Category: Net zero energy conference

Prickly Pear Sanctuary goes GreenStar Platinum

Post author By admin
Post date March 2, 2019

Give a summary of the project
	A single story home with no basement, and a 2 car garage connected by a breezeway. The home is designed to be zero-energy, barrier-free, and the homeowners plan to age in place, with an aging mother living with them.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	We are particularly happy with how well the home is situated on the lot, minimizing the disruption to mature trees; while maximizing Southern exposure for both the ground-mounted PV panels and the passive solar design of the home itself. The ICF walls are very straight and flat, which made the rest of the construction smooth. Our ceiling air barrier and mechanical chase detail eliminated over 130 separate penetrations through the drywall; promoting a durable, efficient, and healthy environment. We waited some time for the Chiltrix air-to-water heat pump to arrive from overseas. This delayed our Certificate of Occupancy unnecessarily; if we use it again we will order it MUCH sooner!
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	The design of the Frost Protected Shallow Foundation allowed minimal excavation/site disruption while maintaining energy efficiency and quality standards. The aforementioned variable vapor barrier/mechanical chase used on the ceiling. Tilt-and-turn windows offer great cross-ventilation without the typical concerns about rain entry or wind damage. This home is all electric, and is expected to produce as much as it consumes annually. Great pains were taken to ensure the home is airtight, then an HRV powered by an ECM is used to provide the correct amount of fresh air. It’s operation is controlled by the levels of CO2 in the air, plus owner input. Polished concrete floors provide low-maintenance, non-slip, high gloss beauty. Every entrance is zero-step.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The building utilizes ThermalStar rigid insulation coupled with open cell spray foam for the wall system. Putty pads were used for all device boxes located in the exterior, corridor, and demising walls and close attention was paid to air sealant caulking for individual apartments. There are no bridges in the thermal envelope, with ICF walls, underslab insulation, 0.8 air changes per hour at 50 pascals, and plentiful insulation all around.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	We utilized passive solar heating and cooling, with special triple pane window glazing and right-sized overhangs. An air-to-water heat pump provides heating, cooling, and domestic hot water.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	New Niagra toilet model that uses less water than most by half. Furthermore, the roof has gutters that drain into 9 rain barrels for about 600 gallons of water storage that is used to water the landscaping.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	Durability comes from preventing things from getting wet, and letting them dry out when they do get wet! We used concrete for all the exterior walls, with large roof overhangs and good landscape sloping. The siding is LP SmartSide that is triple protected against moisture damage. We have tested various flashing tapes and spend the money on the good stuff from Germany. This develops an amazing bond with the ICF walls that only strengthens with time. Pre-molded sill pans were used under all windows to prevent moisture damage to the window sills. We prefer to spend more time detailing the things that matter, even though they get covered up and nobody knows. Details matter, and help us sleep at night because we know we have done everything right!
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	There is no flooring to off-gas; as we used polished concrete. The paints are low or no VOC, and we eliminated most of the plywood typically used. So the indoor sources of VOC’s are either eliminated or greatly reduced. By ensuring the home is airtight, we eliminate any allergens from entering through infiltration. An HRV prevents stale air from building up in the home, constantly providing a stream of fresh air while removing stale air and VOC build-up. A sensor detects when the system is not keeping up with CO@ levels, and automatically controls the HRV speed.

Project Team Details

Designer – Eric Hughes of Image Design www.imagedesignarch.com
Builder – Jake Vierzen of R-Value Homes www.rvaluehomes.com
HERS rating – John Kuiper of The Home Energy Assessor

Project Basics

Project Type: Single Family

Project Certification Details

Certification Program: GreenStar Certified New Construction
Level: Platinum
HERS Index Rating: 7

HERS Report
GreenStar Worksheet

GreenStar™ FACTS

November 2018

PLATINUM CERTIFIED

GreenStar Platinum_ Zero Energy Certified Purcell Certificate (1)

Take a CEU virtual tour

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Pearl Residence Achieves LEED Platinum

