BUILD ZERO Initiative

We are starting to see a large-scale shift in how homes are built.  The focus on high performance, durability, and potential for zero-energy buildings has become an achievable goal, and it’s at the forefront of our daily work.  There is much to be gained when your target is zero.

A Build Zero home strives for:

• Net Zero Energy Use
  • Producing as much or more renewable energy as they consume over the course of a year
• Zero Carbon Footprint
  • Powering thoughtfully with electricity vs fossil fuels
  • Reduced Water Consumption
  • Employing Natural Ventilation
• Zero VOC’s in the air we breath
  • Increasing indoor air quality and occupant health

It’s a big goal, but the small steps we take today can make Zero a reality.  To take Build Zero a step further, we have experience building Certified Passive.

Your home keeps you dry when it rains, warm when it is cold, and cool when it is hot. But, how well is your home performing at these simple functions? When it rains are there small amounts of water that you don’t see getting to places that don’t dry out? Is your furnace running more than it needs to because cold outside air is leaking in and transferring right through your exterior walls? On hot summer days is you’re a/c working overtime to cool hot humid air that easily penetrates the home? And has your HVAC system been properly sized and balanced to efficiently and evenly heat/cool and ventilate each room? This is how homes perform.

A home that performs well is designed with these factors in mind for your location and solar orientation while accommodating the aesthetic and functional design intent.

A high performance home restricts water only to outside surfaces designed to handle it, keeps air leakage to an absolute minimum and insulation is not only maximized, but installed in the most continuous manner possible – eliminating thermal bridges between the outside and in. These practices now allow for a minimal heating and cooling demand – saving you money upfront on equipment costs, and every month on utility bills. So while most homes will keep you dry and warm/cool, a high performance home will keep you COMFORTABLE while doing very little work. Spaces will be evenly tempered, and ventilated. Stale air is constantly removed and replaced with fresh clean air. Spaces are strategically day-lit, while direct sunlight is controlled with window placement, designed glazing types, and shading.

These fairly simple concepts are easy to explain, but the fact is, successful implementation is rare. Cedar Street Builders sets out to conquer these methods on each project by making High Performance Home Building our primary focus