We've Met The Challenge !

In the summer of 2009, effortlessdesign, inc. signed up for the DOE Builder's Challenge Program where we committed to build homes with an Energy Smart Home Scale of 70 or lower. This a truly a challenge, because we make the effort to do things right. We are enthusiastic about finding air leaks and having our equipment work properly. The following graphic from the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website shows the scale of home performance.  From our building specification and initial blower door testing we will have a performance lower than 70, and our performance is also expected to be lower than the project depicted in the graphic. The eco New Bedford townhouses are roughly 60% better than the existing housing stock, and 40% better than the current energy code. If you lived here, you would reduce your carbon foot-print.

Shelter & Beyond Exhibit

In 2004 with fellow Boston Architectural College alumni and students, effortlessdesign curated and installed an exhibit titled Shelter & Beyond: Innovating for Communities in Need. One year later we purchased the underutilized commercial building on Brock Avenue (see before photo) with the intention of rehabilitating the building and innovating for efficient and affordable housing. In New Bedford, building innovation combined with a range of pressing issues from sustaining a watershed to investing in local business and recognizing vibrant neighborhoods. Over the course of the past five years the  need - both for the economy and the ecology - to design for these conditions has become more apparent, and the project became expressed as econewbedford. A portion of the Shelter & Beyond exhibit is now hanging in the smallest commercial space at 468 Brock Avenue. The title board to the exhibit included a passage inspired by Buckminster Fuller that can be read at alternativearchitecture.blogspot.com/2009/12/passage-from-2004-shelter-beyond.html

'Tis the Season!

Due to the incoming storm, the Winter Solstice Brunch will be rescheduled to Sunday January 3, 2010 11am - 2pm

You are invited to tour the Energy Star Certified Townhouses in New Bedford’s South End.  Choose a date that works best for you to celebrate with effortlessdesign for getting the work done in 2009!

Winter Solstice Brunch

Sunday, December 20th 11am – 2pm

Lunch Hour Pizza Party

Tuesday, December 22nd 11:30am – 1:30pm

Smart Growth Mixed-Use Project

464-468 Brock Avenue

New Bedford, MA 02744

Clear View

Leaves are mostly down. Photo taken on a recent super beautiful clear day. See before photo.

Heating System Turns On

This past week the heating and air conditioning system was turned on. From the neighborhood, very clued up, KD Heating and Air Conditioning brought the LG LMU185HV air to air heat pumps online. Ken DeMelo and Kris DeMelo are participating contractors in the CoolSmart program and are very in-tune to efficient hvac systems. This install is now being monitored for performance in the townhouses which are essentially a completely sealed foam box (integrated to a rigid frame of course).

The primary observation is that a room temperature in the low sixties feels completely and satisfyingly warm because there are zero drafts. 

Outdoor Condensor Units (one per townhouse)

Concealed Ducted Units for three bedroom spaces (same both units)

Wall Mounted Unit for central living area (same both units)

Energy Star Audit

This past week the two townhouses were evaluated for Energy Star and the Home Energy Rating System Index (HERS). 

Before the sheetrock goes up we will fix all of the leaks found through the blower door testing. The blower door sucks air out of the building and then an infrared camera is used to see where air is being pulled into the building. During the heating season these leaks push out warm air and let cold air in on a windy day.

Fixing leaks identified by the blower door test means valuable warm air won't  just be leaking out of the homes year after year. Despite very tight construction each townhouse was leaking 1800 CFM. Many people ask "but aren't tight homes unhealthy?" This is true if the house doesn't include a ventilation system. Stale air will be exhausted through a system called Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV). An HRV warms up the fresh air coming in with the stale being exhausted outside. 

In the attached video, conversations with Chris Mazzola of Building Diagnostics Sandwich, MA were recorded. Chris is a home energy rater who inspects the construction and measures its energy characteristics, such as insulation levels, window efficiency, wall-to-window ratios, the heating and cooling system efficiency, and the solar orientation of the home.

Pictures From Hazelwood Park

A beautiful Fall day perfect for taking a stroll in Hazelwood Park across the street from the Smart Growth Mixed Use project.