The Not-Shed

By Larry Berliant, Berliant Builders, Inc.

The outdoor shed holds a sacred place in American frontier-busting lore.  It’s a bastion of peace and tranquility – a place of productivity, refuge, safety, and utility.  It’s a symbol of ownership, a flag planted in promise of continual improvement and progress.  Over its lifetime, the shed takes on the personality of its owner, assuming a presence greater than the sum of four walls and a roof.

But, even in America, not all sheds are created equal.

We’ve modernized the concept of the shed in a recent project in Roscoe Village, creating what we refer to affectionately as “The Not-Shed” (because a “shed” it is not).

The Not-Shed is a four-season, temperature controlled multipurpose room, utilizing a high-efficiency air conditioning unit and in-floor heating under a finished concrete floor.  It boasts remote-operated glass “garage” doors on two sides, designed to combine both form and function.  The Not-Shed anchors its own city lot adjacent to the main house; its sidewalk approach is a runway of grass.  It’s a destination.

Our client utilizes The Not-Shed for a multitude of purposes: it’s a work space, an exercise room, a controlled play area for young children, a staging area for outdoor parties, storage space, and a meditation/yoga room.  Use changes with the season.  When the doors are closed, the space is a cozy, finished, and well-lit.  When they’re open, the space becomes airy and transitional, visually and aesthetically tying into the outdoor patio – also designed and built by Berliant Builders.

[Insert picture #3 – interior view.]

The Not-Shed has taken on new importance during the era of Covid-19.  Our client told us recently, only half-jokingly, that he “wouldn’t have survived without it.”  It has become an “on-site vacation home” that’s accessible, comfortable, and safe.  Especially during these unparalleled times, The Not-Shed serves – much like its humble ancestor – as a critical component of the home’s resiliency.

Larry Berliant is president of Berliant Builders Inc., a core member of NextHaus Alliance.

Construction Partners:

Outdoor design services provided by Barker Evans Landscape Architecture: https://www.barker-evans.com/

Stonework by Krugel Cobbles: https://krugel.com/

Flooring by AccuFlow Floors: https://accu-flow.com/

Garage doors by Raynor Garage Doors: https://raynor.com/

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Smart Move: Automating Health and Wellness in a Healthy Home

By Joe Barrett

Health and wellness at the touch of a button is one step closer. Today’s smart home automation systems can integrate features that enhance many aspects of health and wellness, from mood to energy levels to sleep. Thanks to a partnership between Barrett's Technology Solutions and DELOS, a global leader in wellness real estate, homes built by the Chicago-based NextHaus Alliance team of experts can include an innovative home wellness ecosystem. 

The DARWIN wellness hub is available as a stand-alone wall mounted enclosure

Like ecosystems in nature (and, for that matter, the human body), the home wellness ecosystem is interconnected and ultimately influential on overall health. The DARWIN wellness intelligence platform offered by NextHaus Alliance spans air purification, water filtration, and lighting, among other functions.  A homeowner can control functions via a handheld device equipped with a convenient app.  

Heating and cooling:  A home environment should be both comfortable and healthy, during the day and at night. Through the wellness intelligence platform, a homeowner can control optimal temperatures, with cooler temperatures for better sleep at night and warming temperatures in the waking hours to start the day with the right energy. 

Lighting is a way to enhance mood, reduce stress or boost energy, depending on the time of day.

Lighting: Likewise, smart home automation systems can control lighting that impacts and improves one’s state of wellness, beginning with lighting that mimics the rising sun in sync with natural circadian rhythms. The system can be calibrated to a home’s location for even more relevant, beneficial lighting. 

Air quality: The wellness intelligence system can detect pollutant spikes in a home’s air quality and then purify that air to reduce indoor contaminants that negatively affect cardiovascular, respiratory, immune and cognitive health.  Air quality scores can be generated for specific rooms as well as the whole house. Information on outdoor weather can also be accessed easily by the app.

These kinds of automated systems directly influence and improve health and well-being, an objective on the minds and priority lists of today’s homeowners, even before the COVID-19 pandemic and home quarantines. The wellness real estate market has been growing at a rate of about eight percent every year, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Going forward amid current circumstances, interest is expected to grow at an even more rapid pace.

Source: Delos, Healthy Living Environments

Combined with the expertise of the NextHaus design team that has long specialized in sustainable, resilient and healthy home design, construction and décor, smart home technologies can be installed easily and efficiently for better health and wellness at your fingertips – literally. 

