon Valley, and much more. Explore the information, document links and videos below to learn about this ground-breaking contemporary home redefining performance standards for indoor air quality, comfort, energy and water efficiency, and of course, modern style and luxury.

The ABC Green Home brand, consisting of four ZNE residential projects, aims to demonstrate that building green can be Affordable, Buildable, and Certified. All of the homes showcased below are unique ventures, expanding the possibilities for each particular type of home building. Please explore current and past projects below and be sure to continue on to each of the individual projects’ home pages. 

Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin County partnered with PG&E in the ZNE Production Builder Demonstration beginning in 2015, assisted by the Design AVEnues consulting team. PG&E funded the Consultants' contribution and provided the builder with a cost reimbursement of up to $15,000 to offset the cost of upgraded equipment and some learning curve costs associated with design and drawing changes.

UC Davis West Village is the largest planned “zero net energy” community in the United States.  A model in public-private partnership, the university, and a private developer have accomplished together what neither could achieve alone.  Leveraging the expertise of its faculty and staff, UC Davis secured nearly $7.5 million in federal and state energy research grants to explore large-scale ZNE design. West Village Community Partnership, LLC, under a 65-year ground lease with the university, invested $200 million to make the project a reality.

June 01, 2017

The De Young Zero Energy Home is designed to produce as much energy as it consumes each year, which also zeros its energy-related carbon impact on the environment. The advanced building science utilized to achieve zero energy results in significant savings on energy bills, making it a very smart decision for financial and environmental reasons. In addition, Zero Energy Homes are much more healthy and comfortable to live in.

This Zero Energy Home is the first in the Central Valley designed specifically to be available for purchase. The De Young Zero Energy Home is the result of years of research and development, optimizing its design and features, and includes a specifically-sized solar system to offset annual energy use. The home was sold in only 16 days on the market for $421,000.

In 2016 at the time of occupancy, it was the nation's largest ZNE single family development.

Calistoga Family Apartments in 2015 it was the first project in North America to use a single central heat pump for DHW and HVAC and won a Best of Class ZNE Gold Nugget and first runner up overall in the contest.

Cottages at Cypress in 2014 at the time of occupancy was the nation's largest ZNE single family development.