Category: GreenStar Homes Certification

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Burh Becc @ Beacon Springs LEED Platinum & Zero Energy Capable Certified

This project was developed for Tom & Marti Burhbecc and has from October 14 2016 to October 13 2017 produced over 4,000 kilowatt hours more than it used. More details on this amazing home coming soon!

Take a 1-hour continuing education tour behind the scenes of this house with the entire build team on demand here!

LEED™  FACTS

Project Name HERE

Certification Awarded DATE HERE

SELECT 107.5*
Innovation in Design XX/11
Location & Linkages XX/10
Sustainable Sites XX/22
Water Efficiency XX/15
Energy & Atmosphere XX/38
Materials & Resources XX/16
Indoor Environmental Quality XX/21
Awareness & Education X/3
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Grand Traverse Habitat For Humanity Depot Neighborhood goes LEED Platinum & Zero Energy

The Grand Traverse Habitat for Humanity Depot Neighboorhood showcases the idea of a zero energy community working together to achieve no utility bills through community efforts. While every home is metered separately there is a community effort along with the hands-on Habitat affiliate in Traverse City Michigan to complete monthly reviews of utility bills and review plug loads to understand usage patterns and help their owners reduce energy and save money. As of the end of 2017 5 of 10 homes have been certified to LEED Platinum, 2 homes have been certified Zero Energy Capable and 2 homes have produced up 1,500 kwh’s more than these used in 2017. The entire community is running roughly 20,000-kilowatt hours used over what is produced. To put that in context, that is for all 10 homes were the average code built home (just 1) would probably use somewhere around 30,000 kwhs!

More details coming soon as well as data as to why the community is doing this and how they plan to reduce.

In the meantime, you can take a behind the scenes virtual tour of these homes in a 1-hour ceu webinar here. 

LEED™  FACTS

Project Name HERE

Certification Awarded DATE HERE

SELECT 00*
Innovation in Design XX/11
Location & Linkages XX/10
Sustainable Sites XX/22
Water Efficiency XX/15
Energy & Atmosphere XX/38
Materials & Resources XX/16
Indoor Environmental Quality XX/21
Awareness & Education X/3
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MN Net Zero Victorian Gut Rehab Officially is Certified Net Zero Energy

Give a summary of the project
Net Zero Victorian was undertaken to create a retirement home for two professors, Linda and Stewart Herman. It caps a lifetime of environmental activism (since Earth Day 1970) for Stewart. During 2015-2016, a 1907 balloon-frame house on a 40×130-foot lot in the Whittier neighborhood was renovated to net zero. Completion in late 2016, and has been inhabited since then.

