2023-09-07 04:00:00
Four adults from a family in Mascouche who live in a Net Zero house did not need to change their consumption habits in order to pay practically nothing in energy.
“Honestly, we haven’t really changed our consumption habits, because the house does everything,” explained José Legris, owner of the Net Zéro house, who lives with his wife and her two children (19 and 32). this. It generates enough energy depending on what we consume.
The semi-detached has 22 solar panels that supply the electricity used in the house. The panels are laid on the sloping roof of the house in a battery-less system.
Hydro doesn’t need to install anything extra in a batteryless system. Mr. Legris, however, had to open an account with the production department of Hydro-Québec.
Family members therefore produce electricity by remaining connected to the grid and all surpluses are sent to the Hydro line.
“We are granted consumer credit in return, but it is certain that we consume more credits in winter because the panels produce less than in summer,” explained Mr. Legris, who showed us around his house which contains two refrigerators, a freezer and even a spa.
The 22 solar panels of the Net Zéro house of Jean Legris, in Mascouche. Simon Dessureault
Un prototype
The Mascouchois family house is a project of the Ecohabitation organization, funded by Natural Resources Canada, in partnership with Owens Corning, an American company that develops and produces composite insulation, roofing and fiberglass, and the builder and promoter Groupe TRÉMÄ.
“We applied the most profitable things to achieve high performance,” explained Emmanuel Cosgrove, director of Ecohabitation, mentioning that it is airtightness, increased insulation and triple glazed windows.
“All the equipment is already very efficient,” said Mr. Cosgrove, who talks about a consumption of around 12,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually for this house, while a standard code house consumes around 25,000 kWh per year.
“It’s as if I had a wall instead of the windows at the insulation level,” also imaged Mr. Legris, who showed us the three layers of the window with the light from his cellphone pointed at the glazing.
Although it is not visible in the photo, José Legris can see the three layers of his window with the light from his smartphone. Simon Dessureault
There are also recessed LED lights throughout the house.
Mr. Cosgrove also recalled that the federal government wants us to build in net zero everywhere in Canada in 2040.
Mr. Legris therefore bought this house in April 2021 at a cost of nearly $500,000 (a little more expensive than similar properties) because the panels were already installed.
He therefore paid $557 to Hydro in 2022, including the administrative costs of each bill which account for about half of the $557. The family’s surplus consumption therefore cost approximately $300.
“For a property like that, without solar panels, I would pay $3,000 a year [son voisin paie près de 2800 $], added Mr. Legris. The system will pay for itself within 8 to 10 years because the solar panels are worth about $25,000.”
José Legris pays practically nothing to Hydro-Québec thanks to the use of his solar panels. Simon Dessureault
Towards autonomy?
Mr. Legris reveals, however, that he sometimes lacks a bit of energy. “I do not have the backup at the battery level, he recalls. If I had that, I could be 100% independent.”
Mr. Legris also plans to buy a battery system in the very short term. “The batteries will be there to help out when we run out of energy and the surplus will continue to go to Hydro,” he adds.
Sources of energy :
22 solar panels without battery
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