Post author By admin
Post date February 19, 2019

Give a summary of the project
	This LEED Platinum home is all-electric, set up for aging in-place as well as having a minimal environmental footprint, and is located in a great walkable community. It is situated on the owner’s original double lot. The two existing 1950’s era homes were carefully deconstructed for material recycling. Reclaimed materials from many local sources were used in the new home included vintage scalloped wall paneling, a vintage cast iron tub and laundry sink. Nearly all of the new construction material was USA made.While larger than the neighboring homes, its massing is split into two primary elements that relate to the neighborhood’s scale and rhythm. These two masses are joined by a butterfly roof formed from a series of curved glulams, which logically define the interior spaces. Aging in-place strategies were incorporated such as single floor living, flush floors, a lap pool for fitness, blocking for future grab bars, and wide clearances at doors and hallways. A guest suite doubles as a future caregivers space. For resiliency, a battery back up system, powered by a 7.2kW solar array, is pre-wired to supply critical loads during outages. The entire roof has ‘Ice and Water Shield’ in case of high wind roof damage. Oversized gutters and downspouts handle potential extreme storms. The landscaping utilizes native plantings and is designed to retain 100% of the stormwater on site via rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavers and Cultec rechargers. A 2’ perimeter river rock band serves as a pest management strip.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	The home was energy modeled with a resulting pEUI that is 70% below the 2003 baseline, making it one of only 331 reported projects in the 2030 Commitment to achieve the targeted 70% or better level.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	The home is all electric, without a natural gas line coming in. This was done as a way to not use fracked natural gas. Following this theme, the owner found an electronic fireplace (one that projects images of a fire) that is centered on the stone fireplace wall in the great room.Additionally, to the greatest extent possible, the materials used in the home were made in the USA. The existing two homes were environmentally deconstructed by Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse. Several materials from the existing 1950’s home were incorporated into the new home. Among these were a 1950’s bathtub, scalloped knotty pine paneling, a laundry sink and the kitchen faucet. The home is also set up for aging in place with single floor living, a zero threshold shower, and wide hallways and doors.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The perimeter wall system consists of 2×6’s filled with rockwool, with 2″ of rigid expanded polystyrene on the exterior of the wall. Furring strips were set atop of the rigid insulation and Boral and James Hardie cement fiberboard siding were installed over the furring strips.The passive cooling system consists of several operable windows throughout the house that work in conjunction with remote-controlled clerestory windows set up at the top of the very high great room. A ‘Big Ass Fan’ assists with the air movement in that space.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	We used all electric mini-split system for the project. There were a total of five systems that allow for pinpoint thermal control. A DesertAire humidification system was used in the sealed resistance pool room.A series of five zoned air source heat pump electric HVAC systems, controlled by phone-based apps, are used throughout and rated to be operational down to at least -20ºF. An energy efficient integrated ERV system ensures a high quality of indoor air quality. This array of high-performance strategies attained a 70% predicted EUI reduction from baseline, from a 49.5 kBtu/sf/yr level down to 15 kBtu/sf/yr, making it one of only 331 national projects in the AIA’s 2017 2030 Commitment submittals that achieved the Commitment’s current 70% reduction target. Without the onsite renewables, the predicted EUI is 23 kBtu/sf/yr.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	The strategy was to manage 100% of the rainwater in a 2″ rain event to be able to infiltrate that amount of water on the property and to keep it from entering the larger stormwater system.The way this was accomplished was by building a rain swale that took care of the 487 square foot impervious concrete driveway surface. Additionally, pervious pavement was used for the front entrance and back patio which were equivalent to 366 square feet of pervious paving for the entry area and 507 square feet pervious paving at the rear patio. Furthermore, there are rain gardens to manage roof runoff from five allocated roof areas. The sixth roof runoff area goes into a smaller area of the property and is sequestered utilizing Cultec Rechargers to manage the 964 gallons of water underground. There is one 60 gallon rain barrel that was installed to help water annuals located in the backyard. There are only 287 square feet of drought-tolerant turf grass which is only 4% of the landscaped area. 95% of the plants that were selected are drought resistant. The percent precipitation managed on site is 150% of a 2″ storm event from the roof runoff and impervious surfaces. The percent of wastewater reused on site is 0%. The irrigation system utilizes drip irrigation techniques to minimize water usage. The percent annual regulated potable water use in the designed landscape water requirement is a 93% reduction in water use from the baseline calculated by the EPA WaterSense® New Homes Specification – Water Budget Tool. The annual regulated potable water use is 19.1 gallons per s.f./year. The irrigation numbers are based on the first year establishments needs of the plants and will go down in subsequent years. Dual flush toilets and WaterSense® fixtures were used throughout. There is a smaller resistance pool that uses a non-chlorine mixture to clean the pool.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	The two existing homes that were on site were carefully deconstructed by the Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse (ERW). Training was provided during the deconstruction process by ERW for disadvantaged members of the community. Several materials from the existing 1950’s home were incorporated into the new home. Among these were a 1950’s bathtub, scalloped knotty pine paneling, a laundry sink and the kitchen faucet.As part of the LEED process, there was a serious emphasis that nearly every piece of construction material was made in the US. The siding is comprised of two environmentally conscious siding materials. The upper siding is cement fiberboard, made with waste wood. The main siding on the house is from Boral is made from fly ash, which is the primary byproduct of burning coal. Exposed structural glulam beams support the butterfly roof. The glulam beams are more resource efficient relative to solid framing as they are comprised of smaller structural elements glued together. In keeping with the fossil fuel free concept, there is an ‘electronic fireplace’, which features a dancing flame image projected onto a screen set back from a mesh screen. A heat option allows for electric heat when desired. The kitchen countertop and the backsplash tiles were made from reclaimed materials. Several light fixtures were also repurposed. Low and no VOC sealants, adhesives and paints were used throughout. The siding is comprised of two environmentally conscious siding materials. The upper siding is cement fiberboard, made with waste wood. The main siding on the house is from Boral is made from fly ash, which is the primary byproduct of burning coal. Exposed structural glulam beams support the butterfly roof. The glulam beams are more resource efficient relative to solid framing as they are comprised of smaller structural elements glued together.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	The interior materials are all low or no V.O.C. finishes and adhesives. There are no added formaldehydes in the cabinetry.The kitchen countertop and the backsplash tiles were made from reclaimed materials. Several light fixtures were also repurposed. Low and no VOC sealants, adhesives and paints were used throughout. An ERV system provides fresh air throughout the house.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
	This home is located very close to local Evanston and Chicago bus routes, and the Skokie Swift portion of the ‘El’ abuts the rear property line. The ‘El’ terminal is one mile away, and the bus routes are 0.2 miles away. There are a number of restaurants and stores in the area, which gives the site a walk score of 65 and a transit score of 54.This home was specifically designed for a single woman and has a two car garage, so there are two spaces per occupant. However, there are four bedrooms, so a family of four or more would likely be in there in the future, thereby having two spaces for four or more people. The garage is prewired for two electric car chargers. The owner currently drives the very efficient Prius C car.