The EUI  based on consumption is 11.6 kBtu/SF/yr
Net EUI is -4.77 kBtu/SF/yr after factoring in the solar production.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
The house has run net-positive In its first year of operation, producing 5000 more kWhr of electricity than has been used, thanks to extensive and innovative insulation, and efficient geothermal heat pump. (17,000 vs 12,000 kWhrs) The gas line was disconnected; the house is all electric, producing $3000 worth of electricity per year while offsetting 12 tons of carbon.
Lesson? Don’t move back in too soon–finish the house first!
Use recycled maple flooring–ours ranges in age from 1875 through 1990, but once refinished, it all blends completely together. And is pre-shrunk–no worries about gaps opening up.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
The renovation was intended to be a demonstration project to show that a standard city house on a standard city lot in chilly Minneapolis could be renovated to net zero in energy with no sacrifice in attractiveness, space or comfort. These goals were achieved with the 2015-2016 renovation of a 1907 balloon-frame house on a 40×130-foot lot in the Whittier neighborhood. Our overall strategy was to combine the tightness comparable to a passive house with active energy supply. The house has achieved a HERS rating of -9, thanks to three-legged strategy to save energy: extensive insulation, geothermal HVAC, solar electricity,. All LED lighting. There is no combustion in the house.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
Three major components of the energy system.
a. 54 solar collectors (42 on house, 12 on the garage) for a 17kW capacity;
b. 4 250′ deep geothermal wells in a 30 x 40 foot backyard;
c. Insulation: PERSIST exterior insulation system (R-40 in the walls, R-80 in the roof) and the Cocoon system for insulating the basement from exterior (R-30), and triple-glazed windows throughout.
The house exceeds code for tightness by five times, an achievement functionally similar to meeting the passive-house standard (.05).
The house is heated with the equivalent of a hair-dryer: the entire HVAC system draws less than 2 kW.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
There is no combustion in the house, which is all-electric.
To save energy, the house uses three heat pumps: a geothermal heat pump, a heat-pump driven water heater, and a ventless heat-pump driven clothes dryer.
Heat-pump driven hot water heater has a preheat tank energized by excess geothermal heat.
The house is ventilated by an ERV (drawing exhaust air from kitchen and bathrooms).
When the range hood operates, cooler makeup air is drawn past the refrigerator coils for more efficient cooling.
Comfortable humidity follows automatically from HVAC system operation: no dehumidification in summer or supplemental humidification in winter.
Explain your water conservation strategies
Lo-flow showerheads and faucets in bathrooms. Highly efficient dishwasher.
2500 square feet of the yard is planted in a variety of Minnesota perennials, mostly drought tolerant. A three-zone drip irrigation system is installed to carry these plantings through a dry summer. A much smaller slice of the yard is planted in Kentucky bluegrass, with no installed irrigation.
All precipitation from house and garage roofs goes by drain tile into :”FloWells” designed to allow water to percolate slowly back into the ground–keeping water onsite. No channeled runoff to storm drains.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
Expanded Polystyrene insulation, with 1000 times less global warming impact than Extruded polystyrene.
Exterior window and door casings made of Fibrex, with factory-baked paint, for durability.
The interior wallboard is of a new type (Certainteed ‘Air-Renew’) that absorbs formaldehyde for a promised ten years.
To enhance traditional attractiveness: The interior of the total gut rehab involved a) retaining the original birch flooring (first floor) and installing recycled maple flooring harvested from three Twin Cities houses being demolished (2nd floor). The original yellow-birch millwork (window, door casings and baseboard) was refinished and reinstalled. Supplementary millwork is also regionally sourced yellow birch, milled in the same design as the original.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
Indoor is refreshed twenty minutes per hour by an ERV which draws out household air through five vents (three bathrooms, kitchen, laundry area).
Incoming ERV air is ducted into the main household filter, which is electronic. As a result, very little dust in the house.
No added formaldehyde in the kitchen cabinets (all newly fabricated)
The interior wallboard is of a new type (Certainteed ‘Air-Renew’) that absorbs formaldehyde for a promised ten years.
Thanks to a 60/40 insulation ratio (outside/inside moisture barrier), there is no winter condensation on window interiors.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
Convenient urban location, by intention:
House located near three major bus lines.
Two art museums within walking distance.
Easy on/off access to I94 and I35W–major arteries.
Less than a mile from downtown.
Three blocks from major food coop.
One mile from the public library and walkable lake.
What else should we know?
1. Uniqueness
I have been able to locate fewer than half a dozen 100-year-old houses in the US that have been renovated to net zero. The closest to ours is the Grocoff house in Ann Arbor.
2. ‘Aging in place’ accommodations.
Since the owners are already in their later 60s, and hope to live in the house for as long as they are able, the house incorporates many design features from the National Association of Homebuilders to enable occupants to live in a house well into their old age: an easily rampable rear entry, on one level; 36″ wide doorways to accommodate wheel chairs; wide turning places; a 4-foot wide stairway between floors; soft close cabinets in kitchen, base cabinets with pullout shelving; easily manipulable faucets; wall-mounted toilets (for easy cleaning); bright LED lighting throughout; sensor lighting on exterior; lever door handles on exterior doors; low-maintenance exteriors including porch decking; washing and drying machines raised 12″ above floor; side-by-side refridgerator; laundry chute; grab bars in bathrooms including shower and tub; brightly-lit closets; etc.

LEED™  FACTS

Project Name HERE

Certification Awarded DATE HERE

SELECT 00*
Innovation in Design XX/11
Location & Linkages XX/10
Sustainable Sites XX/22
Water Efficiency XX/15
Energy & Atmosphere XX/38
Materials & Resources XX/16
Indoor Environmental Quality XX/21
Awareness & Education X/3
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Ten Simple Steps to Get a No Utility Bill Home – 3 & 4

How does a homeowner build a residential building with zero energy?

There is a simple answer to this question. Get help.  Start the planning and construction with the involvement of knowledgeable advisors and contractors.

Hello again. This blog is the second of a six-blog series discussing the ten tips and tricks to reducing the energy consumption of residential buildings so as to achieve zero energy.  This blog will discuss the 3rd and 4th tips for creating a zero energy use home.

With the goals and intent established for a zero energy home (first tip), from a discussion with the knowledgeable advisors, estimated solar energy product determined (second tip) from using the PVWatts calculator (PVwatts.nrel.gov/), determine the best construction plans to design toward the sun (tip number three).

Designing toward the sun gives the homeowner the best use of solar energy. This design is to have the longest part of the house running from east to west so that the home can have a large amount of south-facing glazing. Passive solar design can significantly reduce cooling loads, give the homeowner more heat in the winter and can maximize energy efficiency. Renewable Energy Ready Home (RERH) has developed an online Solar Site Assessment tool that compares solar resource potential for any new home. This tool can be found here: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.pt_bldr. Additionally, LEED for Home Program can also provide pointers for the best percentage of glazing, awnings and overhangs to get the full use of the solar energy.