Joe Barrett is president of Barrett’s Technology Solutions and a core member of NextHaus Alliance.

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Health Begins at Home – Here’s How to Safeguard It

By Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, LEED BD+C

Homes have always been havens and sanctuaries. Now, they are also workplaces and learning centers.  

As you try to protect the health and wellness of all those who live in your home, did you know that your home can actually protect you?  The way a home is designed and constructed can affect its overall sustainability (carbon footprint), resiliency (ability to withstand weather extremes and other harsh elements) and health (prevention or mitigation of health-impacting circumstances).

There are several elements of a home’s design that can provide peace of mind:

• Air quality: 

1. High performance homes require efficient air intake.  The outside air is brought in through a high efficiency air-to-air heat exchanger that is combined with a HEPA grade air filter.  A HEPA filter removes at least 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns in size.  An N95 mask, for comparison, only removes at least 95% of 0.3 micron sized particles.  

2. All electric homes do not have any combustion emissions within the house and consequently have a healthier indoor air quality.  Using an induction cooktop is a great way to have an amazing cooking experience with zero indoor emissions. Most of the top chefs have completely embraced this way to cook.  

3. Using non-toxic materials within the house helps make the indoor air quality as healthy as possible.  This includes not only the finishes and construction materials, but also the furniture, clothes and consumer products (like perfumes and hair care products) that are brought into the home.

4. Using non-toxic and natural cleaning products also helps with the indoor air quality.

5. Architectural skylights provide natural light that enhances cognitive function and learning, regulates circadian rhythms for better sleep cycles, and provides natural ventilation which improves energy efficiency by reducing reliance on air conditioning. 

6. Smart home technology systems help homeowners enjoy a level of indoor air quality akin to hospitals by monitoring indoor air quality and temperature and matching smart lighting to a person’s circadian rhythms.

Light from skylights helps improve cognitive function and circadian rhythms, while natural ventilation in warmer months helps air flow and quality.

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• Water: 

1. A rainwater capture system allows a homeowner to channel water into a barrel for use in irrigation or other non-drinking water uses. There are also gray-water systems that can be installed to recirculate water in your homes in a way that does not contaminate drinking water.

2. Home level water filters are a great way to make sure your drinking water is safe and healthy.  Per the Well Standard, the water filter is specified to meet the specific filter requirements of the exact water coming into your home.  

• Power security: 

1. Reducing reliance on the grid – especially when that grid is stressed – provides peace of mind should conventional power systems go down.  Solar photovoltaic panels, when combined with a battery backup system, can provide a portion of a home’s power, generating electricity needed to run critical mechanical systems, water heaters, cooktops and other key devices. 

2. Other electricity that doesn’t come from solar can be generated by renewable power purchased from the retail electric market. 

3. An additional level for peace of mind is a battery backup system, which allows you to store electricity from solar panels and use it at night or if the power goes out.  You can get the full benefits of a battery back-up system even without solar panels, as the batteries can simply store grid power and use it when needed or when the price of electricity is higher than when the electricity was stored into the battery.

• Resilient features: 

1. Resilience is the ability to have a home withstand natural or manmade impacts and recover quickly.  

2. A homeowner can opt for many elements that boost a home’s resilience such as metal roofs set atop of a roof whose sheathing is fully covered with Ice and Water Shield.  This helps keep a home watertight even if high winds damage the roof.

3. Oversized gutters and downspouts are able to keep up with extreme rain events.   

4. Smart landscaping can absorb intense rains and prevent water pooling around the houses foundation. 

5. Multiple and redundant sump pumps on carefully sized battery backup systems help keep your basement dry.

Homeowners can choose several features that improve a home’s resiliency from harsh natural or manmade elements, including windows, exterior materials and roofing.

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• Food security: 

1. Reduce reliance on purchased produce and grow your own vegetables, which have the upside of freshness, taste and higher nutritional levels. Landscape professionals with a specialty in sustainable landscapes can help optimize your backyard space for bountiful and seasonally-rotating home harvests.

• Storage:  

1. Ample storage space where you can stock necessities like nonperishable foods, water or other goods makes household management easier and helps extend your family’s supplies.

• Future Proofing:  

1. Integral grab bar blocking.  You never know when you will need to add grab bars to a bathroom or elsewhere.  Careful upfront planning insures that blocking for future grab bars are positioned where you might need them down the line.

