SF Gate: Zero-Energy Homes? Southern California Tries Them Out

At first glance, Anthony and Vanessa Genau’s home in a subdivision beneath the San Gabriel Mountains is like any other gracious new suburban dwelling, with open-plan living space, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. But, along with 19 other cream, taupe and rust stucco houses that cradle the landscaped playgrounds here, it is actually something else: a large-scale testing ground for an energy system of the very near future. With a combination of rooftop solar panels, smart thermostats, advanced water heaters and other high-efficiency features, the homes are all built with a similar goal: to make at least as much energy as they use over a year.