What Zero Net Energy Means for Home Buyers

Musitano: “Affordability represents a major hurdle, and buyers may not be interested in higher upfront costs, especially if the details of expected energy performance do not match a buyer’s expectations.”

SAN DIEGO—Similar to the public’s growing interest in green construction, builders are increasingly hearing from potential buyers that energy efficiency is a key item on their new-home wish list, Cox Castle Nicholson partner John Musitano tells GlobeSt.com. Musitano brings more than 20 years of experience representing commercial and residential real estate companies in insurance coverage, real estate and construction litigation and specializes in advising his clients on transactional insurance and risk management issues for new developments and existing properties.

Musitano spoke at PCBC here last month on the Code & Policies Sessions’ “Selling Zero: The Risk, Reward, and Reality of Marketing ZNE” panel. We spoke with him about why zero-net-energy design appeals to buyers, the Title 24 definition of new ZNE construction and what it means for home construction and the possible legal consequences if a home does not perform as designed.