Join us for a free one hour workshop on designing high-performance green homes in Denver, followed by a wine and cheese networking reception.  Event will include a LEED for Homes plaque dedication by Deb Kleinman, Executive Director of the USGBC Colorado Chapter.

When: Thursday, October 22nd 6pm-8pm

Where: 233 South Washington Street, Denver, Colorado (LEED for Homes™ Gold, ENERGY STAR, Indoor Air Package and Builders Challenge Certified home)

Free Workshop Includes:

• Green features tour and building details discussion of a LEED for Homes Gold Certified Wash Park home by general contractor Sean Smith of Sean Smith & Company, LLC
• Behind-the-scenes explanation of how architects can use the Home Energy Rating System (“HERS”) as a tool to design high-performance homes by David Neiger of Populus Sustainable Design Consulting
• Overview of available green home certification programs and the benefits to architects and homeowners of certification, including: LEED for Homes (USGBC), Builders Challenge (DOE), ENERGY STAR (EPA), and Indoor airPLUS (EPA).

Continuing Education for Architects: Under the State of Colorado’s rules for continuing education for state licensure renewal, this program meets the requirements for 1.0 HSW professional development unit (HSW).

RSVP by October 18^th at http://event.pingg.com/GreenHomesDenver or to laura@popboulder.com

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Shoes lined the sidewalk at the Logan Wiggins House on the Center for Resource Conservation’s Green & Solar Homes Tour last Saturday, September 26th in Boulder, Colorado.

A full house of shoeless visitors learn about zero energy homes and greenbuilding at the Logan Wiggins House

The tour was hosted by homeowners Jim Logan (of Jim Logan Architects) and Sherry Wiggins.  The home was sponsored on the CRC’s Solar & Green Home Tour by Populus Sustainable Design Consulting, who provided the energy modeling and LEED for Homes Green Rater services on the home.  The all-electric home, which goes beyond net zero and beyond carbon neutral, was inspired by Logan’s effort to reduce his carbon footprint to a level that would be sustainable for the planet.  With a negative HERS Index score, the Logan Wiggins Home generates enough additional electricity to charge a plug-in electric vehicle.

David Neiger of Populus explains the energy efficient features of this zero energy home

David Neiger of Populus spent the day in the jam-packed mechanical room explaining the high-performance and green features of this net zero Boulder home.  David taught visitors about building science and the workings of heat-recovery ventilation and ground source heat pumps, while Mike Vail of Water Legacy highlighted the home’s graywater system.

Erik Warner of Namaste Solar was also on-site during the tour, answering questions about the 9.9 kw photovoltaic array on the home.  Namaste Solar provided the grid-tied PV System for the home, while Aircraft installed the Earthlinked Technologies ground source heat pump.  The home also incorporates Serious Materials’ (formerly Alpen) triple pane double Heat Mirror windows.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

The Department of Energy came to Denver this week, promoting its Builders Challenge initiative, which seeks to promote affordable, zero energy homes for all Americans by 2030.  Ed Pollock, the Residential Team Leader for the U.S. Department of Energy hosted the Builders Challenge tour at the EEBA Conference which featured two homes, including Sean Smith & Co.’s Wash Park Green LEED Certified Duplex in Denver’s Washington Park neighborhood and Ecofuture’s Solar Harvest House in Boulder.

Ed Pollock of the U.S. Department of Energy promotes the Builders Challenge alongside David Neiger and Laura Hutchings of Populus and Sean Smith of Sean Smith & Company (seen here in Builders Challenge-inspired t-shirts)

David Neiger, Principal at Populus Sustainable Design Consulting, led the EEBA conference tour through the high-performance energy features of the Wash Park duplex, which scored a 37 on the Builders Challenge E-Scale.  The E-Scale, which is a “miles per gallon” type rating for a home, is tied to the Home Energy Rating System Index Score, and denotes how the home performs compared to a typical home built to code.  A home must score below a 70 on the Builders Challenge E-Scale to be eligible for certification under the Department of Energy’s program.  In addition, the Builders Challenge program requires the implementation of greenbuilding best practices which address indoor air quality and durability management.

Following the Builders Challenge Tour, the Populus team joined Ed Pollock, Sean Smith, Eric Doub of Ecofutures and Tom Wade of Artistic Homes at a panel discussion focusing on zero energy homes and the goals of the Builders Challenge / Building America program.  Mr. Pollock began the panel presentation by discussing the Department of Energy’s Builders Challenge goal of an affordable zero energy home (or “Net Zero”) for all Americans by the year 2030.  In order to achieve these substantial increases in residential energy efficiency, it is essential that the building industry highlight the operational savings of a zero energy home, rather than merely focusing on the first costs of high-performance home features.

David Neiger of Populus presents to a group of industry professionals at the Department of Energy Builders Challenge EEBA Conference Home Tour

To date, the Builders Challenge program has certified a total of 1800 homes, with six homes scoring net zero or better on the E-Scale and with an average E-Scale score of 63.  While this represents only a tiny fraction of the homes built in the United States each year, the high-performance energy features of these 1800 homes results in an average cost savings of $1.6 million per year.

If you are a builder, developer or architect and would like to learn how you can pursue Builders Challenge certification for your next project, contact Populus Sustainable Design Consulting, a Partner in the Builders Challenge program, and we’ll walk you through the program requirements and the steps to certification.  Unlike some green home certification programs, there is no fee for registering your project in the Builders Challenge program, although there are costs associated with the third-party verification and energy rating that is required under the program.  In some cases, building an above-code performing home can qualify you for substantial rebates, incentives or tax credits.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Last night the Boulder Green Building Guild (“BGBG”) went beyond carbon neutral at its Building On-Site Seminar (“BOSS”), featuring the Logan Wiggins House 3.

