WALTHAM, VT. — Development partners Addison County Community Trust and Cathedral Square Corp. have redeveloped a formerly unoccupied manufactured home park in Waltham into McKnight Lane, Vermont’s first net-zero affordable housing community. The $3.6 million community features 15 net-zero energy homes configured into seven duplexes with 12 two-bedroom layouts and two three-bedroom layouts. The homes are available for households with incomes at or below 50 percent and 60 percent of the area median income.
The homes incorporate the latest in energy-efficiency design and technology, including a high-performance building envelope, cold climate heat pumps and a state-of-the-art ventilation system. Additionally, each home is designed to have its total energy usage, including heating, cooling, domestic hot water, appliances and plug demands, met by a 6 kW roof-mounted solar photovoltaic array, and each home features a 6 kWh AC sonnen smart solar energy system for backup power.