2. Ground floor master bedrooms are very forward looking.  They might be called offices now, but locating a possible master bedroom suite on the first floor is very smart thinking for “aging in place”.  An adjacent powder room could also be converted to a full bathroom if planned out in advance. 

3. Having wider first floor doors and hallways also helps with ‘aging in place’ concepts.

As we work through this particular challenging time, we also look ahead to plan for and prepare for what might be coming next with a potential impact on our families and home fronts.  

Be well. 

Nathan Kipnis is Founder & Principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning in Evanston, Ill. and Boulder, Colo., and co-founder of NextHaus Alliance, a unique collaboration that encompasses architecture, sustainable construction, interior design, smart home technology and innovative landscaping.

Please contact us at NextHaus Alliance at 312-586-2818 or info@NextHausalliance.com if you have any questions on these tips, or if we can help you with your home project that incorporates these concepts.

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Stunning and Sustainable: Designing for Both Beauty and Resilience

By Alex Altieri, Vectorworks

As part of the organization’s 2030 Commitment, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) encourages its members to design all carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. This means that architects need to start thinking about designing sustainable structures if they haven’t already.

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning and founding member of NextHaus Alliance, has not only been thinking about sustainable structures, but designing them since he built his first solar home at age 22.

Today, as the national co-chair of the 2030 Commitment Working Group and a recognized leader in sustainable architecture and design, Kipnis is working with homeowners and commercial building owners to create structures that are as beautiful as they are resilient and aligned with 2030 carbon-neutral goals.

Kipnis, who coined the term High Design/Low Carbon™, is passionate about his vocation and how he can impact the effects of climate change, since buildings account for 40% of global CO2 emissions. His firm and his NextHaus Alliance partners in the software, design, construction, interior decorating and landscape specialties, have lent their innovations and expertise to create homes that marry sustainability, luxury and comfort. 

Recently, Kipnis’s firm designed a family home in Chicago that proves that sustainable design is not a zero-sum game. 

Aerial view of Kipnis’ 5-lot residential home design in Chicago.

The all-electric home exists on five lots — a uniquely large site — on the north branch of the Chicago River. Overlooking the river, it’s shaped like an “L” to shield the backyard from traffic. The south-facing roof is home to dozens of solar panels with more on the three-car garage that’s equipped with charging stations for electric cars. 

If high performance design is his goal, Vectorworks design software is his vehicle. Kipnis has been using the software for almost his entire career, which began in the early ‘80s. “We love using Vectorworks because it’s based on how architects work,” he said. “We just love how simple it is to use.”

For this particular project, he used the software to layout detailed floor plans and translate them into realistic 3D models. The software enabled seamless collaboration with the NextHaus Alliance team, allowing a free flow of plans, drawings, and models between everyone involved. He was able to get input from an energy installer, a landscape architect, an engineer, and more with the help of the software.

First story floor plan for Kipnis’ 5-lot residential home in Chicago.

Among other applications, Kipnis Architecture + Planning has made great use of the software’s ability to create solar animations to accurately visualize in real-time the path of the sun as it relates to a building. “This feature allows us to position buildings properly to take advantage of natural lighting, reducing energy usage for the build,” he explains.

Ultimately, through visionary design, careful planning and software that powers the vision, Kipnis is able to help clients tread lighter on the earth but no less enjoyably.  “The thing that this house shows,” Kipnis said, “is that homes can be designed and built from the ground up in ways to save important resources, improve energy efficiency and even boost health, without having to exchange sustainability for luxury or comfort. It’s a collaborative process that results in a truly integrated sustainable design.”

Vectorworks, a Bronze Ambassador member of NextHaus Alliance. guides the exploration of discovery by providing powerful tools to help designers capture ideas, nurture innovation, communicate effectively and realize their vision. 

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A Landscape That is as Sustainable as it is Stunning

By Bob Hursthouse, President, Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors and Core Member, NextHaus Alliance

One of the things we pride ourselves on at Hursthouse is creating beautiful, functional landscapes that fit the lifestyle of the homeowners. That’s paramount. But we also examine ways to create sustainable landscapes. Sustainability is not just a “buzzword”: it’s working with environmentally-friendly choices, being sensitive to the site, whether we design and build it in a busy urban area with a small space garden or in a large suburban setting. That is what we’ve done for this incredible home as part of the NextHaus Alliance.

