Net Zero Energy Homes in North America Today with the American economy in deep recession and housing starts at an all time low, energy price uncertainty is driving American homeowners to investigate zero energy homes as a way to hedge against rising fossil fuel costs.Over the last 2 years both the Canadian government and the US government have sponsored zero energy home research.David Johnston wrote the book, Toward a Zero Energy Home published in 4/2010.The talk will describe findings in the research and construction of zero energy home construction in a variety of North American climates.Based on the Passiv Haus principles developed in Germany,many near zero energy homes have optimized the thermodynamics of envelope design strategies and incorporated a variety of renewable energy strategies to reach near zero energy performance.Case studies will be featured to exemplify the variety of strategies used.