Tip number four: Model it Down. What does this mean? Work with an Energy Modeler to assist you in determining where the potential home’s energy consumption takes place. The use of the floor plan can provide a visual guide for checking the home’s boundary to ensure that all areas are sealed and there are no air leaks. The Energy Modeler will gather data for calculations to put into their modeling tools. Some of these tools include:

  • HERS (Homes’ Energy Rating System) HERS Index Rating (0 to 100 energy rating) used on many homes and tided to incentives for cost discounts.
  • WUFI Home Energy Score software program developed for free that measures moisture transportation in walls that effects energy.
  • DOE Home Energy Score assesses home’s energy and recommends upgrades that can be used on existing and new homes with a 1-10 rating.
  • BEopt:Home is a free software tool that finds the least-cost solutions for zero energy.
  • ASHRAE 90.1 is a standard that can be used for single and multiple buildings to determine energy efficiency design through different Energy Modeling.

These tools listed above are great tools to help a homeowner become more aware of building designs and materials that can lead to a zero energy home. Using these tools and consulting with a knowledgeable advisor can get a zero energy home one is looking for.

Please email Brett Little at Brett.little@greenhomeinstitute.org with questions and / or comments. We would like to hear back from you. Additionally, next week will be the third blog of a six part series about the Ten Simple Steps to Get Zero Energy Use for your Home.

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Ten Simple Steps to Get a No Utility Bill Home – 1 & 2

Written by GHI Board Member Morna Hallsaxton

What does it mean to have a residential building with zero energy? Is it worth the cost?

The answers to these two very important questions are yes and yes. Reducing the energy use of a residential home can be easily done with the right planning and involvement of knowledgeable contractors.

This article is the first of a six -blog series about the ten tips and tricks to reducing the energy consumption of residential buildings so as to achieve to zero energy. This blog will discuss the first two tips.

First, we will define what “No Utility” means and that also corresponds to Zero Energy. To remove some confusion, it is best to recognize that No Utility or Zero Energy does not mean that there would be only one energy source, like electricity or batteries. Also, zero energy does not mean that the energy used for the residential building is off the grid.

Zero Energy does mean that the home is designed, built and tested with the ability to produce more energy than what the home would use in one year with average occupants, average climate for an average year.  This means that the renewable energy equipment has generated more energy (Kwh) than the energy the home has used in one year. It is also important to recognize that the energy use would be an average for the home with average conditions.

The easiest way to know if there is an abnormal home energy use is to measure the amount of energy used in the home for one full year. Different amounts of energy use can occur at different times of the year due to the weather. Measuring the energy use can help the homeowner monitor when the time of the year the energy use is the highest and when it is the lowest.  Knowing the energy cost / year can also help the homeowner monitor when the cost of the installed renewable energy equipment has paid for itself as the cost of the home’s energy use has decreased from the renewable energy equipment.

Tip number one. Have a clear understanding and definition of the goals and intent of getting zero energy to the residential building. It is best to start with a meeting for the entire building/ renovation team to discuss the clear and concise goals. Another name for this meeting is called a design charrette. This meeting includes all of the construction participants such as the builder, heating and cooling installer, plumber, electrician, designer, architect, landscape architect and Home Performance Contractor. This ensures that all of the participants in the project are aware of the methods to build to zero energy and what is expected for the finished design. It is easiest to have a goal of following one of the Net Zero programs, which will be discussed in a later blog.

The second zero energy tip is to know what the current Solar Income is for the site. Though there can be different renewable resources available (wind and water), this article will discuss focus on solar energy resources. Determining the Solar Income will allow one to know what are the best renewable resource and their limits.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has a website that will provide a report about the solar energy a site can generate in a year. This website location, PVwatts.nrel.gov/ estimates the energy production and cost of energy of grid-connected solar panels throughout the world and it starts with an address. Conversation with a solar panel expert can best explain these results and how to proceed.

Please email Brett Little at Brett.little@greenhomeinstitute.org with questions and / or comments. We would like to hear back from you. Additionally, next week will be the second blog of a six part series about the Ten Simple Steps to Get Zero Energy Use for your Home.

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Members Tom Bassett-Dilley Architect & Habitat for Humanity Kent County featured in USGBC LEED Homes Awards

Outstanding Single-Family Project: Right Sized Passive Home, Oak Park, Ill.

Designed by Tom Bassett-Dilley Architect, constructed by Evolutionary Home Builders and verified by Eco Achievers, the Right Sized Passive Home is a LEED Platinum home. Nontoxic, no-added formaldehyde, water-borne finishes and materials were selected carefully for this project helping it become sustainable. This home also has its own energy monitoring system so the owners and designers can track energy use compared to modeled predictions.

View the Right Sized Passive House at Tom’s website here.

