Net-what?! the net-zero building trend and you - ABC5 News Des
Moines, IA    Provided by  This just in, in case you missed it:
Green design is hot. And with a flood of different approaches,
products, certification programs, and more hitting the market,
it's hard for eco-conscious consumers to keep it all straight.
Here at Networx, we like to empower you, the consumer, with the
information you need to make great choices about your life --
and if we can help the environment along the way, so much the
better.  Today, we're taking a closer look at so-called "net
zero" home design and construction. In a nutshell, it involves
building a home that has an annual net energy consumption of,
well, zero. Such homes use a combination of alternative energy
generation methods like solar and wind to harvest energy and
efficiency measures such as high-efficiency HVAC systems,
specially-designed insulating windows, and more, all to reduce
energy use in the first place.  So while the home uses energy,
it also generates it, and