net zero

The Home Office: Reversing the Angle

The evolution of the workplace, particularly with the rise of remote work, has brought about a renewed focus on the aesthetics of our work environments, extending beyond the physical office to include the digital realm. Having a beautiful office is no longer just about creating a pleasing physical space for productivity and creativity; it's equally important to consider the visual backdrop that represents us in virtual meetings. This dual focus ensures that our professionalism and attention to detail are evident, not just in our work, but also in the environments we choose to display during video calls.

Creating a net zero sustainable home was the first priority for our client in Somerville, MA - a gorgeous office and zoom backdrop was just the cherry on top. The ascending staircase of bookshelves, paired with the cascade of ornate pendant lights and lush greenery conveys a strong sense of the owner’s identity. Moreover, the window-laden office itself contributes to a positive work-from-home experience overall, boosting mood, creativity and productivity. In a time when the boundaries between home and work are increasingly blurred, a dedicated and aesthetically pleasing workspace can help create a sense of routine and normalcy. It can also serve as a form of personal expression, allowing individuals to showcase their style and preferences in a way that enhances their work identity.

Acton Passive House Featured on NBC Boston

Owner Philippe Lam talks to the NBC Boston crew about his new net zero home.

ZED’s Acton Passive House was featured on NBC Boston, providing an inside look at the benefits of a net zero, Passive House Certified home. The piece includes interviews with ZED’s Stephanie Horowitz, Contractor Adams & Beasley’s Dave Wittig, and Owner Philippe Lam.

Take a look at the video that gives an overview of the home’s many high performance features, such as rooftop solar panels that produce more energy than it uses over the course of a year, making it net positive energy. The environmental benefits to the owner include remarkable thermal comfort, excellent indoor air quality, low operational cost, a durable, long-lasting structure, low embodied carbon materials, and most importantly, a happy client enjoying his beautiful new home.

LINK TO STORY

ZED's Stephanie Horowitz Brings Net-Zero Expertise to a Somerville Victorian

Energy Retrofits in Historic Homes. Stephanie Horowitz was enlisted by Boston Globe staff to tour a historic Somerville home and share her thoughts about how to improve its energy efficiency towards net-zero performance. Stephanie joined air-sealing specialist Jason Taylor of Byggmeister Associates and contractor Mark Philben of Charlie Allen Renovations on the tour. The group provided recommendations on the attic and basement insulation, use of a blower door test for checking air leaks, proper interior and exterior wall insulation, custom-built storm windows, and more. The piece provides convenient cost information for each topic, giving the reader a sense of what a retrofit to an old home might set them back. The question remains - if net-zero is your goal, is retrofitting an old home the most reasonable path?

MORE: BOSTON SUNDAY GLOBE STORY

CUSTOM BUILDER MAGAZINE FEATURES HINGHAM MARSHFRONT

ZED’s custom home in Hingham, MA was featured in the Spring 2022 issue of Custom Builder Magazine, in an article titled ‘Net Zero and Beyond.’ The piece talks about what it takes to design a home to net zero - or net positive - energy performance - which isn’t achieved with just a few solar panels. Design, siting, and building enclosure are all part of the equation, in addition to “listening to clients and interpreting their program to look for ways to incorporate flexible spaces serving multiple purposes and/or transforming over time,” says Stephanie Horowitz, who was interviewed for the piece.

When talking about net zero homes, great design often gets lost in the conversation. Horowitz emphasizes this important first step, which is then followed by (2) super-insulated building enclosure, (3) high efficiency systems, and (4) renewable energy, prioritized in that order and all working together as a system.

Hingham Marshfront. The 4,200 square foot home takes advantage of its natural surroundings with multiple decks overlooking the salt marsh and a vegetable garden, all part of the owners desire to connect to the outdoors. Other features include a private guest studio, large mudroom and art space and open living areas that create maximum functionality for the owners and their soon-to-be young adult children.

MORE: CUSTOM BUILDER ARTICLE

Acton Passive House Achieves PHIUS+ Certification

ZED’s new home in Acton is now officially a PHIUS+ 2018 & Source Zero Certified Project! This 1,650 SF residence was constructed for small operational impact, vastly reduced embodied energy, and energy efficiency. In addition, rooftop solar panels will produce enough energy to arrive at net zero or net positive energy.

