Developing net zero neighbourhoods in Nova Scotia : a feasibility study

Abstract

In this paper the feasibility of developing net zero neighbourhoods in Nova Scotia was determined. Analysis was split into two categories: technological feasibility and economic feasibility. In the technological feasibility category, current energy efficiency technologies were analyzed for their ability to reduce the energy requirements of new homes, and current microgeneration technologies were assessed for their capacity to meet those reduced energy requirements. In the economic feasibility category, the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of each technology was determined and compared to the cost of electricity in Nova Scotia to assess the economic feasibility of each individual technology. The cost per kWh of each technology was then compared to that of each of the other technologies to determine which of them was more cost-effective. Using these results, the total added cost of incorporating energy reducing and microgeneration technologies into new homes was determined so that a cost-benefit analysis could be conducted comparing the cost of an average new home to that of a net zero new home. Based on this cost-benefit analysis, the ultimate feasibility of developing net zero neighbourhoods in Nova Scotia was determined, and recommendations were proposed to improve the cost effectiveness of net zero housing.