Denver builder, university students deliver net-zero energy home under $200,000

Pioneering the delivery of Net-Zero technology to the first-time home buyer, home builder Oakwood Homes and students at the University of Denver have built an affordable net-zero home with the goal of selling it for under $200,000.

The single-family home at 4793 Ceylon St., Denver, may be the first net-zero home to be built for affordability; it quickly sold for $189,000.

Colorado’s largest privately held home builder partnered with students from DU’s School of Real Estate and Construction Management on this ambitious project.

Enlisting a combination of solar panel technology and energy-efficient building techniques, the home will produce as much energy as it uses in a given year. Until now, net-zero energy was unavailable at this entry-level price point.

For sixteen years, Oakwood Homes and the University of Denver have teamed up on home building projects, where students help manage every aspect of the construction project as their capstone class. This is the second net-zero home built in the partnership; the team’s first sold for $315,000 in 2011.

This year’s home reduces energy costs with features including: a hybrid tankless water heater; complex fluorescent light bulbs; double-pane windows with added e-film; extra insulation under the concrete pad; an additional exterior shell of rigid insulation; and a whole house fan to increase comfort while lowering air conditioning usage. The team also included environmentally conscious building materials such as recycled carpet, 12-inch-thick walls, and green guard laminate wood floors, proving the home is built green from the ground up.

“For the past 15 years we have been working with students at the University of Denver on home-building projects, and the net-zero energy homes are an innovative way to work together and represent Oakwood's ongoing efforts to build the most energy-efficient homes,” says Frank Walker, vice president of Oakwood Homes. “These projects allow us to take the latest in building science technology and apply it to our other homes.”

The students have been involved in the entire construction process including writing the schedule, calling subcontractors, and monitoring them on site. Each student is involved in a small group in which they deal with donation acquisition, public relations, events, subcontractor relationships, and finances.

“Being able to work alongside industry professionals is one of the greatest experiences a student can have,” says Nicole Haselden, DU student and the practicum class president majoring in Real Estate Construction Management. “Through this project, we are able to make decisions such as those made by superintendent managers in the field while still having the support of Oakwood employees to guide us as necessary.”