Sensible Net-Zero by Design This is the 6th and final blog of this Net-Zero by Design Series. By now it’s plain to understand that a Net-Zero Energy Home is not just any home covered in solar panels, with awful windows and poor insulation. I actually see homes covered in solar panels, every now and then. . .
Read MoreNet-Zero by Design – Know Your Low-E Windows SHGC – Part 5 In Part 4 of the Net-Zero Energy Home blog series, we talked about the great advancements we made in the last 10 years to dramatically lower the energy usage of the mechanical system, particularly in hot and humid climates. We also covered creating. . .
Read MoreNet-Zero by Design – Tight Envelope & Smart Insulation – Part 4 In Part 3 of the Net-Zero Energy Home blog series, I addressed the importance of reducing the energy demand of the mechanical system, particularly in hot and humid climates. Before we started designing homes with the ducts in conditioned space, heating and cooling. . .
Read MoreNet-Zero by Design – HVAC Sizing – Part 3 In Part 2 of the Net-Zero Energy Home series we discussed the importance of the home’s orientation as well as the uniqueness of the effort to get to Net-Zero. Energy Smart Home Plans is very proud of the fact that we’ve designed so many Net-Zero Energy. . .
Read MoreIn Part 2 of Net-Zero by Design we’ll talk about the Lot Purchase. – In Part 1 of this Net-Zero by Design series of blogs, I mentioned that virtually all of the discovery we make during a Custom Home Design process applies to creating a Net-Zero Energy Home. But there is also much more to. . .
Read MoreNet-Zero by Design Our home plans have the key energy-efficient features already designed in. Net-Zero by Design – Part 1 – In my last blog series, Custom Home Design, I revealed the interviewing process to prior to beginning Task I, Preliminary Design. Although the process of discovering our client’s evolving wish list continues even through. . .
Read MoreWhat is a True Net-Zero Energy Home? The term Net-Zero is used so frequently to describe any energy-efficient home today, that the term is becoming watered down to simply mean “green whatever.” The term Net-Zero Energy, has a precise meaning, which basically is, the home produces as much energy as it consumes over a 12. . .
Read MoreIn Parts 1 & 2 of this Custom Home Design blog series, I wrote about the importance of identifying the budget, a recent survey of the property and the benefit of having the customer prepare a comprehensive wish list…
Read MoreThe Serengeti Grand Opening. Serengeti is a one-of-a-kind property in Alva, just fifteen minutes from I-75 on the west coast of Florida. Its lush 31 acres are full of natural beauty. The Caloosahatchee River borders the southern side of the property, and will offer boating access for its residents. There’s a total of 15 acreage. . .
Read MoreInterviewing clients for a custom home design, either by phone or in person, is an invaluable process of discovery and we at Wright Jenkins Home Design appreciate the details our customers reveal.
Read MoreFGCU Students Meet Net-Zero Energy Experts — Fort Myers based Hi-Performance builder, Shawn Harvey of Greencastle Inc. and designer Dave Jenkins of Energy Smart Home Plans are almost done with the construction of a true Net-Zero home, the 711 Tavernier. These are the Net-Zero Energy Experts. The customers, Roy and Kathleen are very excited about. . .
Read MoreYou are considering building a custom home, but you also see that a number of newly constructed homes have advertised monthly payments which sound too good to be true. You know what they say about deals too good to be true…?
Read MoreBuy the Best Green Home for the money – Right Now! We first wrote about the Eco Series 2500 model home in a blog titled, The Best Green Home for the Money posted on June 20th, 2016. At the time, builders Bob Hilliard and Jeff Gersh were about to start construction of their first Energy. . .
Read MoreWe want to congratulate and thank Ashok and Ravi Patel and Dan Wigh on a fantastic open house. Developers Ashok and Ravi are making a great contribution to the Clearwater community with its upscale neighborhood, Breezy Meadows in Pinellas County, Florida. These homes will all offer super low energy bills at a modest price point. . .
Read MoreWhy has the construction of residential homes not advanced as quickly as other things? If you were to transport a modern car back to 1950’s, car mechanics would be dumbfounded. It would appear as if it came from another world. The same can be said for watches, phones, televisions, radios, and home appliances. But not. . .
Read MoreFrom Preliminary Home Design to Construction Task 1 – Preliminary Home Design [floor plan, elevations, roof plan, site plan] Task 2 – CAD Design Development – [all sheets] Task 3 – Energy Calculations & Mechanical Design [optimizing your HVAC] Task 4 – Structural Engineering [signed and sealed] Task 5 – Coordinate [Builder, Truss Mfg., Energy. . .
Read MoreEnergy Smart Home Plans customers are very happy to have built a custom designed, super energy-efficient home for less money than what they would have spent for a big-box builder’s, energy-hog, tract home. Good for our lucky customers, too bad for those that simply don’t know what they are missing! Our mission is to get. . .
Read MoreWhat does resort style living mean to you? Maybe these pictures are a good example of it. We are happy to congratulate a builder who exceeds all expectations with a home we’ve designed. David Benner and Safety Harbor Builders did just that for customers Mark and Rose of Boca Grande.
Read MoreWhen a loyal Energy Smart Builder “knocks one of our homes out-of-the-park,” we’re happy and excited to offer our congratulations. This is especially true of the deserving builder, Charles Dees, owner of Riverbanks Construction in New Bern, North Carolina. His very first Energy Smart Home scored an amazingly low 43 HERS! Truth be told, it’s. . .
Read MoreCongratulations to Kevco Builders, for constructing another energy-efficient home. Our Trenton Plan #116, the Little Big House. New homeowner Joe C. couldn’t be happier. He says “we call this, our 4th home, ‘The Big House’ despite it’s smaller size, it feels bigger than the rest. I’m inspired every morning I wake up here.” And, “It’s . . .
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