Outstanding Affordable Developer Builder / Developer: Habitat for Humanity, Kent County, Mich.

In 2016 Kent County’s Habitat for Humanity chapter built 15 homes earning LEED certification—10 receiving Gold and five Silver. To date, Habitat Kent has built 158 LEED-certified homes. On average, Habitat Kent’s LEED certified homes save homeowner’s $67.12 per month over an average Michigan home. Habitat Kent also partners with Grand Rapids Public School and Grand Rapids Community College to provide professional green construction experience to the next generation workforce.

View House Constructions at Habitat for Humanity Kent County’s website here.

Other LEED Homes Awards Winners

Annual recognition highlights projects, developers and builders leading the residential market in sustainable development

Washington, D.C.—(Sept. 12, 2017)—Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the recipients of its annual LEED Homes Awards, which recognizes projects, architects, developers and homebuilders who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation in the residential green building marketplace.

The LEED Homes Award recipients include multi-family, single-family and affordable housing projects and companies that are trailblazers in the residential sector and have prioritized incorporating sustainability within their projects in 2016.

“Homes provide more than just shelter. As demonstrated by the slate of LEED Homes award recipients, LEED homes improve the health and wellbeing of the occupants while saving energy, environmental resources and money,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “This year we praise the innovative and integrative LEED Homes’ honorees for advancing the residential green building movement.”

The awards also recognize the “LEED Homes Power Builders,” which USGBC developed to honor an elite group of developers and builders that have exhibited an outstanding commitment to LEED and the green building movement within the residential sector. In order to be considered as a LEED Homes Power Builder, developers and builders must have LEED-certified 90 percent of their homes/unit count built in 2016. Homes at any LEED certification level—certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum—are eligible for consideration.

LEED Homes Award Recipients:

Project of the Year: Hassalo on Eighth, Portland, Ore.

Developed by American Assets Trust and designed by Turner Construction, Hassalo on Eighth is a LEED Platinum mixed-use, dense development that creates a vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood for people to live, work and play. With more than a million square feet of new construction spread across three buildings, this project covers apartments, parking, an outdoor urban plaza and North America’s largest bike hub with space for 900 bicycles. Site-specific strategies include: rainwater harvesting and treatment; on-site wastewater treatment and re-use with infiltration; district energy; natural daylighting and access to public transportation.

Outstanding Single Family Developer: (Tie) John Marshall Custom Homes, Davidson, N.C. and Koral and Gobuty Development Co,LLC., Bradenton, Fla.

John Marshall Custom Homes continues to be a leader in sustainable building. Last year the firm developed a “pocket neighborhood” of 15 homes in Davidson, N.C. Currently 12 of these homes have achieved LEED Silver certification while the remaining are waiting for certification and construction completion. The walkability of this community is one of its biggest attractions as it sits within a five-minute walk of the elementary school, park, shops and public library.

Koral and Gobuty Development Co, LLC are the developers of Mirabella, an innovatively designed, eco-conscious neighborhood of 160 paired villas created for active adults 55+. The 42-acre site transformed an abandoned golf course in an established neighborhood and includes the extensive use of green building practices including improved stormwater management to reduce flooding and enhanced retention and treatment of runoff water. Shared recreational amenities reduce the need for commuting and landscaping emphasizes water-conserving plants and low-flow irrigation using reclaimed water. Drought-tolerant trees, shrubs and ground cover provide permeable erosion control.

Outstanding Multi-Family Project: Arete, Kirkland, Wash.

Built by Natural & Built Environments and developed by Sustainable Kirkland, LLC, five buildings make up the Arete community that earned LEED Platinum status last year. This is the first micro apartment project in the city of Kirkland and consists of living, working and art-centered spaces. Energy performance is one of the greatest successes for this community as some buildings surpass 40 percent savings over the LEED baseline. Additional energy features include solar hot water providing 40 percent of annual demand, triple pane windows, blown-in-blanket insulation, advanced air sealing, 100 percent LED lighting, efficient central ventilation, and 96 percent efficient boilers with radiant in floor heat.

Outstanding Multi-Family Developer: AMLI Residential, Dallas, Texas, Austin, Texas, Sunrise, Fla., Chicago, Ill.

Since 2006 all of AMLI Residential’s new construction buildings have been built at minimum to LEED Silver standards. In 2016 AMLI’s portfolio grew to contain 25 LEED certified projects, which represents more than one third of the developer’s properties. AMLI created a habitat for native pollinators and utilized LEED as an opportunity to create regenerative landscaping. AMLI has several other projects currently targeting LEED and wishes to grow their portfolio past 50 percent LEED certified in the coming years.

