green building
Foundation Insulation Strategy
Like my head of hair, our foundations designs have changed over time. What once was full and blonde is now looking thinner with a few random grays, and what once was known as a standard foundation is quickly becoming obsolete. While the various past designs we have used are energy efficient, not all were the…
Read MoreLittle Things Add Up in a Net Zero Energy Home
We build high-performance custom homes in New Hampshire and Vermont. In order for the owner to benefit from the State of New Hampshire’s Energy Star program, we have to comply with their strict performance criteria of the shell of the house. The State of NH sends their own inspector to the site and when he…
Read MoreThe 3 Latest Technologies You Need to Build a High Performance Home
Are you thinking about building a net-zero home in Vermont but find the technical terms confusing? Many of the terms used to describe net zero can be confusing only because they are new terms. A net-zero home in Vermont or New Hampshire—regions are known for temperature extremes—needs to rely on the best technologies to achieve the…
Read MoreHeading For Retirement? Why a Zero Energy Home Is Just Right for You
With retirement and fixed income living just a few years ahead, the handwriting was on the wall for Don Wemple: Find a way to reduce living costs, or find another place to live. The answer for the Bridgewater Corners, Vermont, renewable energy expert was relatively easy in one way – he loves living in Vermont, even…
Read MoreHeat Recovery Ventilation Facts for Net Zero Homes in Vermont
When it comes to energy efficiency in Vermont, it’s important to design net zero homes to have heat recovery ventilation systems built into them. But what exactly is a heat recovery ventilation system, and what does it do? In short, a heat recovery ventilator, or HRV, warms incoming fresh air with heat from the outgoing stale air…
Read MoreDownsizing for Seniors: Zero Energy Home Construction in Vermont
ou’ve decided that it’s time to downsize and to do it in Vermont, so now you’re searching for a builder who specializes in high performance / zero energy home construction. Well, two out of three “ain’t bad” as they say. Some prefer to use the word “rightsize” rather than “downsize,” but we don’t get hung…
Read MoreLittle Things Add Up in a Net Zero Energy Home
We build high-performance custom homes in New Hampshire and Vermont. In order for the owner to benefit from the State of New Hampshire’s Energy Star program, we have to comply with their strict performance criteria of the shell of the house. The State of NH sends their own inspector to the site and when he…
Read MoreThe Monster Is In The House
Just after Christmas, the cold snap arrived, just as predicted by The Old Farmer’s Almanac. At first, the man wasn’t too concerned. The oil tank was full, he had managed to split and stack quite a lot of poplar. The first night wasn’t so bad; the big thermometer on the tree outside registering just a little…
Read MoreWhat Type of Kitchen Cabinets Are Installed?
Last November we installed Crown Point frameless cabinets and glass doors in one of the houses we were working on. They feature some innovative toes kicks and continuous horizontal trim pieces. The kitchen cabinets in the ProHOME are manufactured by Crown Point Cabinetry out of Claremont, N.H. It was nice to work with a company…
Read MoreThe 5 Crucial Design Elements for Net Zero Homes in Vermont
To some, net-zero may sound like something from the realm of science fiction. It’s not. A net zero home is one that has the potential to create as much energy as it consumes. And in fact, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, such homes may become mainstream in time. Why mainstream? Solar panels,…
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