ZED Logo Custom Home Design & Energy Design
 March 2009 - Vol 4, Issue 02
 
  Services:
  Custom Home Design
  Energy Design
  Mechanical Engineering
  Sustainability Consulting
In This Issue - click on a title below
Design Project Updates
Remembering Millard Fuller
ANSI Review of NAHB Green
Task Force Recommendation Release
Geothermal Incentives
Coming Conventions
Technology Resource - Energy Monitoring
Design Project Updates
  
With 2009 fully underway, updates of several projects are in order:
 
Alwen's Promise 
  Alwen's Promise
  Layou, Dominica
 
  Construction completed recently.
  Photography scheduled. 
  New images will be posted when available.

 

Craftsman 
  Craftsman Renovation
  Newton, Massachusetts
 
  Construction underway for spring 2009 completion.
  Spray foam insulation recently completed.
  HVAC installation completed.
 
 
 
 
Modern Lake House 
  Modern Lake House
  Orleans, Massachusetts

  Construction underway for early fall 2009 completion.
  Foundation, framing, and sheathing complete.
 
 
 
 
 
Lakeside Retreat   
  Lakeside Retreat
  Waterford, Maine
 
  Design nearly complete.
  Land cleared for construction to begin spring 2009.
  See new interior renderings below!
 
 
 
 
 
New Lakeside Retreat Interior: Great Room
 
Lakeside Interior 1
 
 
 
New Lakeside Retreat Interior: Master Bedroom
 
Lakeside Interior Master Bedroom
 

 Several new residences are currently in design with ZED, including locations in Massachusetts, California, and Vermont.
 
Learn More: ZED offers Custom Home Design Services

 
Remembering Millard Fuller
 Habitat for Humanity 
Fuller
 
Millard Fuller, the visionary whose tireless work created Habitat for Humanity, passed away February 3, 2009. His contribution to humanity lives on.

 
 
 
ANSI Review of NAHB Green Standard Complete
 
NAHB Green Building ProgramThe American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has completed its review and approved the NAHB Green Building Standard, making it the first and only green building rating system approved by ANSI.
 
 
Learn More: NAHB Press Release
 
Please note, the 'Standard' is different from the previously released 'Guidelines'. 
 
NAHB Green Standard                    NAHB Green Guidelines
 
NAHB Standard                     NAHB Guidelines
 
Article Headline
 
MassZeroEnergyTaskForce 
 
 
 
 
 
Emile Chin-DickeyZED is looking forward to the release of recommendations developed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's Zero Energy Taskforce. 
 
ZED Principal Emile Chin-Dickey sat on the taskforce's Residential Working Group, which made bold recommendations to reduce energy consumption of residential buildings in the state. 
 
Ian Bowles, the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, will make the formal announcement and release the recommendations at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's (NESEA) BuildingEnergy'09 conference on Wednesday, March 11.
 

 
Geothermal Incentives
 
Heat Pump GraphicFor those considering geothermal heating and cooling for your new home, the cost justification just got a whole lot better.
 
Previously,there was a cap of $2,000 on the tax credit available for the installation of geothermal heat pump systems. With the new stimulus legislation signed into law February 17th by President Obama, that cap has been lifted.
 
The tax credit is now 30%
with no cap. 
 
 
That, for example, means a $50,000 system can offer a $15,000 tax credit. Initial installation costs, plus lifecycle costs, less the financial incentives, make the investment appealing for for a much wider range of situations.
Coming Conventions
 
This week: 
 
NESEA Building Energy 2009
 
ZeroEnergy Design staff attends the NESEA Building Energy convention each year. Please let us know if you would like to meet a representative in person.

 
Next month: 
 
RDC 2009 
 
Stephanie Horowitz 
Stephanie Horowitz from ZeroEnergy Design will be presenting at RDC. Look for her session on Thursday at 10:30 AM.
 
Greenovation: Applying Green Standards to Remodeling Projects 
Technology Resource
 
ecoHome
 
Energy management and monitoring systems are available with realtime feedback, which has been shown to strongly influence behavior.  
 
Do you know how much carbon you are producing?
 
Would your behavior change if could see how much you consumed?
 
 - Electricity
 - Natural gas
 - Water
 
Waiting for the utility bill once a month will soon seem antiquated.  The following is a sample of systems on the market which provide ongoing feedback, keeping you in touch with the level of your consumption.
 
 
Advanced Telemetry
 
 
 
Tendril 
 
 
 
GridPoint
 
 
Learn More: More systems and details at EcoHome Magazine 
 
We hope this newsletter was helpful and educational for you. We are already working on the next issue. Please feel free to call or email with any questions or ideas for the newsletter, or about our firm's services. We'd love the opportunity to design your next home!
 

Sincerely,

The ZeroEnergy Design Team

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