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“THE 2100” Gets LEED Gold Certified

Post author By admin
Post date November 27, 2018

Give a summary of the project
	THE 2100 is a 97-unit luxury apartment project that was completed in March of 2018. It includes four stories of apartments built on top of two floors of structured parking. The site area is 1.42 acres. The unit mix includes studio, one, and two-bedroom units. The project is an infill project that involved re-use of a site formerly improved with a functionally obsolete first-generation suburban office building.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	There were a number of hurdles that had to be cleared to make the project a success. The site is on a major thoroughfare but is also next to a residential neighborhood. The development team worked closely with the City of Wauwatosa to account for neighborhood concerns to achieve success in getting the site rezoned. The existing building on the site had to be razed, which required navigating through some minor environmental clean-up. The City required improvement of access infrastructure as part of the project, so the development team worked with the City to structure TIF funding to make this feasible. Project funding was achieved by obtaining a mortgage insurance commitment via HUD’s 221(d)(4) program, which had some incentives for green construction. This was not an easy project! The main lessons learned included the need for patience and perseverance to get something like this done, along with having a good team with the right people.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	THE 2100 is only the third market-rate apartment project in the Metro Milwaukee Area to receive LEED certification and is the first such suburban project. It involved re-use of a more difficult in-fill site in somewhat of a pioneering location. Building design had to account for the high-traffic location on Mayfair Road as well the adjoining residential neighborhood. Features to address the former included a high noise attenuation window system, a denser wall system, and extensive use of sound and thermal insulation. The neighborhood side of the site was extensively landscaped to soften building impact. An extra parcel of land was purchased adjacent to the building delivery doors for truck and delivery parking to minimize any inconvenience to neighbors. The project has unique features like electric car charging stations and green infrastructure features (e.g. green roof).
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	We believe part of the LEED approach is quality. A LEED-certified project is simply a better-quality project. We elected to use a wall system that made extensive use of Nichiha architectural panels with the balance of brick and decorative CMU’s. The framing is all 2″X6″ with extensive insulation. We also used a high noise attenuation window system for superior sound insulation qualities.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	Units all have individual HVAC units rated as having exceptional energy efficiency. In addition, all units have programmable thermostats to allow customized set-back on heat or cooling for energy savings.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	Our water strategies are twofold. As far as domestic water use, all fixtures and fittings are high-efficiency. This applies to our site landscaping irrigation as well. In addition, THE 2100 received recognition from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage district for its stormwater management features in the form of a green infrastructure grant. Such features include a green roof over part of the structured parking, use of porous pavers, a bioswale, and use of “thirsty” native plant species for landscaping.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	Materials strategies included off-site framing assembly in a factory environment, which greatly reduced waste. Environmentally preferable materials were used wherever practicable. The exterior wall system of Nichiha panels and masonry is a heavy-duty, durable system. Parking lot paving is concrete as opposed to asphalt. The green roof has an electronic leak detection system “just in case” to deal with any problems in a manner to minimize overall system disturbance if a repair is needed. The building participates in local recycling as part of its trash collection. The site itself is, in effect, recycled since it involved redevelopment of a site previously improved with a first-generation suburban office building.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	Materials used (e.g. flooring, paints, etc.) were environmentally preferable where possible to minimize or eliminate off-gassing, VOC issues, etc. Sustainable sourcing was also used where possible (e.g. bamboo flooring in common areas). Air infiltration and Indoor air flow are items monitored and graded during the LEED rating process and THE 2100 passed with flying colors.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
	The site of THE 2100 is an infill site involving redevelopment of that site to a higher and better use that is more sustainable. It is located at the geographic center of the Metro Milwaukee area. It is in a high-traffic location with access to public transportation that is two blocks south of the Milwaukee Area’s premier regional mall. In addition, a node that includes the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (consortium of six healthcare institutions employing 16,000 people), the Milwaukee County Research Park (two million SF of offices, 4,500 employees, home to GE Healthcare’s US HQ, etc.), and the University of Wisconsin’s Innovation Campus is within five minutes of THE 2100. However, the site also abuts a residential neighborhood. Thus, the location has urban amenities (e.g. complete array of shopping opportunities and entertainment venues, public transport, easy access to employment centers,etc.) but yet there is a natural parkway with a creek within a half-block. Location strategy? Simply to take advantage of these location attributes with a sustainable project that is a worthy addition to the community and surrounding neighborhood.

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10 tested pro-tips to getting to zero energy

Post author By admin
Post date July 20, 2018

Getting to zero energy is easier now than ever. Costs are coming down and building codes are changing so the bar is already set higher. Return on investment in these types of homes are coming quicker as energy prices begin to climb. According to the Net zero energy coalition there over 13,000 units and a 70% gain of zero energy or zero ready homes in 2017 over 2016

But what makes a building zero energy and how can it be done?

First, you need to know the terminology.

Net zero, zero net energy, net zero energy, zero energy buildings, net positive, no utility bill, zero energy ready, off grid…. to name a few. So many terms out there, it really is the wild west.

So how do we define it?

Let’s start with what net zero is not

It’s not…

Offsetting electric bills from lighting and appliances only
It’s not having battery systems
A HERS Index of 0
It’s not being off grid
It’s not buying renewable energy credits

It’s also not being a LEED Platinum or all-electric home either, THOUGH, those may help. We will get to that later

So what is it?

A zero energy home is one that uses on-site renewable energy to produce at least as much energy as consumed over the course of a full year

Easy

But how does the market know it is net zero? How do you prove it?