Passive Home certification requires very precise and tighter construction than what is used for typical built-to-code homes. The result is an exceptionally tranquil living space that is comfortable year-round, provides excellent air quality, and has extremely low energy use. ZED and contractor Adams & Beasley are incredibly proud of this achievement.

Source Zero is an additional recognition that advances community goals of carbon neutrality and climate resilience at the project level. Achieving PHIUS+ means dramatically reducing demand; achieving PHIUS+ Source Zero means meeting the small remainder with on-site renewable energy.

The Passive House Building Energy Standard is the most rigorous building energy standard in the world

Green Building Advisor Features ZED's Stephanie Horowitz on Zero Energy Homes

Green Building Advisor posed a simple question to ZED’s Stephanie Horowitz: “Is Zero Energy the Answer?” Horowitz joined a handful of experienced industry experts in submitting short essays on this topic, exploring the challenges, opportunities, and shortcomings of zero-energy homes. Many of the entries focus on rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, which generate electricity at home, heating systems and insulation, and the role homes play in the global picture of carbon emissions.

Article Link: Is Zero Energy the Answer? (subscription required)

Newton Net Zero, one of ZED’s super-insulated, net zero energy homes. EUI: 0.4kBtu/sf/yr | 0.19 ACH50

In Progress: Net Zero sanctuary in Westport

ZED is nearing completion of a new energy efficient residence in Westport, MA. The design, which features two gable-roofed structures set in an open meadow, was inspired by the agrarian aesthetic of the area, creating a zen-like sanctuary for the owners.  

The client, a soon to be retired couple from Wayland, chose to relocate to Westport to find more community and gain more consistent access to the outdoors. They also desired a home with minimal energy consumption, minimal maintenance, and exceptional durability, with net zero or better performance. 

Lofty Spaces and Outdoor Connections.  ZED created a home consisting of two formal gray masses with natural material connections - a primary residence and detached barn-like garage connected by a covered walkway. The three-bedroom main house is open concept and window-filled, the entire home meant to feel like one giant room. The spacious kitchen flows into the living/dining room, which benefits from double-height ceilings, ample windows and giant lift/slide glass doors. On the other side of those doors is a large awning and shading device that helps filter out light and heat, as well as a substantive deck for outdoor entertaining.

Rooms Designed for Openness and Flexibility. One enters the primary bedroom on the second floor through a wide cased opening, making it feel completely open and seamlessly connected to the rest of the house. The two ‘guest’ rooms were designed to be adaptable, either as home offices, guest bedrooms, or exercise rooms. Additionally, the first-floor bedroom can be easily transformed into the primary bedroom suite, should the owners desire moving downstairs as they age in place. The two-car garage brings plenty of versatility as well, providing room for vehicle and outdoor equipment storage, a workshop, or ’tinkering’ space, and multi-purpose loft. 

Net Zero Energy Performance. The electric home was designed to be in line with net-zero or net-positive energy performance, featuring a super insulated enclosure, triple-glazed windows, air source heat pumps, balanced mechanical ventilation with heat and energy recovery, plus a large 51-panel solar array to offset energy consumption. Embodied energy was reduced by using minimal foam, wood fiber continuous exterior insulation, loose-fill cellulose for the roof, and mineral wool interior insulation on basement walls; the garage is not heated, utilizing only mineral wool in the wall cavities. These performance features, combined with the minimalist design, result in an exceptionally peaceful environment for the owners.

A floating staircase with a gentle rise provides access to the second floor

Living/dining room features lots of light

Large lift/slide doors open to the outside

The primary bedroom is open to the rest of the house through a large cased opening

Detached garage with covered connection

Covered passageway to garage

The addition of the orange awning and shading device will help filter out summer light and heat

Builder's Notebook Podcast: Stephanie Horowitz Joins!

ZED’s Stephanie Horowitz joins hosts Sarah Lawson and Bruce Irving to discuss the differences between high-performance, net zero, and passive homes and what it takes to design them. Stephanie, Sarah and Bruce also share their knowledge on updating an older home to make it more energy efficient, and why windows can make a world of a difference.

