ZEBRA Homes

The Zero Energy Building Residence Alliance (ZEBRA) tested cutting-edge sustainable design strategies and technologies in single-family residences.

Barber McMurry teamed with Schaad Companies, Tennessee Valley Authority, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Energy to design four homes that experimented with different energy-saving and envelope strategies.

Each of the four homes utilized a different envelope system: structural insulated panel, advanced framing, dynamic insulation, and exterior insulation. All of the homes incorporated high-efficiency lighting and appliances, water-to-air and water-to-water heat pumps, and ground-source heat exchange systems. The designs group plumbing and mechanical systems along one central wall in each home, minimizing energy loss. Additional energy is reclaimed through gray-water and exhaust air streams.

The homes are now privately owned.