3rd party, independent certification systems can help

International Living Future Institute Zero Energy Certification
Passive House (PHIUS) Source Zero
Earth Advantage Zero Energy Certification
GHI – Zero Energy Capable
DOE or GHI Zero Energy ready (for those who cannot afford renewables yet!)

But how do we achieve these lofty certifications and where do we start?

Based on several projects we have seen over the years have been able to compile a list of the top 10 pro tips to getting zero energy with ease. These tips are mostly in order of importance, however, some can change depending on your local opportunities, challenges or whether you are doing renovations vs new.

Commit.
Know what you are working with
Befriend the sun
Right-sized spaces
Aim for passive house
Why guess when you can know?
Electrify everything
Be picky but smart.
Go green.
Reduce and then produce!1. Commit

Commitment is key. You cannot make the challenge unless you are on board. We need the whole team. The owner, developer, building manager, builder, designer, HVAC and yes, even the landscape architect will play a role. Sure, there will be some naysayers and that is ok, they will challenge you along the way to ensure you are thinking through your decisions. Getting the team together for a few preliminary design meetings and defining roles and task always helps. Maybe the people being hired on the job should also sign a contract or have it in their contract to hit zero. When looking to hire look for those involved in green building or zero energy projects on their resume. Everybody plays a role and it is important that everyone understand how they contribute to the goal and how it is connected to others role. Having clear communication and intent from the start is the biggest hurdle and yet the easiest place to start when getting to zero.

Know what you are working with

You have to know what renewable resources are available on the site you plan to build or renovate on or if you are luckily enough to have a choice, you can select a lot based on its supreme renewable energy resources. Now you may want to assess wind, sun, water and earth for your energy but for the most part, projects are usually only going to benefit from the sun and earth, based on current technology. So unless you are next to a large body of water, running stream or are in a very windy rural area. Solar and geothermal are going to be the way to go and what we discuss here.

With solar, you can easily use the National Renewable Energy Laboratory PV watts program to determine the solar income of the site. You can see what energy is hitting the site or an existing structure and determine then how much energy is needed. This is important because it tells you how much renewable energy is available on that site and tells you the constraints you are working in to get to zero or what you may need to do find other renewable resources. PV watts has nothing to sell you either, it is a federally backed program that gives you information. Many areas have solar PV experts and installers who can also assess the site, many times for free as well.

When it comes to earth we are talking geothermal HVAC (aka ground source heat pumps). Ideally, you are looking for a site with some acreage where you ideally do not need to remove trees or where you plan to remove them for the project. In this case, a very small body of water may actually improve the geothermal performance. If you have an existing lot, a small lot or one that is very wooded where you don’t want to kill trees, the geothermal expert will recommend drilling vertically. Don’t forget to check local regulations for how close you can drill to someone’s property or what is below! Geothermal is defiantly not necessary on all zero energy projects but we will get to that later.

Befriend the sun

The sun can be your friend or your enemy. Most homes these days just try to keep it out. Keeping glass off the south end. That’s a good start but you can also use it to your advantage. In cold weather climates, the sun goes high in the summer and you can use overhangs or smart curtain systems to easily keep it from coming in the home and overheating it. Energy star certified roofs too help reflect it out as well. In the winter time, you want that low sun coming into the house. It can be used to heat concrete floors, Trombe wall systems and/or thermal mass walls such as concrete, rammed earth or straw. This will radiate heat back out at night if designed correctly. Passive ventilation/cooling can be done using the proper placement of windows to strategically keep occupants cool in the offseason.

Check out some free passive solar design-based tools here. Using these methods can easily cut energy use in homes and buildings, sometimes for less or no additional cost and require no maintenance. Bonus, overhangs improve the life of doors and windows and so there is a 2 for 1 there.

Right-sized homes & spaces

This is very important because most of our energy is used by simply heating, cooling and ventilating space. Imagine if you can design a home that heats less space but feels just as large? Nationally, Sarah Susanka discusses the not so big house concept but in Grand Rapids Urbaneers are already at work with products like moveable walls, wall beds, adjustable kitchen islands, Milwork + storage, compact & prefab kitchens to name a few. This home in Portland, OR is an extreme example of right sized living and making the best use of space. Minimal surface to volume area may mean 2 story homes vs longer 1 story homes or just, to be honest, encourages multifamily as opposed to single family for more efficient usage of space in urban areas. Just look around online for countless of examples of doing more with less and therefore demanding less energy.

Almost passive house

Passive house has the most rigorous standards that are climate appropriate in the US based on where you are at. These include low energy demand, a super tight building shell and low energy per person per year. They give good estimates on the R value of insulation/windows from under the ground to the attic. Try your best to follow these to get to a low demand building before thinking about the mechanical systems. Learn more on the PHIUS website. Innovations in this area include Structurally Insulated Framing Systems (SIFS) that are affordable ways to still build a conventional home or building but save a lot of energy in the walls. When you have a super tight house you need to make sure you are using balanced ventilation and fresh air which can take energy but there is a smart ventilation system that runs very low but only ramps up when poor air quality is detected in the home. A good way to save energy and keep clients healthier in almost passive house projects.

Why guess when you can know?

Now that you have your designs thought through well-using steps 1 – 5 you might just be crossing your fingers you made it but why guess? Energy modeling has now moved from an art to a science. We can now model with over 90% accuracy and predict how much energy a building will use. During the design process, you can hire an energy rater to come up with a preliminary model that shows a 0 consumption. As the plans change, communicate with the rater so they can make sure you are still on track. Then the same rater will do inspections during pre-drywall and final to ensure what is in the model actually was installed. For existing homes you would do an energy inspection to get a starting place. These things are typically already required by code and may get incentives. The most popular tool for lowrise residential buildings is REMrate (HERS Rating) and this software can show what parts of the design are performing well or underperforming. A good HERS rater will help you find cost-effective ways to reduce energy in those areas to get the home to zero. Other tools are the DOE Home Energy Score for renovations, WUFI passive for all project types and ASHRAE 90.1 or Level II for larger buildings and commercial. Make sure you get a good rater who knows what they are doing.

