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 MoreIn our last blog, Custom Home Design – Part 4, we asked a number of questions about the proposed kitchen and owner’s suite. Throughout the upcoming Preliminary Design task, we often revisit these rooms as necessary since the client’s ideas often evolve once we begin discovering.
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 the previous Custom Home Design blog series we discussed providing the “must have” view if available from the public space, the great room, kitchen and perhaps less important, the dining room. The owner’s suite must also be included.
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 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 MoreWhat’s the connection between poor sleep and marriage? Statistics show that about 30% of marriages are impacted by lack of sleep. In fact, a Sleep Council study reported that one in six couples sleep in separate rooms. How poor sleep can affect marriages. The lack of quality sleep can not only affect relationships but can. . .
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 MoreWhen you buy bread do you have to sort through piles of old, stale bread to find a fresh loaf? No, no you don’t. When you invest in a new computer, do you expect it to use the most up-to-date technology? Of course you do! Then why do some home designers make you search through. . .
Read MoreAugust in Florida can feel like living on the surface of the sun. They don’t call it the “Sunshine State” for nothing. To make it livable you need central air-conditioning. A swimming pool and a job indoors doesn’t hurt either. Keeping cool can be expensive. You can find the average electric bill in your area. . .
Read MoreHurricane damage from Hermine is just the latest in a series of natural disasters. There has also been the terrible flooding in Louisiana and unrelenting fires in Canada and California. While offering our thoughts and prayers to the victims of these disasters, we want to contribute in the best way we know how. When your home. . .
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 More