Outstanding Affordable Project: Prospect Plaza Site One, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Built by Oceanhill LLC and developed by Blue Sea Development Company, Prospect Plaza Site One is the first site to be completed in a three-block project that will provide 394 units of modern, human scaled, affordable housing. Site One is LEED Platinum certified and consists of 110 units of sustainable, energy efficient, healthy housing in four attached townhouse style buildings and a mid-rise elevator building. Prospect Plaza received the first national affordable housing Active Design Verified certification from The Partnership for a Healthier America and is the subject of a Mt. Sinai School of Medicine clinical study on long term health benefits of living in a green building.

LEED Homes Power Builders (*Represents a company that also won a LEED Homes Award):

  • AMLI Residential*
  • Blue Sea Development Company, LLC*
  • Frankel Building Group
  • Forest City
  • Gerding Edlen
  • Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte
  • Habitat for Humanity of Kent County*
  • Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse
  • Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services
  • Jamboree Housing Corporation
  • John Marshall Custom Homes*
  • Koral and Gobuty Development Co, LLC*
  • Metro West Housing Solutions
  • MHI-Austin
  • MHI – McGuyer Home Builders- DFW
  • Msheireb Properties
  • National Church Residences
  • Natural & Built Environments, LLC*
  • ROEM Builders
  • Sotramont
  • The Dinerstein Companies
  • The Hudson Companies
  • Uptown Rental
  • Urban Development Partners

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used rating system for green buildings. The LEED for Homes rating system was created in 2008 as a way for single-family homes and multi-family buildings to achieve LEED certification. LEED for Homes projects undergo a technically rigorous process to become certified, including multiple on-site inspections and diagnostic tests. Quality control and quality assurance are built into the process so that builders, architects and homeowners can rest assured they get what they paid for and specified. More than 1.2 million residential units are currently participating in LEED. USGBC’s 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study found that the residential green construction market is expected to grow from $55 million in 2015 to $100.4 million in 2018, representing a year-over-year growth of 24.5 percent.

To learn more about LEED for Homes, visit https://greenhomeinstitute.org/leed-for-homes/

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OHM Sweet OHM: Come Inside of this Zero Energy LEED Platinum Home

Join us as we give you an exclusive tour of Hanson’s trending zero energy and LEED Platinum certified home. The entire design, construction, and mechanical team will walk you through each area of the home and explain the details of the systems and planning it took to accomplish these amazing feets. Mark Hanson the owner will detail why it was important to him and show how regular people can achieve a healthy, zero energy capable home with a little extra planning and effort. The Hanon’s truly are living the new American dream by powering their homes and vehicles with 100% solar energy, learn how you and your clients can too!

This home is certified LEED for Homes V4 Platinum, GreenStar Homes Certification Gold, Energy Star Version 3, Zero Energy Capable, Zero Energy Heros 2017, International Living Future Institute Zero Energy Certified, HERS Index -49, MN Green Path.

Pending Certifications & Recognitions International Living Future Institute: Net Zero Energy Building Certification GHI Zero Hero Award 2017 Green Builder Coalition: Water Efficiency Rating Score In order to get CEUS please read through the attached handout as well.

Lessons Learned

1. How to make a single family home very green and have no utility bills

2. Understand what components go into the LEED BD+C V4 Homes Annual Energy Use LEED energy budget and how to use it in all electric homes

3. Know how the LEED BD+C v4 Homes WEC Total water use is applied to homes and in junction water catchment

4. Articulate the Importance or the LEED BD+C v4 Homes integrative process for multistakeholder team work to achieve a no utility home

Continuing Education Units (CEUS)

1 hour in

  • GBCI (LEED APH)
  • AIA(HSW)
  • Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
  • AIBD
  • Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP)
  • State Architect / Builder License may be applicable

Instructor: Marc Sloot

Throughout the process of design, construction and living in your new home or remodel, your journey should be fun, educational and uplifting. Regardless of your aesthetic preference or project size, Marc is uniquely skilled at providing you with the level of service you need to create a project that is beautiful, functional and holistically green. Through his passion for sustainability, Marc also plays a major role in keeping SALA on the cutting edge of beautiful green design. He does this with a strong knowledge of the technical issues related to design and construction, a wonderful sense of beauty and an understanding of how to weave all these elements into creative designs through an enjoyable, understandable design process.

Other Instructors: Mark Hanson, Lisa Peck, Christina Rymer, Jason Massmann, Matt Burton, Scott Hanson

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Ohm Sweet Ohm – LEED Platinum, Zero Energy Capable

Give us a summary of the project
Ohm Sweet Ohm is designed to produce as much energy as the household uses on an annual basis. This includes the house as well as transportation. The power is all electrical, no natural gas is used (there isn’t even a natural gas service line to the house). We wanted to be able to age in place in this house. We also gave heavy preferences to local products and materials. Minimized water use, inside and out. Another key was both a healthy and comfortable space that was not larger than it needed to be.From July 2016 to August 2017 this home produced 8,000 killowatt hours of energy more than it used while also powering to electric cars.