Functional Landscapes

Native plants—from trees to prairie grasses and perennials—are a big part of this landscape. Unlike roses or annuals that can be fussy and only bloom during the growing season, the plants we’ve used in this landscape offer multi-season interest. This fall, the drift of prairie grasses along the water’s edge will turn tawny colors. When the wind blows, they’ll provide movement and they’ll look good when the snow falls. Behind the house, the stunning swamp white oak will hold its leaves until spring. There’s always something to enjoy in this landscape, even from inside the house in winter.

There are many reasons for using native plants. They benefit pollinators like butterflies. Their flowers and seeds feed the birds. For example, native chokeberry bushes along the drive feed migrating cedar waxwings and other birds. The oak-leaf hydrangea offers flowers, beautiful fall color and winter interest. And, once they’re established, many native plants are drought-tolerant and require little supplemental water.

There’s less maintenance, too. We planted a native mix of grasses as a barrier alongside the water, which deters geese. And, there’s a small lawn area planted with low-mow, low-maintenance fescue. The owners like the informal, organic feel created by the plants.

Sustainable Landscapes

We’ve also used natural materials like quarried stone, rather than those products that are manufactured. Natural stone will last beyond a lifetime. The deck was built with recycled materials-bamboo and plastic—and we installed a dry stream bed to draw water away from the home’s foundation.

The goal of designed and managed sustainable landscapes is to maintain soil integrity, create plant and animal diversity, and, ideally, contribute to our overall wellness. No matter what style garden we design, sustainability is always an underlying principle at Hursthouse.

Your NextHaus Alliance team embraces the unique gift of each of our design and construction specialists. Just as indoor and outdoor areas fuse an array of features and elements, each discipline plays a part in perfecting your living space and making it more sustainable.

Bob Hursthouse is president of Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors, a core member of NextHaus Alliance. Learn more at hursthouse.com.

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Architects Can Save the World!

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA

I recently finished up two meetings with the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  The meetings were focused on how the AIA, and all architects and builders, are to work towards making buildings as sustainable and resilient as possible.  I left both meetings with a sense that the task ahead will be very challenging, but the stakes are huge.

I serve on two national committees for the AIA.  I am the national co-chairman of the 2030 Commitment Working Group.  The 2030 Commitment’s goal it is to get all architects to design their buildings to net zero carbon by 2030.  I also am on the AIA’s Sustainability Leadership Group (SLG). The SLG oversees strategic planning for the various sustainability groups.

A Streetcar Named 2030! Everyone looking at the camera is a member of the AIA’s national 2030 Commitment WG.

2030 Commitment Working Group

The 2030 Commitment, a direct offshoot of the 2030 Challenge, provides a framework for efficiency targets for energy reductions for various building types in various climatic regions.  It is also designed to positively impact a design firm’s culture so that these reductions are integrated into how a firm operates.  The idea is that all projects are to be efficiently designed, not just a few “superstar” projects that we all seem to have.

Everyone looking at the camera is a member of the AIA’s national 2030 Commitment WG.

Our group recent meet in Kansas City (which I had never been to before – GREAT BBQ!) to review how we are going to make the program easier to use, provide a clearer business case to architects, and begin to integrate carbon metrics into the program.

The program is already seeing results.  In the most recent annual report, firms in the program have abated 17.8 million metric tons of CO2e in the last year.  That is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 21 million acres of forest annually.  That’s nearly as big as the state of Maine. But we need to step up our efforts even more.  The three-year goal is to double the number of signatories in the program and double the rate of reporting by those firms.

The reduction targets, currently at 70%, increase by 10% every five years until they are at net zero by 2030.  At NextHaus Alliance, we are routinely achieving that 70% reduction target on the homes we design. Next year, that target increases to 80%, a mark that we fully intend to meet.

Sustainability Leadership Group

The AIA’s Board of Directors just passed a groundbreaking resolution on Climate Change.  The resolution was introduced at the AIA’s national convention in Las Vegas and was signed by 50 members, including myself, to formalize leadership focused on climate action.  The three parts of the resolution included a declaration of urgent climate imperative for carbon reduction, transforming the way firms operate to achieve zero carbon work, and focusing others outside the AIA on this goal.  The vote was an overwhelming 93% to 7% (who are these 7% anyway?).

I just met with the SLG in Washington, D.C. to work on how to implement this and restructure the AIA.  The most amazing part of this is previously, the AIA allocated 6% of their funds on sustainability initiatives.  This is now going to increase to 60%, a full order of magnitude shift.

