Michael and Nancy Platz were seeking a contractor who could build them a new home that would stand up to the test of time, be energy-efficient and protect them from the hurricanes that occasionally threaten the Carolina coast. They found what they were looking for at a home show in Charleston. Steve Bostic, owner [...]
When zero equals more: Planned buildings expected to make as much energy, or more, than they burn By David Quick dquick@postandcourier.com / Sep 3, 2017 Updated Sep 3, 2017 Green building templates Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or commonly known as LEED, is a rating system devised by [...]
Sam Rashkin, Chief Architect in the DOE’s Building Technologies Office, presents Amerisips the Custom Innovation Award August 31, 2014 Sam Rashkin, Chief Architect for the Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office, named builders of Zero Energy Ready Challenge Homes in the top 1% of their industry by demonstrating their ability to meet extraordinary guidelines in [...]
July 17, 2014 The European Solar Decathlon award went to a Home design that realized that reusing is more sustainable than rebuilding. It featured • Passive and active solar elements photovoltaics) • LED electrical lighting throughout • Heat/Fresh air exchanger • Water reclamation and low-flush LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council is awarded [...]
Thinking of getting off the grid or just significantly cutting your energy use? A new book by architect William Maclay outlines how to do just that. His new book, "The New Net Zero: Leading-Edge Design and Construction of Homes and Buildings for a Renewable Energy Future” is comprised of detailed architectural drawings and impressive charts [...]
"Among the characteristics that home buyers are increasingly looking for in a home is energy efficiency. In fact, in a recent National Association of Home Builder survey of homebuyer preferences, energy efficiency features topped the list of desirable items. For example, the survey data indicate that 94 percent of home buyers want energy-star rated [...]
How much water are YOU wasting? Saving water while keep lawns looking green through the summer is not as hard as homeowners might think. Whether it’s using the proper products or watering at the correct time, we can do a lot to help cut down on water bills and wasted water. WaterSense, which is a [...]
A study by Quercia, who is also a professor in the city and regional planning department in the College of Arts and Sciences and a faculty fellow at the Center for Urban and Regional Studies, and the study’s other authors Nikhil Kaza, research fellow at the UNC Center for Community Capital, assistant professor in the [...]
LEED pioneer Rob Watson explains that 'there are good buildings, and there are bad buildings' while speaking at a sustainability and design conference in Atlanta. "People still don't appreciate how important buildings are," Watson said Wednesday at the 16th annual Greenprints conference, where he delivered the keynote address. "We need to help people figure out [...]
Decades ago, an architect used a pencil and paper – the inaccuracies were rampant. Then came the age of computers and design shifted to CAD/CAM. As we progress and evolve, we know that the very best home designs and architectural drawings are developed using the Building Information Modeling systems, or BIM. Our Design Team uses [...]