Follow your preferred link to listen!

Anchor FM | Apple | Spotify

Builder's Notebook: The Podcast shares practical advice to help listeners make informed and intelligent decisions about renovating or building a home. Hosted by Sarah Lawson and Bruce Irving, this informative, nuts and bolts series on home design, construction, and renovation will welcome industry experts and touch on a variety of topics.

Hempcrete Comes to Cape Cod

Get a first look at this ZED consulting project (energy + HVAC design) in Harwich Port, MA where a hempcrete house is being built, one of the first of its kind in the country. ZeroEnergy Design provided the energy consulting and mechanical design for this forward-looking, carbon sequestering home. 

What is Hempcrete?
Hempcrete is a cutting edge biocomposite building material made from the chopped stalk of the hemp plant, a lime-based binder, and water. The result is a healthy, resilient and carbon beneficial building material that can be used to create a building’s thermal envelope, and which looks a bit like concrete. But unlike concrete, hempcrete actually sequesters carbon dioxide; a recent study showed that hempcrete can sequester 19 pounds of C02 per cubic foot. This progressive material is incredibly useful for: 1) reducing a building’s operational energy requirements with a well insulated, thermally broken, airtight enclosure, 2) sequestering carbon in the material itself, and 3) providing healthy indoor air via thermal mass and moisture absorbing behavior. 

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Material Attributes
Lime in the application of hempcrete uses about 80% less energy to calcine than when used in concrete. As an ‘air set’ material, the lime in hempcrete reabsorbs the CO2 that is driven off in calcining.

Hempcrete is resistant to mold growth, deters pests and won’t burn. The vapor permeable property of hempcrete also helps regulate building humidity, while its matrix structure provides excellent sound absorption.  

In addition to being a non-toxic and biodegradable material, hempcrete can be used to reduce construction waste by replacing drywall, which represents about 10% of building construction debris. Furthermore, hemp is a rapidly renewable resource with the greatest CO2-storing potential of any other insulation building material.

The Cape Cod Hemp House
The Cape Cod Hemp House exemplifies future focused, healthy, low carbon, net positive energy design. As this progressive home takes shape, we take a closer look at the carbon sequestering envelope, all-electric systems, and renewable energy sources that contribute to its net-zero energy makeup.

Envelope
The home's super-insulated envelope begins with 12 inch-thick walls with continuous hempcrete on the exterior and spray applied to a wood frame with bamboo wall lathe. The interior will be finished with a plaster coat. The roof includes hempcrete, wood sheathing, building wrap, and metal roofing. Triple pane windows round out the super insulated, airtight building enclosure.

Workers prep and spray hempcrete insulation between the 12 inch-thick exterior walls.

Workers prep and spray hempcrete insulation between the 12 inch-thick exterior walls.

Systems
High efficiency systems in the home include air source heat pumps, a heat pump hot water heater, and energy recovery ventilation. Rightsized air source heat pumps provide heating and cooling matched with the thermally improved building enclosure. Balanced heat and energy mechanical ventilation systems provide constant fresh air while also managing humidity levels. A heat pump hot water heater efficiently provides domestic hot water. 

Renewables
The all-electric home’s consumption is offset with clean energy production on the roof from a 15kW solar electric system with a whole-house backup battery. The photovoltaic array is expected to offset 120% of the total annual energy consumption, resulting in a net positive energy house. 

A Future for Hempcrete
While builders continue to see value in hempcrete, one of the limitations to its wider use is availability. Facilities capable of processing hemp into hempcrete are mostly in Europe and some regulatory challenges still exist in growing hemp itself, particularly in the U.S. But once more forward-thinking producers and builders start utilizing hemp for construction, it could lead to many more eco-friendly, high performance buildings.

MORE:  CAPE COD HEMP HOUSE

The interior side of the exterior envelope includes bamboo lathe with hempcrete inside the cavity.

The interior side of the exterior envelope includes bamboo lathe with hempcrete inside the cavity.

High-production European spray-applied hempcrete system. When completed, this project will be the first in North America to employ this system.

High-production European spray-applied hempcrete system. When completed, this project will be the first in North America to employ this system.

