New industry report examines energy-efficiency investments by builders

A new industry report from international research firm Parks Associates shows that construction of zero net energy (ZNE) homes increased by 75% from 2016 to 2017. According to Home Energy Management: Road to Net Zero, this growth aligns with increases in expressed consumer demand, as Parks Associates’ consumer segmentation regarding energy efficiency estimates 42% of all U.S. consumers classify as energy-efficient techies.

“California currently represents one-half of all net zero energy homes built in the U.S. The state has bold goals for all residential new construction to achieve ZNE by 2020,” said Denise Ernst, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “Other states have also adopted a similar top-down approach to incentivize ZNE adoption, but low energy costs are a barrier to generating ZNE demand. Parks Associates research shows one-third of homeowners report having a monthly electricity bill less than $100, so while many households recognize the value of ZNE, the immediate financial incentives are not there yet.”

Parks Associates research reveals that distributed energy generation solutions continue to gain adoption and awareness. More than one-third of U.S. broadband households consider residential battery storage to store excess power to be very valuable, and 37% consider solar heating panels to be very valuable.

“Near-zero and zero-ready homes create more choice for consumers—Meritage Homes offered its first ZNE home six years ago to differentiate itself during the housing downturn,” Ernst said. “Federal tax credits and utility incentives can help drive adoption of energy-efficient solutions, and the product manufacturers, trade associations, and local suppliers can work together to drive awareness among builders about innovative solutions. Market opportunities also exist for high-efficiency appliances, home energy management equipment, and smart home energy products and service providers to fill the gaps in household efficiency.”

Home Energy Management: Road to Net Zero outlines home energy management opportunities, including strategies for solar industry players to expand their offerings. It provides an overview of cost effectiveness evaluations being made by builders and the tradeoffs associated with different energy-efficiency investments. Additional research from the report shows:

• Four out of five home owners believe that having an energy-efficient home is important or very important.
• According to Parks Associates consumer survey data, requiring enrollment in a DR program as a condition of accepting a rebate for higher efficiency products reduces purchase intention by 50%.
   

For more information about Parks Associates’ research, contact sales@parksassociates.com. To schedule an interview with an analyst or to request specific data, contact Julia Homier at julia.homier@parksassociates.com, 972-996-0214.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com

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