Manchester, NH – The third annual NHSaves Drive to Net Zero Home Competition showed that homeowners across the state are building homes that embrace the best in green building.
Net zero homes produce as much energy as they consume by minimizing energy use through efficiency and meeting their remaining needs through renewable energy systems.
This competition was introduced in 2017 for single- and multi-family homes. Prizes are awarded to the top three entries: $5,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third.
The winners were:
First place: John and Barbara Williams home in Franconia. Tilia Restoration of Franconia was the builder and Eversource was the utility partner.
Second place: Jerry and Corrine Curran home in Conway. Beam Construction of North Sandwich was the builder and Eversource was the utility partner.
Third place: Daniel DiPiro and Carol Voloshin home in Concord. RH Irving of Salisbury was the builder and Unitil was the utility partner.
Whether it is building in a flood plain or designing a smaller footprint, homeowners are working with architects and builders throughout New Hampshire to construct creative, beautiful, and energy-efficient homes that meet their unique challenges and vision for a comfortable home.
“Going ‘small’ was the best choice for overall cost-effectiveness for our budget and, more importantly, the environment,” John and Barbara Williams of Franconia say of their 1,300sf home. And while a minimal footprint was important to the Williamses, so was a commitment to being as energy efficient as possible.
“Whenever possible, we used local, green and/or more sustainable or durable building materials,” they say. “Our floors are hard troweled concrete slabs that should last forever. Our roof is steel and should outlive us and hopefully be recyclable. The triple-pane windows were manufactured by Matthews Brothers, located in Maine. Our pine shiplap siding is both economical and sustainable. Also, many of our interior fixtures were reclaimed from local dealers, and of course all of the lighting is LED.”
The DiPiro/Voloshin home is built near the Contoocook River on an open foundation that exceeds the FEMA 100-year flood elevation height. “Of course, this means the underside of our house is exposed, which makes our net-zero house unusual. Our builder had to innovate,” DiPiro says.
“What we have learned from this competition is that more people are looking to build net zero every year,” says Michael Loughlin, energy efficiency services program manager for Eversource.
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To learn more about NHSaves, the Drive to Net Zero Home Competition and the winning entries, go to: https://nhsaves.com/