Electrify everything!

Eliminating combustion ensures your HVAC maximizes energy efficiency and uses energy that can be directly offset by renewable energy. These systems are also now price competitive with fossil fuel systems. Typically we are talking heat pumps for heating, cooling and water heating. They can be air source, ground source (geothermal) or some combination of the 2. Ductless mini splits can eliminate the cost of expensive ductwork and air source heat pump furnaces only require one device that works like reverse air conditioning in with winter. Geothermal (aka – Ground Source Heat Pumps) is the most expensive and needed to get older existing homes or larger homes to 0. They also come with a 30% tax deduction for several more years. Most gas furnaces are oversized if you are following the above steps and so these electric HVAC systems are typically smaller to fit the lower demand. For water heating, heat pumps now are the most efficient and can be used to dehumidify or be ducted to stop it from taking the energy your clients paid for from the indoors. Going all-electric is a new concept in many areas but the latest report from Rocky Mountain Institute and another from NREL shows a lot of dollar savings to be had. A whole Facebook group is dedicated now to strategies to electrify all our buildings. Come join us here.

Get picky but be smart

At this point you have likely removed 80 to 90% of the energy use of a home through good design and better HVAC. Now it’s time to work with your clients, homeowners, and tenants to get real (really!) picky.

Use very low watt LEDS ( 4 to 8) lamps, light switch or bulb ready motion / photo sensors / dimmers, and all energy star appliances. Make use of low flow devices, hot water pipe wrap, and smart power management systems. Have instant utility usage information on a per plug basis which shows how much energy you are using. Ceiling fans can help keep you cool as opposed to AC. Try induction stoves which cook just like gas and are way more energy efficient because they heat pans only when needed. Use heat pump dryers which are the most efficient and work great. As a builder/designer, you can specify these systems and have a homeowner training/manual to show your clients how to operate these systems to keep energy usage to zero. Developers, landlords and owners can continuously train new and existing tenants and use green leases or energy competitions to keep bills low!

Go Green!

Building green gives you guidance on how and what to do. Most green programs have a checklist you can follow to keep you on track. Typically, tight homes can cause health issues so green building gives you health strategies to follow. Following the indoor air quality requirements keep your clients safe, healthy and alive! Water conservation is also a big part of green building, this keeps utility bills low and can play a role in keep energy bills low too for hot water demand. Using a green certification increases home value + tenant retainment and is an easy way to communicate sustainability goals and a fall back if you just don’t make it all the way to zero. For a comparison of all the green certifications and which is right for you and you clients, go here.

Reduce and now produce!

Say it with me.

Reduce.

Before you… Produce

Let’s face it, renewable energy is expensive and needs a lot of infrastructure. So by following all those other steps you now just reduced your demand so low for energy that you really don’t need that much solar. Before you even go solar in your project you can wire the electrical system to the roof, increase the size of the breaker box and make sure there is proper roof orientation or open space for a ground mount is there to add enough solar. This is called a zero energy ready and am an easy place to start. DOE has created a solar-ready checklist you can use on your next project.

Once the owner has the funds to go solar they can simply add a small amount in the future and achieve zero energy with minimal efforts. Obviously going solar during the project will be the easiest and cheapest to do right away but it’s not always feasible. Designed right you should only need between 5 – 12 KW of solar pv depending on your climate, home size and location. There now are affordable shingles that also double as solar panels. Imagine getting rid of toxic asphalt shingles for your clients and replacing it with money generating solar energy shingles that can also the get 30% federal tax deduction? That is a win/win.

If your client is looking to use an electric car or have a battery backup system during power outages, you may be considering a larger system to handle the electric carloads in the future, you can do that part in the energy model in #5 and survey your clients on their driving habits. Check out this family in MN powering their cars and home all on electric and solar. Some call it the new American Dream.

Ultimately, if done right, getting to zero energy should be affordable for everyone, especially in new builds and major renovations. While there is typically an added costs, folks like greenspaces in TN are challenging that notion and partner with builders to build market-rate cost competitive zero energy homes and it is working.

Are you up for the challenge?

Tags: Net Zero, Zero Energy

Tags Net Zero, Zero Energy

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Rethke Terrace Gets LEED Platinum Certified

