Case Study: The Net Zero Home of New Jersey

Located in the historic district of Society Hill in Piscataway, N.J., is “The Net Zero Home,” a sprawling, state-of-the-art 6,000-square-foot LEED Platinum Certified residence built solely with sustainability, energy efficiency and comfort in mind.

With its impressive façade durably constructed of insulated concrete forms and draped with fiber cement siding featuring both vertical and horizontal patterns for a striking effect, this innovative structure is accentuated by handsome cultured stone finishes and two grand stone columns at its entrance.

The subtle look of the travertine walkways intermingled with accent stone, cable railings and cedar accents (struts and soffits), complement the assortment of earth tones, all brought together by a dark bronze standing seam metal roof, providing a clean, crisp finish to this classic, contemporary home.

Run solely on renewable energy sources, every aspect of the home’s design was calculated to conserve energy and capture as much of the sun’s energy for heat in the winter and cooling in the summer. The home features an Englert A1500 snap-lock architectural metal roof and a 31-plus kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar system on its south-facing roof along with nine Tesla Powerwall® storage batteries (7.6 kilowatts each) as a supplemental power source.

The PVKIT® direct-attach™ rail-less, solar mounting solution secures 80 LG high-efficiency solar panels in place, and the PVKONCEAL™ module skirt conceals the lower edge of the modules and all mechanical and electrical components underneath. The metal roof also features the complete ColorGard® snow retention system.

The Challenge

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name: Net Zero Home
Location: Piscataway, N.J.
Roofing Contractor: MBL Construction Roof Profile: Englert A1500 snap-lock architectural metal roof system
Project Size: 5,000-plus square feet on the main roof plus the outdoor adjacent kitchen
Solar Modules: 80 rooftop DualSun’s SPRING® hybrid solar modules
Products Used: 9 Tesla Powerwall® storage batteries, ColorGard® 8-foot long sections, S-5-S™ Clamp, Snoclip™ II, PVKIT® in black, S-5-S™ Mini clamp, PVKONCEAL™

There were numerous challenges on the project, not to mention the ongoing supply chain issues and work stoppages due to the pandemic.

The main metal roof is a fairly complex design with a variety of angles, cuts and intricate roof details. Because it is a custom-built home with so many environmental objectives and requirements, the roof installation was even more complex.

Additionally, Suntuity Home desired quality roof attachments for this new high-end roof. Aesthetics, durability, perfect color and finish matching, and penetration-free attachments that would maintain the roof’s integrity, were all crucial factors in selecting rooftop attachments.

The Solution

The metal roof panels, made from 25% recycled material, are environmentally friendly and are LEED and ENERGY STAR® compliant. The low-gloss, IR-reflective coating helps reduce energy consumption and will keep the roof surface approximately 60-70 degrees cooler during the summer months.

The roof also serves as the ideal platform for solar integration since the solar panels could be mounted directly onto the standing seams of the roof utilizing S-5!’s penetration-free solar solution. The PVKIT direct-attach system was selected for its strength, durability and ease of installation.

S-5!’s new PVKONCEAL module skirt creates an attractive, clean, finished look. It also keeps critters, debris and other unwanted objects out from under the solar array.

Additionally, S-5!’s ColorGard mounted to every roof surface protects the grounds from dangerous melting snow and ice sliding off the roof. ColorGard was chosen for its excellent performance, compatibility with Englert’s standing seam panel design and aesthetics.

Additional environmental features include a warmboard geothermal heating system to heat the entire home, a five 5-zone cooling system that follows the path of the sun from East to West, a dual hybrid backup heat pump system, 100% LED lighting throughout, three-pane argon-filled Low E windows, panoramic doors, an 18,000-square-foot rain catchment system that will save and recycle up to 40,000 gallons of water per year and a 29,000-gallon infinity pool.

Long-Term Outlook

With strong support for this pilot project, Suntuity Home hopes to set a new visionary trend for sustainable homeownership throughout the country. The S-5! attachments enabled them to achieve the quality look they wanted, maintain the roof’s integrity, and complement the look of the roof with a clean appearance and perfect color and finish-matching, designed and engineered to last the life of the roof.

Project Team