You can take a virtual behind the scenes tour with the homeowners and project team here! CEU’s available
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
Proper planning in the design phase paid off incredibly well. Monitoring during the build did catch a few small issues before they could become big issues. Having the architect, general contractor, interior designers, landscapers, working together helped immensely. What lessons did we learn? Expect the unexpected! Nothing ever goes completely as planned. Stay involved and correct issues as soon as they are discovered. Stay calm and remain flexible!
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
We considered all our energy use, including our electric cars, in this project. Eliminating natural gas (in our region of the country natural gas is very prevalent) completely allowed a much tighter shell, and improved health and safety
Any special thermal envelope, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
Walls are comprised of a 2×4 stick frame, a 3.5 inch gap and another 2×4 stick frame. Insulation is mostly recycled cellulose with some spray foam at corners or for added sound dampening. We have many southern facing windows so we get excellent passive solar heating in the winter. Dark porcelain tile absorbs the sunlight during daylight hours and releases that heat hours after sunset. Roofline provides shading over the windows in the summer, but allows in direct winter sunlight. Main floor is cantilevered over lower floor, providing shading in the summer, but again allowing winter sun to warm the concrete floor downstairs.  The design team worked closely with the window manufacturer to specify windows with a higher Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) where they would help with the passive solar heating & cooling strategies. Fixed and operable windows were thoughtfully placed to take advantage of the improved energy efficiency attributes of the fixed windows as much as possible and still allow for effective passive cross ventilation when outdoor temperature and humidity is conducive for that.Careful attention to details during design and construction minimized air leaks. Thus the home tested at the very low leakage rate of .05 CFM50 per square foot of building shell.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
We have 14 100’ vertical geothermal wells in our back yard. This provides heat and cooling for the house as well as all our domestic hot water needs. Air duct work is of different sizes depending upon the size of the room and length of run (rather than one size fits all). A high efficiency Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) maintains optimal fresh air exchange. Exhaust air from bathrooms, is routed through the ERV for improved energy efficiency and near silent operation.
Explain your water conservation strategies
We used low flow faucets and showerheads everywhere except the laundry room and kitchen. In the yard, we designed the yard to be able to absorb and filter all rain that falls on both the permeable and impermeable areas as well as taking in additional water both from a county road on our south side as well as the city street on our east side. To do this we incorporated 4 rain gardens, each in a quadrant of the yard. Our sump pump empties out into a rain garden.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
Materials, wherever possible, came from local areas. Some tradeoffs were occasionally made to favor more durable materials, however, most of the time no tradeoffs were needed. This included both the house and landscaping. We also favored materials with a high percent of recycled material. The best of all worlds was when we could get a local, recycled, very durable product. We hit on a few of these, but this wasn’t always possible. As an example, we used a steel roof, which required fewer roof penetrations for the solar, is extremely durable, is local, and is completely recyclable. (I included a photo of one of the items our interior designers researched for us. They looked into not only the product itself, but the manufacturing and company ethos. They did this for dozens of products, from paint, to chairs, to our walk of mats which are recycled fishing nets!)
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
Low or No VOCs was a very high priority! We used drywall which absorbs VOCs for as long as 75 years (https://www.certainteed.com/drywall/airrenew/). Paint is water based (which has lower VOCs and allows the drywall to do its thing). In addition to the passive solar/thermal mass advantage of the tile in the southern rooms, we also went with the same tile throughout the house. Removing carpet, except for a couple area rugs, has improved our environmental quality. Our allergies bother us much less than they did before moving in.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
Location of the house is 1.5 miles from work and 15 miles closer to almost anywhere we would typically travel outside our old neighborhood. This lowered the energy used in transportation dramatically. Also, even for the short trips, the distance is typically less. Our old grocery store was 5 miles away, the new one is 2 miles.How about costs? 

Building SQ. FT.
—> House (finished & conditioned) 2,434 TOTAL SITE 20,990
—> Garage and Link (finished, insulated but not conditioned) 1,139
—> Screen Porch & Entry Porch (finished but not conditioned) 325 BLDG FOOTPRINT 1,288 main conditioned
Total Building SF 3,898 1,139 garage and link
Building Cost per SF $228 280 screen porch
45 entry porch
Landscape TOTAL 2,752
—> Softscape (plantings, retaining wall, rain gardens, crushed granite path) 16,458
—> Hardscape (concrete driveway, sidewalk, entry steps) 1,780 CONC. HARDSCAPE 222 front sidewalk & steps
Total Landscape SF 18,238 37 west steps & landing
Landscape Cost per SF $20 17 link steps & landing
1,504 driveway
TOTAL 1,780
SITE SOFTSCAPE 16,458
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Glendale Zero Energy Ready GreenStar Home