Post author By admin
Post date July 16, 2018

Give a summary of the project
	Heartland’s newest development, which opened in June 2016, offers 60 studio apartments for individuals that are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Our greenest development yet will also offer residents a robust set of on-site services to help support their transition to being housed.QUICK FACTS Financing: 9% LIHTC, City of Madison, Dane County, project-based Housing Choice Vouchers, Federal Home Loan Bank AHP, The Home Depot Foundation 60 units Single residents aged 18 and older Total development cost: $8.9 million
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	Rethke Terrace is our first LEED platinum project and will be the first PHIUS+ certified multifamily project in the Midwest. Its gross construction cost was $165/sf and averages $760/unit/year in gas and electric cost. We can compare this to our most recent similar development, Capuchin Apts., A 39 unit supportive housing development in Milwaukee which was certified Enterprise Green Communities. Its gross construction cost was $172/sf and the building averages $1,100/unit/yr in gas and electric cost.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	This project utilized many design innovations that are quickly becoming best practice standards in the energy efficient multifamily segment of the market. These systems will be described in better detail below. Thanks to the many developers and designers who sharing their hard earned experience pioneering this building type. We would not have been able to successfully create our project without their advice and expertise.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The wall assembly is a R-45 rain screen system. It is Hardi-Plank attached to 3/4″ furring strips, screwed back through 4″ of polyiso (exterior insulation) and OSB with a liquid applied air/water/vapor barrier to the 6″ studs @ 24″ O.C. The cavity is filled with typical R-21 unfaced fiberglass batt insulation. The gypboard is painted with latex paint as a class 3 vapor barrier. The windows are a vinyl U- .18 SHGC – .18. The roof is R-70, split 40 on the outside with polyiso and R-30 in the roof cavity with firberglass batt insulation. The foundation and underslab insulation is R-20 XPS.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	The project utilizes air source heat pumps, a Mitsubishi Citi Multi Hyperheat heat recovery variable refrigerant flow system. There is an electric resistance backup heat system. The ventilation system utilizes Mitsubishi Lossnay ERV in a semi decentralized layout, with two ERV’s per floor each serving seven residential units. Ventilation is a particular challenge on this project, ASHRAE minimums require 45 CFM continuous exhaust per unit while only 30 CFM supply is required. This split greatly increases the losses through the ventilation system making it very hard to meet the PHIUS+ primary energy requirement. Future projects that are majority studio units should consider direct exhausting the kitchen at 100 cfm intermittent to the outside, without an ERV and running the bath exhaust continuous through an ERV with balanced supply to the living space.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	Typical low flow fixtures were selected for this project. 1.28GPF toilets, 1.5GPM faucets and shower valves. We use Cleveland Faucet Group fixtures because of their 10yr warranty. A rain garden is utilized for the majority of stormwater.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	The project utilized low VOC paints, rubber base, mold resistant gypboard in the bathrooms, no carpeting in the units (or anywhere other than the offices and library), plywood cabinet boxes with hardwood faces, and prefinished doors. The ventilation rate is very high for the occupant load, preventing buildup of any toxins in the air.
Tell us about your place or location stratagies
	The project is located on the major bus line in Madison. There are grocery stores and heath care centers along it. We also have on premise social services for our residents. The site utilizes native plantings and permiculture for its landscape. There are 18 raised bed planters for gardening use by the residents. Other on site amenities include a fitness room, a computer room, a community room for gatherings, a library, a commercial teaching kitchen, and indoor bike storage.

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LEED For Homes Milestone – Over 8,100 homes certified!

Post author By admin
Post date April 10, 2018

It’s been 13 years now since we (formerly AES) were named one of the original USGBC LEED for Homes providers. Since that time we have helped certify over 8,000 units, 1,700 projects and trained or with over 50 LEED Green Raters. We are thrilled to continue to ensure homes are built more efficient, health, durable and overall better through the new versions of V4 & V4.1. Make sure your next residential building project new or renovation is LEED certified by learning more here https://greenhomeinstitute.org/leed-for-homes/

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Newland Residence is Greenstar Gold Certified

Post author By admin
Post date April 9, 2018

Give a summary of the project
	This was built as the new home for the architect and his family and, as such, is both the realization of a dream as well as a laboratory. It was intended as an exploration of what makes an honest design for contemporary Minnesota, in an urban infill setting. The design is a balance of efficiency and economy, modern and familiar, attempting to anticipate future market expectations in a straightforward, affordable way (I’m not sure we quite achieved that last goal). It has 3 bedrooms, 1 room that could be either a bedroom or another function, and an unused space that could become a potential 5th bedroom. There are 3 baths, with a 4th unfinished. The laundry room is on the main floor. A screened porch faces the street and public sidewalk, and a roof deck faces south, flanked by green roofs that will be installed in the summer of 2018. A detached 2 car garage faces the alley, with a large storage loft above.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	Being able to actually realize the dream of building the house is its greatest success! Most of the product choices are proving to have been good ones, and we believe that the house is built to last. I was shoveling snow a few days ago and a police car stopped by me as I was doing the front sidewalk. The officer rolled down the window and asked who the house’s architect was, then said it’s his favorite house on his patrol! I’ll call that a success story! One lesson learned was to only use floor trusses in the future. The main floor is supported on I-joists and this resulted in basement soffits that could have been avoided otherwise. Another lesson was to have done a better job documenting GreenStar requirements in the project specifications and drawings before selecting a contractor. Not having the requirements better defined early meant more work later, or missed credits. Finally, not building a permanent stair in the garage limits the use of the upper-level storage loft (we put in a pull-down stair).
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	The overall building form is scaled to the neighborhood, and the roofs maximize solar potential (on the high, steeply pitched roof) and usability (on the low, flat roof). The main floor is completely accessible for persons with disabilities, with no steps or curbs. Although we tore down the small house and garage that were on the property in order to build the new house, we salvaged a significant amount of material before demolition. Hundreds of components were removed and either sold, saved, or otherwise reused, including many of the plants.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The envelope is insulated to 150% of code requirements, and I worked with a building science consultant (Third Level Design) to ensure that there wouldn’t be any condensation issues. The insulation is a combination of blown cellulose, spray-applied polyurethane, XPS, and polyisocyanurate boards. Thermal bridging is minimal.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	There is a Broan heat recovery ventilator, a high-efficiency Goodman furnace, and a high-efficiency Amana air conditioning unit, all controlled by smart Honeywell thermostats on three zones.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	All plumbing fixtures are low flow. The landscaping is a blend of turf (for some continuity with the neighboring properties) and native plantings to keep irrigation needs to a minimum. Our intention is to use rain barrels on the roof to aid in green roof irrigation.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	The exterior materials are a combination of fiber cement siding, standing seam metal roofs, and heavy TPO membrane. Decking is made of composite material with high-recycled content. Natural wood (salvaged from the old house and refinished) is limited to an accent band around the low roof as well as the screened porch interior, protected from rain and sun. The interior flooring is a combination of factory finished hardwood, tile, and linoleum. The basement slab (with radiant heat) is painted. Doors are solid core slabs. Countertops are quartz composite. All materials were selected for practicality, ease of cleaning, and durability.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	Nothing unusual: There is no carpeting, all paint used is low or zero-VOC, and clean lines make for easy cleaning. There are ample daylighting and extensive light wood finishes, combining for a very warm, bright interior. It is a happy, comfortable environment in which to live!
Tell us about your place or location strategies
	It took us over 2 years to find the property. The house is located in a highly desirable, walkable neighborhood in Minneapolis, close to a major retail area, close to transit lines and bike paths, and less than a mile from the city’s chain of lakes. The house’s orientation is east-west, with the garage off the alley. The roofs are designed to take into account solar access and anticipate future, taller neighbors to the south. The house and garage footprints and positions maximize the amount of landscaping area despite the limited 5100 square foot property size.