Change on the ground – and ground-up change

My firm is not that large.  We submit approximately 40,000 square feet into the Design Data Exchange, the reporting tool for the 2030 Commitment, out of the three billion (!) that the 2030 Commitment tracks annually.  But as part of the NextHaus Alliance, the concept of the 2030 Commitment is fully integrated into the work that we do. Saying it is part of our DNA sounds sort of cliche, but it is very true.  If you could put on colored glasses that showed how efficient, sustainable or resilient a building is, that is what we wear all the time.

Buildings are the source of nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions.  Being a part of these committees gives me hope that the people that make the key design decisions are being steered in the right direction for the benefit of the environment as a whole.  I feel that I am in a unique position – being a member of these committees is so rewarding knowing the impact that they are having, while at the same time the work we do at NextHaus Alliance is on the same plane, but done at a personal level.  Both scales of effort are needed to address climate change.

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA is the co-founder of NextHaus Alliance and  Founder & Principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning in Evanston.

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Shedding New Light on LEDs in Landscape Illumination

By Dean MacMorris, President, Night Light, Inc.

As daylight starts to wane this time of year, the impact of evening illumination grows. While the effect of nighttime lighting on landscapes is powerful, when using LED lights, it can use less actual power and be more energy efficient.

LED lighting  is one of five light sources, which also include common halogen, incandescent and mercury vapor lamps, among others. With homeowners looking to maximize their savings and also lessen their own environmental footprint, LED is a way to showcase beautiful outdoor spaces  in a way that treads lighter on the earth – and the family’s energy budget.

If you’re considering replacing your existing outdoor lights with LED options, let’s shine a light
on this lighting source, its benefits and uses in landscapes:

What is LED? LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. An LED emits lights by electronic “excitement” rather than the traditional heating of wires or exciting of gases. The technology for this type of lighting is continually improving and evolving and is being used more often in both commercial and residential spaces, both indoors and outdoors.

Today’s LED: These are not your parents’ or your old bluish LED lights that seemed artificial. The old Christmas light stereotype is a lingering misconception. LED lights are now available in a spectrum of looks, ranging from warm tones to cool hues, and emit more lumens (light) than previous versions. You can find easily determine the color that you like best or are most used to. Saved by the light: LED lights operate on significantly less energy. By converting an old system to LED, you can save energy costs by about 80 percent.

Conversion conversation: Nigh Light works closely with homeowners to help them convert their current outdoor lighting systems to LED or to start anew. There are benefits and costs to retrofitting a system and installing a completely new LED system, and the decision is based on the current setup and project budget.

Greener pastures — or at least greener gardens and yards: LED lights offer several sustainability benefits. LED lights use less energy, generate less heat, contain no hazardous materials, are low maintenance and conform to the Energy Act of 2005.

Just as homeowners have options across their home and outdoor areas to create beautiful, sustainable and resilient spaces, their lighting options include not just the use of LED but the expanding choice of different LED fixtures. To learn more, see examples of landscapes illuminated with LED — including homes  built with the NextHaus Alliance team — or get started on your own installation or conversion project, visit nightlightinc.net. The Lombard, Ill.-based Night Light, Inc. is a member of NextHaus Alliance.

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Wood is Good

The Davis residence on Chuckanut Drive, Bellingham, Washington
© Benjamin Benschneider All Rights Reserved.

By Gabriela Taylor

Homes should be thoughtful, sustainable, and built for life. These are some of the core values at NextHaus Alliance. So how do windows and doors fit into these values? When we focus the topic on wood windows and doors, the answer becomes much more apparent. 

At Sierra Pacific, our business, culture, and operations are engrained in the wood, if you will. With roots running over 70 years deep and with the sustainable management of nearly two million acres of timberland in California and Washington State, we are unquestionably on the “wood is good” train. 

To bring it back to the original question, how do windows and doors make your home thoughtful, sustainable and built for life? The answer is simple. Just as these are core values for NextHaus Alliance, these are core characteristics of wood, therefore core characteristics of wood windows and doors.

