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Costs of saving and producing energy
in an average home are falling rapidly. Within ten years or so,
zero-energy homes could cost no more than comparable
conventional homes. A zero-energy
home generates as much energy as it consumes each year. The best
energy strategies include solar panels, an energy-recovery
ventilation system, a ground water geothermal system, Energy
Star appliances, compact fluorescent lights, low-emissivity
windows, passive solar principles, and highly-efficient
insulation, all backed up with a little gas heat and electricity
from the grid.
These homes will be managed by a computer
system to automatically select the best energy strategy at each
moment.
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