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Featured Design Project |
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New England Farmhouse
Concord, Massachusetts
- 3 Bedroom
- 2.5 Bathroom
- 2,500 Square Feet
This New England Farmhouse was designed as a healthy home from the start. The family needed a home that would help to mitigate extreme allergies. But that wasn't the only requirement - it had to meet Not So Big House principles because of the site's modest footprint, and minimize energy used by the home to lighten its carbon footprint. Utilizing a factory built shell from Connor Homes went further and provided material efficiencies. Learn more: Project Profile
 Front Elevation
Rear Elevation
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| Massachusetts Adopts Energy Stretch Code |
Massachusetts has adopted a "Stretch Code", that provides local municipalities the individual option to adopt a higher energy performance standard than that currently required by the state building code.
If adopted by an individual community, this change would effect both residential and commercial buildings, from 1,000 sq ft new single family homes to 100,000+ sq ft commercial buildings.
Standards for new single family homes less than 3,000 sq ft would be a HERS rating of 70 or less (about 30% lower than current MA energy code).
Standards for most large commercial buildings would be energy use of at least 20% below ASHRAE 90.1-2007. Read code for full details.
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| BRKLYN Designs |
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If you missed the recent Brklyn Designs exhibition that included designers and manufacturers of contemporary furniture, the exhibtor list is a great resource and still available. Click on the furniture below to visit a few firms that prioritize sustainability in their work.
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| Cost Effectiveness of Ultra Efficient Buildings |
Cost Effectiveness of Net Zero Energy & Net Zero Water Use
Over the medium and long term, cost effectiveness for ultra efficient buildings is evaluated in detail within a new report sponsored by the Living Building Institute (LBI). The incremental cost of buildings abiding by the standards set forward by the LBI is compared to that of buildings that achieved the LEED Gold standard. LBI standards include production of as much energy as the building consumes as well as the cleaning and reuse of water.
Major influencing factors include:
- Use of the building
- Size of the building and roof
- The local climate
- Available financial incentives
- Utility and resource costs
The matrix PDF provides a numeric and graphic overview of 9 buildings accross multiple regions of the country.
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| Product Review - Tankless Water Heaters |
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Tankless water heaters consume less energy, take up less space, and are easier to install than traditional tanks. Their popularity in the marketplace has soared over the last decade, while manufacturers worked hard to address the issues and challenges encountered with eariler models.
If you have been waiting for an article that provides an overview together with a comparison of the competing models, look no further. This ecohome article addresses both electric and gas models, with most of the major brands represented.
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