LEED™ & GreenStar FACTS

January 2018

LEED SILVER CERTIFIED

GreenStar GOLD CERTIFIED

SELECT	00*
Innovation in Design	3/11
Location & Linkages	9/10
Sustainable Sites	13.5/22
Water Efficiency	3/15
Energy & Atmosphere	24.5/38
Materials & Resources	5/16
Indoor Environmental Quality	13/21
Awareness & Education	1/3

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435 LaGrave Apartments at Tapestry Square goes LEED Gold Certified

Post author By admin
Post date March 19, 2018

Give a summary of the project
	435 LaGrave Apartments at Tapestry Square is part of a multi-phase investment originally known as the Wealthy – Jefferson Development Initiative (WJDI). The WJDI initiative is an extensive, collaborative community effort to reimagine a 35-block area in the southern portion of downtown Grand Rapids, MI.Like a tapestry which is made both strong and beautiful by a diversity of interwoven materials, Tapestry Square is a strong, healthy vibrant urban neighborhood where a diverse group of people can live, work, shop, thrive and enjoy life. The building is a 26,450 square foot mixed-use, mixed-income building with 24 residential rental units and 2,242 square feet of first-floor commercial space. The residential portion of the building is comprised of eight market-rate apartments and sixteen apartments reserved for low-income households. Six of the sixteen low-income units are reserved for youth aging out of foster care.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	Frequent communication about LEED goals between the site superintendent, owner, trades, and architect during all project phases helped ensure that requirements were met and attention was paid to important details. A major benefit of this communication was the consistently excellent blower door and duct leakage test results achieved in the units. Trust between project participants and an expectation of high-quality work contributed to the project’s achievement of LEED Gold certification, exceeding its goal of LEED Silver certification.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	The building is a mixed-use, mixed-income building located immediately proximate to a stop on Michigan’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line and is the first Transit Oriented Development in the state. Its neighborhood is amenity-rich with numerous residential, transit, food, education, employment, and healthcare-related facilities within easy walking distance.The residential portion of the building is comprised of eight market-rate apartments and sixteen apartments reserved for low-income households. This is Michigan’s first mixed-use permanent supportive housing development which includes six low-income apartments reserved for youth aging out of foster care. The partnership between ICCF and Bethany Christian Services provides the youth with a safe living environment and the supportive services needed to help them successfully transition into independent living. All residents benefit from reduced utility expenses provided by increased efficiency, in addition to the health benefits of LEED construction.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The building utilizes ThermalStar rigid insulation coupled with open cell spray foam for the wall system. Putty pads were used for all device boxes located in the exterior, corridor, and demising walls and close attention was paid to air sealant caulking for individual apartments.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	435 LaGrave utilizes an energy-recovery ventilator system for fresh air circulation throughout the building coupled with in-unit Energy Star 96% furnaces for apartments.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	Every unit at 435 La Grave features low-flow bathroom sink faucets, toilets, and showerheads. The building also utilizes a highly efficient irrigation system, designed by an EPA Water Sense certified professional, which includes a moisture sensor that helps conserve water. All of the plants installed around the building are drought tolerant.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	435 LaGrave used panelized construction to decrease the amount of waste generated by the framing process. Comingled dumpsters were used throughout the project and resulted in 75% of job site waste being diverted from the landfill to be reused/recycled instead.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	All of the paint, glue, and caulk used in the building is low VOC and SCS FloorScore/Green Label Plus flooring was used in an effort to minimize the number of harmful chemicals brought into the building. The building features continuous ventilation through the energy-recovery ventilator system to aid the exhaust of contaminants. Permanent walk-off mats were installed at every entry to reduce the amount of debris and contaminants tracked through the building.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
	435 La Grave at Tapestry Square is located in an amenity-rich neighborhood with numerous residential, transit, food, education, employment, and healthcare-related facilities within easy walking distance. It is in immediate proximity to the Silver Line, Michigan’s first Bus Rapids Transit (BRT) line, and has a Walk Score of 90. It is located on the edge of downtown Grand Rapids which offers an abundance of services and opportunities.

