Illinois Gets Its First Passive House Institute Certified Home

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After a thorough renovation and completing a rigorous review process, Ellis Passivhaus in Chicago becomes the first Passive House Institute certified home in Illinois.

A development of Kenwood Construction Services with the Passive House consulting services of  ZeroEnergy Design, the Ellis Passivhaus transforms an antiquated 1890’s rowhome into a progressive, urban, green living environment.  

The newly renovated home now provides exceptional energy performance, healthy indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and long term resilience, all within a Chicago row house aesthetic.  

MORE:  PRESS RELEASE

GREEN HOME TOUR - first certified Passive House in Chicago!

ZeroEnergy Design and Kenwood Construction are pleased to announce that the historic greystone Ellis Passivhaus rowhome, which recently underwent a renovation to become the first certified Passive House in Chicago, is open to the public on the 2018 GreenBuilt Home Tour.

The GreenBuilt Home Tour features 15 exceptional, award-winning, and nationally-recognized homes throughout Illinois, which highlight attractive, affordable, and sustainable building practices. Tickets allow access for two people to all the homes.

The Ellis Passivhaus rowhome includes construction by Kenwood Construction, Passive House Consulting and Mechanical Design by ZeroEnergy Design, Architecture by Richard Kasemsarn, and Photos by Elizabeth Harper. The home has recently been certified under the Passive House EnerPHit standard by the Passive House Institute. 

DATES:  Sat July 28 + Sun July 29, 2018

TOUR:  INFO + TICKETS

New Book: Passive House Rising to New Heights

The newest Passive House case study book, titled From Small to Extra Large, Passive House Rising to New Heights, has just been released and is free to download!

Great Passive House cases of all scales are included, from single family homes to large multi-family buildings.

Be sure to review ZeroEnergy Design's Passive House consulting cases on:

  • Pages 62-63 with Architect: The Turrett Collaborative

  • Pages 78-79 and 82-83 with Paul A. Castrucci, Architect

  • Pages 84-85 as a ZED firm profile

  • Page 100 with Jane Sanders Architect

MORE:  FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD

LG releases Passive House article

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ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) is pleased that LG, the South Korean multinational manufacturing company offering air source heat pumps and other electronics, just released an article about high performance homes and buildings entitled: "Passive House Is Creating a New Standard for Efficiency". 

The article references three Passive House examples including:

Two ZED consulting projects:
- Hollis Montessori School (Architecture by Windy Hill Associates)
- ABC No Rio Offices & Gallery (Architecture by Paul A. Castrucci Architect)

One ZED architecture project:
- New England Passive House Retreat

ZED encourages widespread adoption of Passive House levels of building performance, and is pleased to cooperate with LG in educating the company's audiences.

MORE:  ARTICLE

 

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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Fine Homebuilding Podcast

Great podcast by Fine Homebuilding Magazine!
Thanks for the shout out from Brian Pontolilo for your #FavoriteWholeHouse!

Listen at 39:26 in the #podcast:  LISTEN

Brian discusses his 'Better Than Average' #FineHomebuilding ARTICLE

About the ZED #architecture project: MARGATE RESILIENT RESIDENCE

#transitionaldesign #modernarchitecture #healthyhome #energyefficiency #daylighting

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.