Artistic Homes:

Leading The Southwest Into Zero-Energy

Homes

Thomas Wade
President, Artistic Homes
www.artistichomes.com

Artistic Homes Background

• Locally owned family business, stationed in New Mexico, that has built over 5300 High-Performance
G
Guaranteed
t d Homes
H since
i 1998

• Currently building 500 – 800 homes per year targeted toward middle income families

• Building America® Builder since year 2000

• Registered Partner with DOE’s

DOE s Builders Challenge Program since 2008

• 1st and only Production Builder in NM to offer true net-Zero Energy Homes (ZEHs) as an optional
upgrade on every home built

• Hopes to build 100% Zero Energy Homes within the next 3 – 5 years

• Goal is to build more Zero Energy Homes than any other builder in the country for 2009
 Artistic Homes’ Involvement with Builders Challenge

• Artistic has set the standard for high

performance homes in North America

• ALL Artistic homes exceed Builders

Challenge requirements

• Building homes that achieve a score of

57 – 0 on the EnergySmart
gy Home
Scale

• DOE’s goal to attain a score of 0 is

yyear 2030

• Artistic Homes has achieved this goal

22 years ahead of DOE’s goal

Why Build Zero Energy Homes

• Construct homes that efficiently use and produce energy while conserving water and providing a healthy
i d
indoor environment
i t

• Allows owners to sell excess energy generated back to the Public Service Co. of New Mexico and Xcel
Energy (producing positive cash flow)

• Defines differentiation from competitor builders by building sustainable, energy efficient, reproducible
Green homes

• Offering airtight construction causes heating & cooling systems to work more efficiently while reducing the
cost of operation and improving comfort levels within the home

• Free media support and recognition

“Green” Home Sales Positively Affected
omes Sold In One Montth
No. Ho

Barriers To Selling Zero Energy Homes

• Clients don’t understand the long term benefits of upgrading to ZEH

• Approved for certain dollar amount and cannot qualify for the ZEH option

• Waiting for the cost of PV to decrease

- With all the tax credit and utility company incentives currently offered, cost would have to drop 75%

Key To Selling More Zero Energy Homes

• Artistic Homes offers all clients the option to upgrade to ZEH in any city they are
currentlyy building,
g, anyy lot and subdivision,, for anyy floor plan
p that is offered.

• Artistic Homes does NOT mark up the cost of PV and Solar Thermal for profit.

• ZEH option is NOT a profit center for Artistic

Artistic, it is a service for the environment
Artistic’s Approach To Building Zero Energy Homes

• Whole house system analysis vs. individual component analysis

• Properly size the solar thermal and PV systems based on electrical energy needs of the
home

• Include HRV system to provide a healthy and comfortable indoor environment

• Carefully designed floor plans to minimize waste of construction materials and satisfy
practical needs for the average family

Upgrade Your Artistic Home To ZEH

ZEH Upgrade Features

Schüco Photovoltaic Solar System

Schüco Solar Thermal Hot Water System

Schüco 80 gal Solar Storage Tank

R50 Ceiling Insulation Package

Air Source Heat Pump HSPF 9.0

EnergyStar® 15 SEER Refrigerated A/C Unit

Air Exchanger with ERV & HEPA Filtration System

Anderson 100 Series Windows w/ Fibrex Frames

U-value 0.31 SHGC 0.31

Standard Model Incremental Cost To Upgrade To ZEH * 68%- 73% more energy efficient than a code built home

$222,000 $40,000 - $60,000

* Cost dependent on size of home
** Incremental cost before incentives are applied
 Cost of ZEH Upgrade $49,550.00

Incentives

PNM - Solar Rewards Program $15,840.00

New Mexico Sustainable Building Tax Credit $18,698.65
Federal PV Tax Credit $12,000.00
Federal Solar Thermal Tax Credit $2,200.00

Incentives Total $48 738 65

$48,738.65

Actual Cost of ZEH Upgrade $811.35

* Not including avoided utility cost from eliminating electric bill

* * Data calculated based on 2157 Plan – 5.5kW PV system

How It Works - Utility Bill Determination

Net Meter REC Meter

At night meter runs forward Uses energy

During the day the meter runs backwards Generates energy
(reducing or eliminating utility bill completely)

**Renewable Energy
gy Credit ((REC)) Meter monitors amount of kWh p
produced by
y PV system
y
- Utility provider pays the home owner $0.13/kWh for 12 years
Actual Utility Bill – REC Program

kWh generated

REC Credit

For each kWh generated

from PV
PV, $0
$0.13
13 is credited
to homeowner in form of a
check

See The Difference For Yourself

Artistic Homes Is Recognized For Building ZEH

• Artistic Homes has been a Nationally Awarded Energy

Efficient Builder since 1985

• Won the 2002 Energy Value Housing Award (EVHA)

from the National Association of Homebuilders
Research Center (NAHRC)

• Awarded the 2008 Department of Energy “Builders

Challenge Award” for Recognition in Energy Efficient
Home Building

Jack Armstrong of BASF (left), Tom Wade President of Artistic Homes (middle),
and Edward Pollock of DOE (right)

Questions/Comments

Thank You!
 Offered Incentives

• PNM – Solar Rewards Program (New Mexico REC Utility Incentive) $15,840.00
$15 840 00
– $0.13/kW for 12 years
– Program will eventually expire once utility company satisfies renewable energy
requirements

• New Mexico Sustainable Building Tax Credit (LEED-Platinum) $18,698.65

– First 2,000 ft2 ($9.00/ft2)
– Next 1,000 ft2 ($4.45/ft2) Cost of ZEH Upgrade $49,550.00

Incentives $15,840.00
• Federal PV Tax Credit $12,000.00
$18,698.65
– 30% of cost $12,000.00
$2,200.00

• Federal Thermal Tax Credit $2,200.00

Incentives Total $48,738.65
– 30% of cost
Actual Cost of ZEH Upgrade $811.35

* Not including avoided utility cost from eliminating electric bill

* * Data calculated based on 2157 Plan – 5.5kW PV system