LEED™ FACTS

November 2017

GOLD CERTIFIED

Total LEED Credits	72.5*
Innovation in Design	05/11
Location & Linkages	10/10
Sustainable Sites	10/22
Water Efficiency	08/15
Energy & Atmosphere	18/38
Materials & Resources	9.5/16
Indoor Environmental Quality	10/21
Awareness & Education	2/3

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West Town GreenStar Gold Certified Retrofit

Post author By admin
Post date March 3, 2018

Give a summary of the project
The West Town GreenStar Retrofit is a historic landmarked two-story brick home in Ukranian Village, Chicago, that was converted to an efficient, healthy, and modern single-family home while keeping the interior and exterior historic character details. A broad set of sustainability achievements mirror the five pillars of Greenstar Certification with special emphasis put on indoor health and indoor-outdoor connections.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
With the GreenStar framework, we pushed well beyond our initial goal of creating a healthy and energy efficient home. Our biggest success was knowing that we were able to preserve historic elements of this over 100-year-old home and reuse them while incorporating a vast range of state-of-the-art technology in a way that is high performance, modern, healthy, yet retaining the beauty of the historic elements. Lesson learned: Get to know the GreenStar checklist really well before starting the project planning. It would have inspired us to aim even higher.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
A number of challenges of rehabbing a historic home sustainably required that we look for solutions that were rarely or never done before. Examples include customized solar PV angulation that varies from row to row to achieve maximum performance while meeting historic building codes, bentonite clay waterproofing to sustainably address water management and climate change resiliency, and incorporating a vast range of green space features and connections in a very limited space. Circadian rhythm / ambient light sensing LED lighting was a great addition to the health-promoting aspects of this home. Incorporating the latest green technologies while retaining historic elements while improving the aesthetics and livability was also unique in this project.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
The home includes bio-based spray foam insulation, high-performance windows and skylights, and a number of passive heating window features.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
While the hot water radiator system was retained with a significant downsizing to fit the markedly improved building envelop, a new Mitsubishi hyper heat minisplits system was added to an older Mitsubishi Mr. Slim system for cooling, dehumidifying and supplemental zoned heating. A Conditioning Energy Recovery Ventilation System (CERV) was incorporated to achieve indoor air quality (IAQ) goals of a healthy building.
Explain your water conservation strategies
Water conservation strategies including the installation of ultra high-performance Niagara Stealth toilets that uses 0.8 or fewer gallons per flush, WaterSense plumbing fixtures, high-performance appliances, drought-resistant native plants and turf in our green space to reduce irrigation, over 300 gallons of rain collecting capability for irrigation and other non-potable use.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
The project utilized as much of the materials that could be reused by carefully planning our deconstruction, including woodwork, bricks, appliances, landscaping materials, sink, etc. Recycling and waste diversion was carried out throughout the project. Sustainably made, locally-sourced cabinetry and ironwork, lumber, lighting fixtures, were sourced. Reliable products from manufacturers that value sustainability and durability were chosen whenever possible. Less toxic building materials, zero-VOC paint, formaldehyde free materials were examples of material selection made.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
The project involved redesigning the layout to maximize natural lighting and indoor connection with green space. Indoor air quality is addressed through the installation of the CERV. Less toxic materials were utilized to reduce occupancy exposure. Circadian rhythm lighting was installed throughout the house to improve occupancy well being. EMF exposure was minimized through objective EMG measurements and hard wiring high-speed ethernet throughout.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
While it would have been easier to build a new “green home” in a new location, this home is in a vibrant historic landmarked neighborhood with excellent access to big city life, streets with bicycle lanes, walkability to stores, restaurants, shops, parks, and public transportation. The rehab retains existing historic elements and green space and transformed it into one that sustains native plants to assist wildlife while incorporating an edible garden, apiary, chicken coop, native fruit trees, and two rain gardens for rainwater management.

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Well House LEED Gold Gut Rehab uses housing first model to help homeless

Post author By admin
Post date February 24, 2018

Give a summary of the project
	A complete gut Rehab. The interior was demo’d down to the studs. Wall cavities were insulated with open cell spray foam. Basement walls were insulated with R10 eco-cell and crawl space walls were insulated to an R10. Essentially everything was new on the house except for the studs and were able to save the original floor and have it refinished. On the exterior, there was an energy star 35-year shingle put on the roof. The existing siding was covered with an R2 fanfold foam board and then covered with a vinyl siding. Gutters were added, and a low maintenance landscape was added with a combination of native plants, stone, and bark.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	Achieving the gold certification was definitely the biggest success. The biggest lesson learned would probably be the realization of how difficult it is to make a tight a home when you’re dealing with stone foundations, balloon framing, and crawl spaces. Another lesson learned would be just learning how to navigate through LEED on the requirements, and with all the paperwork.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	The house was built before 1900 and still had the old gas lines for lights in the walls.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	Wall cavity’ were filled with open cell foam. Attic was filled with R50
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	ERV was installed
Explain your water conservation strategies
	A special donation from Niagara Conservation on a dual flush toilet that goes down to .6 gallons per flush. Low flow showerheads, and bathroom faucets with low flow aerators on them. There is a very small amount of lawn that will need to be mowed. The majority of the lot is native plants surrounded by Mulch and stone.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	The original floors were saved and refinished. All the original framing stayed in place. One of the bathrooms we were able to reuse the bathtub. In the entryway and bathrooms, ceramic tile was installed on the floors as well as around the tub and shower in the bathrooms.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	All materials on the project were either low or zero voc. The ERV constantly exhausts stale air and brings in fresh air to the occupants.
Tell us about your place or location strategies
	The location is close to many community resources such as parks, bus routes, grocery store, library.

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