Now Practice Now

Turf—Where do we work? How do we work?

Today's urban challenges are reshaping the scale, specialization and composition of design practice. Overlapping boundaries and transdisciplinary thinking is needed to address the contemporary urban condition. Where—and how—do firms, teams and individuals practice design today? Why is this important to the future of practice?

June 14 | 6-8PM | BSA Space, 290 Congress Street, Suite 200, Boston

RSVP

Framing the topic
Christine Dunn AIA
principal, Sasaki

David Gamble AIA
principal, Gamble Associates

Roundtable
Mark Doughty
general manager, Thoughtforms

Shauna Gillies-Smith ASLA
founding principal, GROUND

Stephanie Horowitz AIA
managing director, ZeroEnergy Design

Daniel St. Clair
managing director, Spaulding & Slye Investments

Carole Wedge FAIA
president, Shepley Bulfinch

Town hall discussion
All are invited to participate.

About the Now Practice Now Series

Equity. Inclusion. Design. Technology. Environment. Resources. Innovation.

Architecture practice now faces significant challenges. Changes in technology, production, and collaboration are altering traditional modes of working. The Now Practice Now workshops explore the means and methods of transforming practice. The series is for those who now practice.

Jay Wickersham FAIA, 2018 BSA president, and the Now Practice Now committee invite you to join us for three candid discussions. Together we'll create a framework for the Now Practice Now Summit in Fall 2018.              

Have your say: @BSAAIA #NOWPRACTICE.

Boston Design Guide

Paying tribute to Earth Day, the Boston Design Guide featured ZED's Lincoln Net Positive Farmhouse in combination with several other eco-friendly, green homes.

The Lincoln Net Positive Farmhouse is a high performance home with many green features and includes significant third party certifications:

  • REVEAL Labeled (International Living Future Institute)
  • Zero Energy Certified (International Living Future Institute)
  • LEED Platinum Certified (US Green Building Council

READ:  ARTICLE

Sustainability + Preservation Presentation

TITLE  | Sustainability + Preservation

DATE  | Tuesday April 3 at 6:30PM

SUMMARY  | Can you make your home more energy efficient while still respecting its historic character? Yes!     Panelists Stephanie Horowitz (ZeroEnergy Design), Paul Eldrenkamp (Byggmeister), and Nick Falkoff (Auburndale Builders) discuss how to blend comfort, carbon footprint, and preservation.   Suggested donation, $5 per person.

PRESENTED BY  | Historic Newton - Energy Efficiency for Old Homes

LOCATION  | The Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue, Newton, MA.

ATTEND  | REGISTER

BOSTON DESIGN WEEK EVENT

TITLE  |  Through Rain, and Sleet, and Snow and Sun - Designing and Building for the New England Climate

DATE  |  Wednesday, April 4 at 5:30pm

SUMMARY  |  So you're ready to build or renovate.

What new products, technology, innovative ideas and design trends will sustain your home for years to come? And, once your dream home is finished, what can you do to protect your investment from the ever-changing, harsh New England weather? From choosing the right materials for inside and outside your home, to planning landscaping that can combat the elements, to learning tips and tricks for proper care and maintenance of everything from the roof to the basement and everything in-between - learn from the experts on how to be build and maintain your investment for the long run.

MODERATOR  |  Kevin O'Connor,  Host of This Old House

PANELISTS
  - Stephanie Horowitz  |  ZeroEnergy Design
  - D. Michael Collins  |  D. Michael Collins Architects
  - Kenneth Vona  |  Kenneth Vona Construction
  - Stephanie O'Brien  |  CUMAR Marble and Granite
  - Greg Lombardi  |  Gregory Lombardi Design

ATTEND:  REGISTER

Best of Houzz 2018 Awarded to ZeroEnergy Design

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ZeroEnergy Design (ZED)  has been awarded "Best of Houzz 2018" for Design by Houzz, a leading website for home design and architecture. 

With a focus on green modern homes, ZED was selected by the Houzz users from among thousands of home building, remodeling and design industry professionals listed on the website.

The Best of Houzz 2018 award was received for 'Design', signifying that the award winners' design work was the most popular among the more than 40 million monthly users on Houzz.

"The Houzz community selected a phenomenal group of Best of Houzz 2018 award winners, so this year's recipients should be very proud,” said Liza Hausman, Vice President of Industry Marketing at Houzz. “Best of Houzz winners represent some of the most talented and customer-focused professionals in our industry, and we are extremely pleased to give them both this recognition and a platform on which to showcase their expertise."
 

NOW A REGISTERED ARCHITECT

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ZeroEnergy Design is proud to announce that Matthew Genaze is now a Registered Architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

After years of schooling, rigorous professional exams, and extensive experience in the field, this formal registration and associated recognition is well deserved. As a Project Manager at ZED, Matthew’s responsibilities include shepherding projects from schematic design through construction administration as well as guiding clients ambitions into reality.

Matthew recently completed the design and construction oversight of a new zero energy home in Newton, MA. He is currently overseeing the construction of two projects, a new home in Hopkinton, MA and a renovation/addition in Belmont, MA.

Prior to joining ZED, Matthew worked in Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles on a diverse range of residential, multi-family housing, academic, institutional, and civic buildings. Matthew is a Certified Passive House Consultant, a LEED Accredited Professional, and now a Registered Architect. He received a Master of Architecture from Rice University and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

ZED receives 3 PRISM Awards!

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ZeroEnergy Design is honored to receive 3 PRISM Awards for 2017!  Hosted by the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston, the PRISM Awards seek excellence in building, design, and industry related categories.

PRISM AWARDS from left to right:
Gold - Best Energy Efficient Project  (Chatham Marshview)
Silver - Best Single Family Home  (Wellfleet Modern)
Gold - Best Green/Sustainable Home Design (Wellesley Green Home)

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

Architect 50 names ZED as #2 for Sustainability

Architect magazine, the official Journal of the American Institute of Architects, has just released the 2017 Architect 50, a nationwide ranking of professional architecture practices.

The 2017 Architect 50 list names ZeroEnergy Design as #2 in the United States for Sustainability and #12 Overall.  In past years ZED has placed both #3 and #6 nationwide for Sustainability, and has now received the new higher position.

Rankings are based upon a combination of factors including submission documentation, the AIA's Architecture 2030 program data, and a panel of judges. Submitted data is also reviewed for accuracy by a third party verification firm. Rating categories include Design, Business, Sustainability, and Overall.

MORE:  ARCHITECT 50 - SUSTAINABILITY LIST

Design Technology Throwdown

ZED's Jordan Goldman will be judging at the Greenbuild/ABX Design Technology Throwdown—a first-of-its kind competition where teams will face off to see who can design the best solution to a mutual design problem.

A champion will be crowned for the best use of contemporary technology to develop, document, and validate their design. In concordance with Greenbuild's mission of sustainability, extra consideration will be given to projects that incorporate environmental analysis and sustainable design strategies.

MORE: DESIGN TECHNOLOGY THROWDOWN