Join us as we share the trade secrets learned during construction of a zero energy home completed in 2015 in Grover Beach. Many contractors and designers are concerned about compliance with the upcoming 2020 mandate. Key strategies for new construction can reduce heating and cooling loads by 80% to 90% — with less than a 3% increase in building costs. Several features of the home were evaluated for cost-effectiveness compared to conventional building methods based on their real-world construction and operational costs and their return on investment.