zero energy homes

Our zero energy off grid modern house construction update from our wonderful contractor, Ron Bernaldo! Here he explains the progress and his thoughts, as a contractor who has not worked with structural insulated panels (SIP), or a house kit like our passive solar casa ti house kit.

"Eh, I would say it doesn't take a lot of technical expertise to put the panels together but there are quite a few steps involved, so it's not a speedy process.

We got the 44' wall done, and the one 16' wall done, and the first piece around the corner... it wasn't a wonderful day weather-wise, and I had to take care of some things on another job... but all-in-all we've got one guy filling in the framing, 2 setting panels, and the most experienced carpenter following us just framing in the doors & windows.

The factory rep checked in with us... and I had some questions that they walked me through.

I prefer screws to nails or staples, so I deviated from traditional instructions on that.

I put up a 44' wall today.
Normally we have braces all over the place, and there overnight.
I went up to that wall today, and we couldn't shake it.

It's a neat design. I'm really happy with it.

The panels go together EASY. But you do have to do things as you go along, and that's what slows you down.

One more solid day could get us all the way around the perimeter.
If I can get the perimeter done in 3 days, I might do this in 7 days. (That's my goal.)

One of those interior walls will need to go up first to set the roof panel... so that will slow the perimeter/exterior down.

The only thing I'm unhappy with is the amount of material that did not come with the kit. We need material for the clerestory, for the framing of interior, etc. - so I need to account for that.

But I am still considering in my mind the framing for the extending of the roof on one side... that will eat up time.

That's about it!"

Copeland's note: The house kit is *just* the SIPs and SIP parts, of which I had been clear. I will ask him tomorrow why or what he thought would else have been included- they do come with a window and door schedule, but we are very clear about our "bare bones" - which makes it affordable and flexible for the consumer, who could then make their own decisions according to their style and budget.

There is rain in the forecast, which will certainly slow them down... and I also rescheduled the cladding delivery (it was supposed to be delivered Friday) for next Friday (they only deliver on Fridays), because of the rain. Remember, in a rural lot, you do NOT want to get a truck full o' metal modern cladding stuck in the mud!

I am really looking forward to spending the first night with our children in this house, and sharing it with our friends and family. David Day Design did a beautiful job on an affordable, passive solar house kit for Green Modern Kits.

A net zero energy home in Truro, Massachusetts, will be open to the public as part of the NESEA Green Buildings Open House. The private residence is designed to produce as much energy as it uses each year.

Zero Energy Home 

Truro, MA (PRWEB) -- ZeroEnergy Design, an architectural design and mechanical engineering firm, will be showcasing their newly completed net zero energy home as part of both the 2008 Green Buildings Open House held annually by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) and the National Solar Energy Tour held annually by the American Solar Energy Association (ASEA) as sponsored by the US Department Of Energy.

The modern Cape Cod residence utilizes a combination of attributes to achieve net zero energy performance. First, energy requirements of the home are reduced by passive means, including attributes like staggered stud walls with foam insulation. Then the active systems throughout the house are selected for energy efficiency, such as the geothermal system which provides all of the heating and cooling. Lastly, renewable energy systems are sized to off-set the annual energy consumption as predicted by detailed energy modeling software. The end result is a grid tied home that utilizes net metering to spin its electric meter backwards and produces as much energy from renewable sources as it consumes.

With a sleek modern aesthetic created by ZeroEnergy Design, the oceanfront residence was constructed by Silvia & Silvia, custom builders, in collaboration with Light Th!s, a lighting design firm, NexAmp, renewable energy system experts, Heimarck & Foglia, landscape architects, GridPoint, an energy management appliance manufacturer, and utilizes panels from Evergreen Solar, a photovoltaic manufacturer.

The residence, located on Corn Hill in Truro, will be open to the public on Saturday October 4th from 10AM until 4PM. More information including directions can be found on the NESEA Green Buildings Open House listings website at www.nesea.org/buildings/openhouse/.

About ZeroEnergy Design: ZeroEnergy Design is a professional services firm providing Custom Home Design and Energy Design services for new green homes. The unique collaboration between in-house architectural designers, mechanical engineers, and financial analysts drives a competitive advantage and enables the firm to deliver fully integrated design and engineering for high performance homes. http://www.ZeroEnergy.com

Firm offers service nationally that recommends materials and systems for builders to construct zero energy homes.