Thoughtful:

Unlike many other things, wood does, in fact, grow on trees. That said, sustainably managing a forest, replanting, using every single part of said tree, and custom building every window and door produced by the same company that planted the seed is a very thoughtful process. With the use of modern forest management practices that closely mimic natural forest events and technology that gives us the ability to monitor forest conditions, our impact on the environment is drastically minimized. Professional foresters and natural resource specialists assure that wildlife habitat and other forest values are protected. This thoughtful foresight is something very unique and a value much desired in the resilient home design-build process. 

Sustainable:

The sustainable properties of wood are well known. Obviously, a renewable material, when wood is used in the construction and design of a home the building’s carbon footprint lowers by first storing the carbon and second by avoiding greenhouse gas emissions otherwise emitted by materials such as steel or concrete. The potential to reclaim and reuse wood is an additional factor in its sustainable quality. 

Built for Life:

The benefits of incorporating wood into the architecture and design of a home are also well known. Along with creating an aesthetically-pleasing environment that increases comfort levels, wood has been proven to:

• Help reduce stress levels

• Improve attention and focus

• Generate greater creativity

• Allow for quicker recovery

• Reduce pain perception

With all of these points, in addition to the benefits of natural daylight from windows and doors, the result is a perfectly matched product for any homeowner, builder, or architect who is striving to achieve a sustainable home design. Wood really is good.

To learn more about Sierra Pacific Windows, visit www.sierrapacificwindows.com.

Gabriela Taylor is the Architectural Consultant – Chicago, for Sierra Pacific Windows, a Division of Sierra Pacific Industries and a member of the NextHaus Alliance. 

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Independence Days: Smart Home Technologies Control Energy Off and From the Grid

Photo above by Savant

By Joe Barrett 

It might seem that living off the grid and utilizing the latest technologies are mutually exclusive. But today’s smart technology systems allow people to take control of their utilities to maximize their comfort, peace of mind and energy efficiency if grid outages occur or if they are looking for better ways to manage their energy sources and usage. 

Climate control – on both a global and local level – is increasingly important to people, who are alarmed by information and images about the state and future of the environment.  The good news is that continual advances allow homeowners to integrate technologies into their home to help manage their environment in their homes, which can help positively impact their corner of the world and, in turn, the larger world around them.

Photo by Racepoint Energy

One example is a turnkey microgrid that can be customized to fit any job size or budget. This microgrid is a new smart technology that Barrett’s Technology Solutions is offering through its partners Savant and Racepoint Energy . It’s where transformers meet transformative change.

Essentially, the microgrid technology provides homeowners with energy independence in the event of grid outages, which are becoming more common and a focus of concern for the future. 

This form of integrated technology, with Racepoint Energy designing and engineering solar, generator and battery systems and Savant providing energy management and home automation, also gives users the power to monitor energy used by each circuit and manage energy storage systems and any smart appliances. 

Photo by Racepoint Energy

Even better and easier: this can be done with an app. The intuitive app allows homeowners to monitor their energy consumption and production, view energy history and set the system to pre-defined modes. 

Through this technology, homeowners have dynamic control over their climate, lighting and other electrical loads in a different way than traditional power backup systems.

The result is a rethinking of the ways in which energy is delivered, measured, managed and consumed. The combination of eco-friendly energy creation and customization represents a new kind of home ecosystem and turns consumers into “prosumers.” 

We’ve seen and been at the forefront of a lot of exciting home technologies since we started Barrett’s in 1966, at a time when televisions were becoming an important hub of the home. Today, as technologies are evolving in exciting ways, the home can be a catalyst for positive change. 

To learn more about integrated technologies and control systems that enable greater sustainability and resiliency, visit barretts.tv/home-automation. 

Joe Barrett is president of Barrett’s Technology Solutions, a core member of the NextHaus Alliance. 

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Second City Savant(s)

Savant’s smart home integration system provides for the ability to easily capture, save, and revisit multiple settings – or “themes” – on a room-by-room basis. (Photo courtesy of Savant.)

By Larry Berliant, Berliant Builders, Inc.

Some NextHaus Alliance (NHA) members, courtesy of NHA partner Joe Barrett of Barrett’s Technology Solutions , recently journeyed to New York City for in-house presentations on cutting-edge smart home automation and lighting technology.  The NHA was represented by Barrett’s, Kipnis Architecture + Planning, and Berliant Builders, Inc. .

The demonstrations in NYC by Savant , USAI , Delos, and Lutron were notable for many reasons.