Give us a summary of the project
The home is one-story on a slab with three bedrooms and one full bath about 1100 square feet in size. It was our first Zero Energy Ready Home, and achieved Energy Star, Indoor airPlus, and GreenStar silver. It was also only the second ZERH home in the state of Michigan.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
The home is super energy efficient, very comfortable, and extremely healthy to live in. We took great care to insulate and air-seal the home, and it shows. The annual gas and electric is estimated to be about $800, or less than $75 per month.One lesson learned is that it is difficult to insulate a staggered-stud wall with dense-packed cellulose.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
It is only the second home in Michigan to be ZERH rated. The foundation is a shallow insulated slab that uses a new method (designed by us) where the under-slab foam continues across over the stemwall to form a break between the slab and stemwall, reducing heat loss into the ground. Staggered 2×4 studs on a 2×6 plate reduce thermal bridging. Advanced framing was pushed to the limit on this home: there are not two studs next to each other in the entire exterior envelope.
Any special thermal envelope, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
The envelope was carefully air-sealed, yielding a blower door flow of less than 250 cfm. Continuous foam insulation and dense-packed walls give a wall R value of about 30. The attic is foam-sealed and cellulose blown to R-60. All known advanced framing techniques were used, including, but not limited to: stacked framing, single headers, no headers in non-load walls, single plates, 24″ on center, staggered studs, ladder partitions, open corners (to allow continuous insulation), headers notched into studs to eliminate need for jack studs, etc.The front porch was designed deeper to shade the front windows for cooling.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
The furnace is a 30kBtu natural gas forced air furnace, AFUE 97%, two-stage, with an ECM motor. The ductwork was designed to be precisely sized for maximum performance at the lowest possible fan speed for energy efficiency and comfort. A Venmar k8 HRV provides fresh air exchange. A Navien condensing tankless water heater was used, 98% efficient.
Explain your water conservation strategies
All hot water lines are 1/2″PEX home runs, and the kitchen, laundry, and bath are clustered close to each other for short runs. The entire hot water piping capacity is only about 0.6 gallons, so there is very little water wasted waiting for hot water. All fixtures are low-flow, WaterSense rated.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
We utilize high quality materials in every part of the home. We recycle anything that can be recycled, such as glass, plastic, metal, cardboard, etc. The home is designed with common material sizes in mind, such as building walls in 2′ increments.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
Any adhesives, caulks, paints, or other materials used in the home are low or no-VOC rated. We take extreme care to deal with possible bulk water leaks, and design walls using WUFI modeling software to minimize condensation in assemblies to reduce or eliminate the chance of mold growth. Properly sized spot ventilation in the kitchen and bath and an HRV keep moisture levels in the home at a healthy level. A passive radon mitigation system is installed with electrical already in place for a fan to be installed if required. Termite flashing and premium air-sealing keeps pests out.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
The home is located in an established neighborhood on a lot where there was a home about five years ago. The previous home was demolished as a result of blight, so the blight was eliminated, housing density was not increased, undeveloped land was not used, and there is no additional burden on infrastructure.
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GHI projects nominated for Governor’s Energy Excellence Award

GreenHome Institute is proud to announce we are a part of several projects that have been nominated for the 2016 Governor’s Energy Excellence Awards as detailed below. Each of these projects are examples of ways you can incorporate sustainability into renovations, remodels, new constructions or even multifamily developments.  GHI was selected as best communications program, which involved an energy based biggest loser like challenge that took place in Holland, Michigan. It included over 100 residents that competed to reduce energy and water from their previous years use. Ultimately, the BIGGEST loser family reduced their usage by 40% and won $500 in the process. Across the board, 10% energy was saved on average, and homeowners were educated on how to improve their homes along the way.  Another aspect of the challenge was the homes with the most improved U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Home Energy Score. This is a 1 – 10 rating score similar to an mpg label that helps buyers & renters understand predictable utility costs, and also helps homeowners make informed decisions on planned improvements, while providing access to related rebates and funding. Sandra Keirnan (and family) was our 2nd place biggest loser, improving her Home Energy Score from a 4 to an 8. Sandra diligently worked to ensure her home remodel was completed properly, and is now a finalist for the Governor’s award for most improved home.

None of this would have been possible if not for the City of Holland’s leadership on energy. The City’s Holland Energy Fund was named a finalist for innovator of the year for breaking down the financial barriers to improving DOE Home Energy Scores. If you have clients in Holland looking to start projects, please make them aware of these unique On Bill financing and rebate opportunities that help make energy and health improvements affordable for everyone. Even if you do not do work in Holland, this model can be replicated and used as an example to take to your local city or community to make a change.