Forbes PROFILES Zero Energy Architecture LEADER

Noted author and expert on small/prefabricated houses, Sheri Koones, profiled ZED and interviewed Managing Director, Stephanie Horowitz, for Forbes.

Horowitz described how the firm’s commitment to making energy efficiency, health, and comfort baseline attributes for all projects, allows it to instead use the design time to create spaces that are beautiful, functional, and durable.

She also discussed ZED’s Lincoln Farmhouse and Dartmouth Oceanfront projects, while sharing that changes in the building codes were necessary to bring energy-efficient homes into the mainstream.

Full article is linked below.

MORE: ZED - LEADERS IN ZERO ENERGY ARCHITECTURE

Newton Net Zero Wins SILVER PRISM Award

We are proud to announce that ZeroEnergy Design’s high-performance, net-zero home in Newton, Massachusetts, won a Silver PRISM award for Best Passive Home/Sustainable Home Design at the 2019 PRISM Awards Gala.

Organized by the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston (BRAGB), the PRISM awards honor the finest projects and accomplishments of architects, builders, developers, and other professionals in the home building industry. Entries in this category were judged on operation at zero net energy performance as well as overall design, comfort, usability, and livability of the space.

The Newton Net Zero home was designed as a forever home for a couple who believed deeply in carbon-free lifestyle and wanted to set an example of conscientious, healthy living for future generations. With a super-tight building enclosure, high-efficiency mechanical systems, and a solar photovoltaic system for generating renewable energy, the home uses 96% less energy than a comparable home built to code with enough energy for charging the couple’s electric cars.

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The BRAGB is the region’s leading home building association and has represented the industry since 1944. The PRISM Awards Gala is the BRAGB’s flagship event of the year and winning an award is considered a sign of excellence and superior achievement. Each entry submitted in the PRISM awards competition is judged on its own merit by a national panel of distinguished industry professionals.

Matthew Genanze (Project Management/Architecture) of ZeroEnergy Design and Ryan McCathy of Auburndale Builders (Construction) received the award on behalf of the entire project team that also included ZED’s Stephanie Horowitz (Architecture) and Jordan Goldman (Energy and Mechanical Design).

MORE: PRISM AWARDS | NEWTON NET ZERO

ZED CONTINUES TO LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

According to the newly released 2018 Summary of the AIA 2030 Commitment report, ZeroEnergy Design is one of only 16 firms nationwide to achieve 70% or greater predicted EUI savings across their entire architectural portfolio in 2018.

The AIA 2030 Commitment program supports the AIA 2030 challenge, which calls for all new construction and major renovations to be carbon neutral by the year 2030 and provides architects, engineers, and owners a global platform to demonstrate action against climate change through energy-efficient design. Every year, the 2030 signatories track and report their annual progress against increasingly aggressive energy reduction targets.

This year, ZED reported an impressive 92.6% reduction in pEUI savings across its entire architectural portfolio, achieving the targeted 70% carbon reduction for the ninth consecutive year.

The 2030 Commitment currently has 549 active signatories, out of which 252 firms submitted portfolios in 2018 on projects totaling almost three billion square feet across 92 countries. Together, these projects accounted for an overall pEUI reduction equivalent to avoiding 17.7 million tons of CO2 emissions as well as operating savings of greater than $3.3 billion over the baseline equivalent.

Click on the link below to read the new full report.

MORE: 2018 AIA 2030 SUMMARY

Historic Multifamily Project Case Released

ZeroEnergy Design is proud to present a new case study for the firm’s mechanical design services, the Troy Historic Multifamily Project in the Central Troy Historic District of downtown Troy, NY.

While historic preservation and net zero performance might not seem like a natural fit, this project proves that it is possible to achieve high performance and energy efficiency in older masonry structures without sacrificing the architectural features.

The original Victorian-era structures consisted of two three-story walk-ups in vacant and heavily deteriorated condition. ZED’s responsibilities included specifying and designing efficient HVAC systems that would provide year-round thermal comfort along with a constant supply of fresh air, all with minimal impact on the building’s fabric and historic aesthetics.

Overall, the building achieved a 90% reduction in energy consumption compared to before the renovation.