We were particularly impressed with Savant’s smart home automation system, which has the capacity to seamlessly integrate multiple functionalities of a “smart” home – including HVAC, lighting, security, and audio-visual systems – with the push of a button.  Savant’s system is set apart from the competition by its intuitive, easy-to-use interface, which allows for infinite customization by the home owner without constant calls to service technicians or technical skills greater than those needed to operate an iPhone.  It takes the “scary” out of “smart.”

Extraordinary automatic shading and LED lighting effects on display at Lutron’s showroom in Manhattan. (Photo courtesy of Joe Barrett.)

As contractors, Berliant Builders focused on the installation of Savant’s smart home products, and was pleased to learn that they are “modular” in the sense that they can serve as either the “hub” for an entire-home system or be installed on a room-by-room basis.  We’re excited to present this technology to both our new-home construction clients and as a retrofit to existing homes.

Moreover, it was encouraging to discover that Savant shares the NHA’s vision of building smart, resilient and sustainable homes.  For example, beyond its smart home automation system, Savant presented intriguing products that work to reduce plug load (the electricity consumed by devices that are plugged in but not being used) as well as advance a home’s capacity to cheaply and efficiently rely on internal battery storage, making the home both more-resilient during a power outage and more-sustainable in its ability to “switch off” from the grid during peak, “rush hour” power times.

This “field trip” to New York reinforced NHA members’ belief that these will be standard components in homes of the future, and that the time is rapidly approaching where home buyers won’t be asking “Is this a smart home?” but “How smart is this home?”

Berliant Builders is a core member of the NextHaus Alliance. The NHA is grateful to Barrett’s Technology Solutions as well as its New York City hosts for allowing us the in-person opportunity to better educate ourselves, and our clients, on the products of tomorrow.

A demonstration of the many beneficial aspects of a Naava “green wall” at Delos’s HQ in Manhattan. (Photo courtesy of Joe Barrett.)

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On the Side of Resiliency

By Joe Stubler, Boral

It’s that time of year, when tornadoes and strong thunderstorms rake communities, and the first tropical storms and hurricanes start to churn up, bringing to mind images of people boarding up their homes or, after the event, staring at their damaged
facades. This also that time of year in many parts of the country when people take a new look at their home in the light of a late spring or early summer sun after a long winter. It was an exceptionally long winter in the Chicago area, which took its toll on structures as well as people. One way to secure a home and make it look fresh and appealing is to literally envelope it with strong materials. Durable siding enhances a home’s resiliency in the wake of weather events as well as in “regular” wear and tear.

Thanks to innovations in siding and trim materials and technologies, greater durability can be achieved. Boral, for example, has focused much of its innovative efforts on TruExterior siding and trim made from a combination of proprietary poly-ash material and recycled content. The line includes 5/8, 4/4, 5/4 and 2x trim, accessories, beadboard and siding. A home’s resilience is more than just weathering storms and wear, extending to the way in which a structure is a part of and connects with its environment. Homeowners interested in lowering the carbon footprint of their living space can opt for eco-friendlier materials while maintaining their high standards for quality and beauty. To that end, beyond its durability, the made-in-the-U.S. TruExterior is environmentally friendlier, because it’s made with 70 percent recycled content. The product is certified by a third party as “recycled content”.

The chemistry of poly-ash and recycled content also results in a hardier, low-maintenance exterior, with less expansion and contraction. The siding and trim offers greater resistance to damage caused by splitting or warping.

For home builders and homeowners, it’s also easy to install, without the need for gluing, gapping or other cumbersome and more expensive installation methods. The siding comes pre-primed, and can be painted in any kind of high-grade exterior paint. Another bonus: TruExterior siding and trim lasts longer because it isn’t affected by moisture like wood or other siding made with wood fiber.

Given the increasing frequency of strong storms and growing interest in more sustainable living, siding can be a front-and-center consideration when building a resilient home. See for yourself how your home might look with a more durable siding and trim, by logging onto Boral’s “Virtual Remodeler” .

Joe Stubler is a Territory Sales Manager for Boral Building Products Inc. in Bloomington, Ill and a member of the NextHaus Alliance. To learn more about durable, more sustainable siding and trim and the innovation behind such materials, visit truexterior.com.

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Topping Off the Resilient Home

Photo above by: ajbrownimaging.com

If the front of the home is its face, the top of the home can be thought of as the brains, thanks to roofing designed for greater resiliency and sustainability. 

Beyond merely topping a structure, roofs can be used in a smart way, to generate power and provide natural daylighting and ventilation with an integrated skylight, among other functions. 