Learn more about the Holland Energy Prize: Biggest Loser Challenge here
https://greenhomeinstitute.org/holland-energy-prize-biggest-loser-challenge-2016-final-report/

Other Governor’s Energy Excellence Awards finalists that GHI helped certify

Marti Burbeck – Burh Becc at Beacon Springs is a stunning new construction home in Ann Arbor that is LEED Platinum pending, Zero Energy capable and submitting to the Living Building Challenge. GHI member Architectural Resource, who completed the design on the home, demonstrates that we can build homes that have a positive impact on the environment, human health and the economy. Learn more at http://www.beaconsprings.org/

Gateway Village, Sturgis is a project where we administered the Enterprise Green Communities Certification (EGC). EGC requires 3rd party verification to ensure low-income housing projects are built to save energy & water. This helps tenants requiring low utility bills the most, and also creates healthier living spaces beyond what the MI code requires. EGC is the alternative to LEED for affordable housing, and is available across the US. Learn more at http://www.michiganbattleofthebuildings.org/gateway-village-of-sturgis-biggest-loser/

Tom Tishler, project manager of Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity, built a certified silver project under the GreenStar Homes Certification program, a project which is a finalist for most improved home. This project addressed the 5 pillars of green building – health, energy, water, materials, and place – to help give a family a hand up, not a handout.  Learn more at https://greenhomeinstitute.org/glendale-zero-energy-ready-greenstar-home/

Whether you are planning a renovation, new construction, addition or multifamily development, GHI is a statewide resource that can help you build, BETTER.

About GreenHome Institute
A 501 c3 non-profit located in Grand Rapids with a mission to empower people to make healthier and more sustainable choices in the construction and renovation of the places we live. GHI oversees education, training and credentialing of professionals all over the Midwest and provide international webinars on green building topics. They have certified over 8,000 homes to green standards and educated over 20,000 on building better

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Awards Contact
Liz Boyd, APR
Liz Boyd Public Relations LLC
liz@lizboydpublicrelations.com
517-881-6713

Third Annual Governor’s EnergyExcellence Awards Honor Michiganders for Innovative Energy Solutions
Finalists include public, private efforts to reduce energy waste

LANSING, Mich. — Twenty-three businesses, organizations, and individuals from across the state have been selected as finalists for the 2017 Governor’s Energy Excellence Awards, which recognize people and organizations in Michigan that have taken firm, meaningful actions to improve energy efficiency.

“Through our policies and initiatives in Michigan, we are working hard to ensure energy reliability, advance clean energy and help business owners and residents reduce energy waste,” said Gov. Rick Snyder. “Among other things, we’re encouraging utilities to provide incentives and programs that make it easier for others to follow the example of those we’re honoring this year.”

Nominations were made in eight different categories, which demonstrate the diverse nature of energy-efficiency deployment. The award winners will be announced at a singular event in mid-October.

Following is a list of this year’s finalists by category:

Best Projects — Residential

  • Marti Burbeck, Ann Arbor
  • Sandra Keirnan, Holland
  • Tom Tishler, Kalamazoo

Best Projects — Agriculture

  • Friske Orchards, Charlevoix
  • Grand Valley Farms, Rives Junction
  • Sklarczyk Seed Farm, Johannesburg

Best Projects — Industrial/Manufacturing

  • HyCAL Corporation, Gibraltar
  • Verso Corporation, Escanaba

Best Projects — Commercial (Private)

  • First Housing Corporation, Lansing
  • Gateway Village, Sturgis
  • Islamic Center of America, Dearborn

Best Projects — Public

  • Ewen-Trout Creek School, Ewen
  • Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo
  • Public Libraries of Saginaw, Saginaw

Contractor of the Year

  • Better World Builders LLC, Kalamazoo
  • Don Earl Heating & A/C, Sault Ste. Marie
  • Medler Electric, Alma

Innovator of the Year

  • Walt Dindoffer, Temperance
  • Holland Energy Fund, Holland
  • Carla Walker-Miller, Detroit

Best Communication or Education Program

  • Consumers Energy, Okemos
  • GreenHome Institute, Grand Rapids
  • The Heat and Warmth Fund, Detroit

Four other organizations received honorable mentions, including:

Best Project — Agriculture: Nash Greenhouses LLC, Kalamazoo
Best Project — Commercial (Private): Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Lansing
Best Project — Public: Ann Arbor Housing Commission, Ann Arbor
Innovator of the Year: Southwest Housing Solutions, Detroit

“Michigan’s policies regarding our energy market, renewable energy and energy waste reduction are helping fuel Michigan’s economy and create jobs in the process,” Governor Snyder added. “We cannot forget, however, that our cheapest energy is that which isn’t used.”

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The Governor’s Energy Excellence Awards honor Michigan individuals and organizations who have made reducing energy waste and implementing energy-efficient practices part of their everyday lives. The awards would not be possible without the support of the Department of Energy and the Michigan Agency for Energy through the Michigan Energy Office. For more information, visit mienergyexcellence.org.

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