Within the past few months, several impressive EarthCraft homes have been certified, two projects in particular stand out because of the way they go above and beyond in their pursuit of sustainability and efficiency. These homes are worth noting because of their commitment to above code construction and the way in which they went about creating comfortable, sustainable living spaces. The projects illustrate two unique facets of the EarthCraft home program, one is a completely new structure and the other is a renovation of an existing structure.
The first home by Luis Imery of the Imery Group reached EarthCraft Platinum certification with a score of 257 points. It surpassed the base level of certification, which requires at least 75 points, going beyond gold to reach the highest level of platinum. As a measure of energy efficiency this home went through HERS rating and received a score of 6, which means it is greater than 90% more efficient than an average new home. Strategies like advanced framing, air sealing, and a carefully planned building envelope contribute to high performing insulation and efficiency of air conditioning systems.
The second recent project that received Platinum level certification is a renovation by Abe Kruger of SK Collaborative working with Sawhorse Renovation as the general contractor. Not only did the house receive platinum certification, but the process was chronicled on Abe’s blog, greenongift.com, which tracks the process from gutting and demolition on the old structure through certification of the finished project. Additionally a series of videos was produced partnering with Tom Mills from Green Shortz, to further describe the process. These resources provide an inside look for both builders and homeowners to see the process and eventual benefits of EarthCraft certification.
EarthCraft would like to congratulate Luis, Abe, and their project teams for their impressive work. We look forward to seeing many more projects of this caliber from these builders and others in the EarthCraft community.