Resilience is one advantage of today’s metal roofs. The life span of a properly installed metal roof can be up to 50 years, and metal roofs typically last three times longer than other roofing materials. A large piece of hail will damage anything it hits, but a metal roof will survive the impact much better than traditional roofing materials, contrary to some misperceptions about metal roofs. Furthermore, metal roofs are resistant to fire, which is a benefit in areas of the country susceptible to wildfires.

In addition to durability, topping a home with a metal roof contributes to its overall sustainability. For example, energy-efficient metal roofs have qualities that can reduce the effect of heat gain from the sun inside a home and subsequently lower energy usage, thanks to the solar reflectance qualities from the Kynar paint finish on many metal roof products. In metal roofs with standing seams, the seam makes a good anchor for attaching photovoltaic solar panels, as long as the clip that attaches the solar panel to the roof panel doesn’t penetrate the metal. Using a metal roof to collect water is another good choice, considering oil and granules from asphalt roof shingles can leach into collected waterh. Another facet of greater sustainability is the recyclability of metal roofs, including those from Petersen Aluminum Corporation (PAC) at the end of their use, which keeps material out of landfills.

Photo by: scottbellphotography.com

Metal roofs like Petersen’s PAC-CLAD steel and aluminum products  enhance the appearance of a home, too. Standing seam metal roofs look good with almost any architectural style if properly specified by a knowledgeable architect or designer. Today’s standing seam metal roofs are available in more colors than other types of roofing. PAC-CLAD roofs, for example, include standing seam metal roofs in 45 colors, and have the ability to match any custom color. 

Metal roofs also bring peace of mind for homeowners, who probably won’t need to think about buying another roof on their home as long as they’re living there. Petersen offers a 30-year warranty against fading, chalking and chipping on the paint applied to its metal roof panels.  

For more information about PAC-CLAD steel and aluminum roof and siding products, visit pac-clad.com, email info@pac-clad.com or call 800-PAC-CLAD.

PAC-CLAD is a member of the NextHaus Alliance

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The Power of One: Why a Whole-Home Approach with a High-Performing HVAC System Optimizes Efficiency

By Mike Schaefer, Performance Construction Manager, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC

If there are natural and effective balances in the greater environment, it makes sense for a home environment to have a certain order of things for optimum efficiency.  It also follows that those concerned about the health of the overall environment can make their own home “ecosystem” more integrated and thoughtful. 

Today’s high-performance, lower-carbon homes reflect this confluence of sustainability, resiliency and performance. A whole-home approach, in which the entire home is considered a single system comprised of interdependent parts, ultimately results in greater efficiencies that help enhance the living environment and the bigger-picture environment.

A key component of the whole-home approach is the HVAC system, which can (and should) work in harmony with other elements of the home, such as framing, walls, insulation, windows, doors, lighting, wiring controls and power sources.

The envelope, please 

Today’s high-performing homes have a more airtight envelope, thanks to elements such as smart framing, improved outboard insulation and better cladding. This reduces heating and cooling loads and the risk of condensation, and also impacts the choice of HVAC systems.

Bigger isn’t necessarily better 

Oversized HVAC units aren’t as efficient or effective for homes built in a more airtight way. Instead, split-ductless and ducted systems better address lower heating and cooling loads and also conserve more energy while often using less ductwork. These systems are available in a range of capacities to match the needs of a particular home. Meanwhile, as more people utilize solar, wind or hydroelectric power, these systems are also ideal for such greener energy sources. Another bonus: because they have less wear and tear, split-ductless and ducted systems are more durable with a longer life.

A custom fit

While optimizing energy with lower loads, high-performance HVAC systems  can be designed for the way people live in their home. For example, split-ductless and ducted systems allow builders to customize the design and keep rooms at temperatures that work best for a particular time of day and for how a room is used. A homeowner can also control comfort zones through better control technologies, including remote controls via mobile devices.

Just as the whole-home approach is optimal for efficiency and environmental impact, it takes a collaborative team to create a high-performing, energy-efficient home, from architects and builders to contractors and HVAC manufacturers. Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC, for its part, offers a Performance Builder Program to develop innovative HVAC systems that meet homeowner needs and requirements.

To learn more, visit metahvac.com. For another example of the power of a collaborative approach to sustainable, resilient design, visit nexthausalliance.com. Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC is a member of the NextHaus Alliance. 

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