The project was the result of collaboration between Second Arrow LLC, Neil Pelone Architecture, ZeroEnergy Design, RDH Building Science, LTRW Architecture & Preservation, Ethos Homes LLC, and Active Solar Development.

 

MORE: TROY CASE STUDY

ZED is a Proud Sponsor of 2019 BuildingEnergy Boston Conference

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ZeroEnergy Design is honored to be a sponsor of the 2019 BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Trade Show of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). As the region’s premier event for professionals in the fields of high-performance building, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, the BuildingEnergy Boston conference brings together more than 1,500 attendees from dozens of professions and industries to share ideas and learn from each other. The interdisciplinary content and audience sets the BuildingEnergy Boston conference apart from other green building conferences and encourages broader discussions and a whole-systems approach to the challenges facing the built environment.

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EVENT: BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Trade Show

LOCATION: The Westin Boston Waterfront,
425 Summer St, Boston, MA 02210

DATES: March 14-15, 2019

The theme for 2019 BuildingEnergy Boston is Know-How. The session line-up will focus on practical skills and immediately applicable knowledge, including ongoing innovations, recent lessons learned, and important skills. The trade show floor will showcase the products and services of over 100 industry leaders and offer attendees the chance to observe cutting-edge technology and grow their client base.

Founded in 1974, the NESEA is a member-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the adoption of sustainable energy practices in the built environment. ZED is a longtime NESEA Business Member and a BuildingEnergy Bottom Lines Member.

MORE: BUILDINGENERGY BOSTON | EVENT REGISTRATION

RetrofitNY Solution Provider Team

Paul A. Castrucci, Architect together with energy consultant, ZeroEnergy Design, are pleased to announce their Solution Provider Team partnership and prequalification status for NYSERDA RetrofitNY initiative.
 
RetrofitNY is working to create new solutions to renovate multifamily buildings while achieving or approaching net-zero energy use and creating standardized and scalable processes that will improve residents’ comfort and buildings’ energy performance. 

MORE:  PRESS RELEASE

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Prioritizing Building Envelope Resilience

475 Building Supply, ZED, and Thoughtforms collaborated on an extensive technical article with construction photos about the Lincoln Net Positive Farmhouse.

For more insight and in-progress construction photos read the article on the 475 Blog.

MORE:  ARTICLE

Zero Energy Certification Awarded to the Lincoln Net Positive Farmhouse

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) awarded Zero Energy Certification to the Lincoln Net Positive Energy Farmhouse. The certification recognizes actual measured energy performance over a period of 12 or more months, and includes third party review and verification of both the energy measures implemented and the data reported.

The Lincoln Net Positive Farmhouse, a collaboration between the contractor, Thoughtforms, and the architect, ZeroEnergy Design, demonstrates that families who desire a green home do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort.  With more than two years of measured occupancy to date, the home unquestionably provides exceptional energy performance, consuming  70% less energy than a code-built house, with measured energy data proving it produces 67% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home.  Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, the continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage, while high performance, triple-glazed windows round out the super-insulated building envelope.

In addition to Zero Energy Certification, the Lincoln Net Positive Farmhouse recently received a Reveal label from the ILFI, which publically displays or 'reveals' the building's energy profile. The combination of verifying and sharing the building performance exemplifies today's best practices.

MORE:  PRESS RELEASE
MORE:  ILFI CASE STUDY

Boston’s Future Buildings: How Do We Get to Net Zero?

Experts (including ZED's Stephanie Horowitz) examine the financial, political, legal, and technical challenges of how we make net-zero carbon construction happen in Boston.

• Matt O’Malley — Boston City Council Environment & Sustainability Committee (moderator)
Stephanie Horowitz — ZED
• Henrietta Davis — former Mayor of Cambridge
• John Cleveland — Boston Green Ribbon Commission
• Joan Fitzgerald — Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Northeastern University
• Cammy Peterson—Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Presented by the JP Forum and the Boston Clean Energy Coalition (on Facebook @BosCleanEnergy)

WHERE / WHEN
June 15, 2017  |  7:30–9:00 pm
First Church in Jamaica Plain
6 Eliot Street, Boston, MA