Jim Logan Presents the Logan Wiggins Residence at BGBG's Building On-site Seminar

The event was hosted by Jim Logan (of Jim Logan Architects) and Sherry Wiggins.  The all-electric home, which goes beyond net zero and beyond carbon neutral, was inspired by Logan’s effort to reduce his carbon footprint to a level that would be sustainable for the planet.  With a negative HERS Index score, the Logan Wiggins Home generates enough additional electricity to charge a plug-in electric vehicle.  In addition to describing the high-performance green features of the home, Logan discussed the home’s aesthetic inspiration, which was envisioned as a “box of light.”

The evening included networking, dinner by Sublime Catering and feedback from a panel of experts that included Doug Parker, Sustainability Examiner Boulder County, Craig Christensen, Principal, Engineer at NREL and Ron Flax, Associate and Project Manager at Rodwin Architecture.  The Logan Wiggins House 3 will be featured on the CRC’s upcoming Solar and Green Home Tour on Saturday, September 26th.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Sean Smith & Co.’s Wash Park luxury duplex was recently featured as a case study in Eco Home Magazine.

LEED for Homes Gold Wash Park Duplex by Sean Smith & Company (photo copyright Ooms Photography)

This high-performance, green home pursued various green home certifications and was recently awarded LEED for Homes Gold Certification by the USGBC and Builders Challenge Certification by the Department of Energy.  The home is also labeled under the EPA’s Indoor Air Package (now called “Indoor airPLUS“) and Energy Star programs.

In addition, the home will be featured in the upcoming EEBA Conference Builder’s Challenge Tour on September 28th, led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Residential Building Technologies Team Leader, Ed Pollock.

Populus Sustainable Design Consulting provided consulting services, HERS rating / energy modeling and LEED for Homes™ Green Rater services for this upscale duplex in Denver’s Washington Park neighborhood.  The project, including its high-performance features, was also recently profiled in Colorado Expression magazine in the article, “Greened to Perfection.”

Look for more energy efficient, sustainably built, green homes from Sean Smith & Company in the future.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Ready to go beyond carbon neutral?  Register now for the BGBG’s September 23rd Building On-Site Seminar at Jim Logan’s beyond-net-zero, carbon neutral “Logan Wiggins House 3.”

Logan Wiggins House 3 goes beyond net-zero in its bid to achieve LEED for Homes Platinum certification.

The home, designed by Jim Logan Architects and built by Hughes Construction, is pursuing LEED Platinum certification in the USGBC’s LEED for Homes Rating System.  With its super high performance energy features, it looks as though this project may end up being the highest scoring LEED Platinum project in the country to date. 

Populus Sustainable Design Consulting provided HERS energy modeling and rating services, as well as LEED for Homes Green Rater services on the project. 

This beyond-net-zero home utilizes an Earthlinked Technologies refrigerant-based ground-source heat pump with a forced-air delivery system.

Namaste Solar, also a Boulder-based company, provided the grid-tied PV System for the home, while Aircraft installed the Earthlinked Technologies ground source heat pump.  The home also incorporates Serious Materials’ (formerly Alpen) triple pane double Heat Mirror windows.

Interested in learning more about the green features of this beyond net-zero, carbon neutral home?  Join us for the BGBG’s Building On-Site Seminar or visit the home during the Center for ReSource Conservation’s Tour of Solar and Green Homes on Saturday, September 26th.

See Inside a Lifebreath Heat Recovery Ventilator ("HRV")

Populus is the exclusive sponsor of the Logan Wiggins House 3 on the CRC’s tour and will be on-site during the day to answer your questions regarding the green, high-performance features of the home.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Register online for the CRC’s upcoming Solar & Green Home Tour.  The tour will be held in Boulder, Colorado on September 26th from 10am to 4pm.  Populus Sustainable Design Consulting is the exclusive sponsor of the “Logan Wiggins House 3″ by Jim Logan Architects.  Populus provided the energy analysis and LEED for Homes Green Rater services on the home and will be on-site during the tour to answer questions and showcase the home’s green features.

The Logan Wiggins House 3  goes beyond net-zero in its bid to achieve LEED for Homes Platinum certification.  Based on the energy modeling provided by Populus, the home will be a net-producer of energy, providing enough additional electricity to charge a Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle.  The home’s numerous energy efficiency features include optimum value engineered (“OVE”) framing, insulated concrete formwork, open-cell foam insulation, a high-efficiency ground source heat pump system, and a solar photovoltaic array.  Beyond energy efficiency, the home uses only low VOC interior finishes and a heat-recovery ventilation system to ensure healthy indoor air quality as well as a graywater re-use system and low-flow fixtures to minimize water consumption.  Finally, the use of responsible materials, such as the building’s salvaged brick façade, reduces the home’s embodied energy and preserves resources.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Visit Populus at the EEBA Conference Off-site Builders Challenge Home Tour sponsored by the US DOE Building America – Builders Challenge on September 28, 2009.

The tour will be led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Residential Building Technologies Team Leader, Ed Pollock, and will feature two Builders Challenge qualified homes.

The first home on the tour will be the Solar Harvest house in Boulder, Colorado by Eric Doub of Ecofutures Building.  The second featured home will be  Sean Smith and Company’s Washington Park Duplex which recently earned a 39 on the Builders Challenge E-Scale and is pending LEED for Homes Gold certification with the USGBC.

Populus Sustainable Design Consulting provided high performance consulting on the Washington Park Duplex project and performed energy modeling and verification services for both the Builders Challenge and LEED for Homes programs.  Populus will be on-site at the Washington Park Duplex during the tour to answer any of your questions regarding the high performance and green features of the home.

The bus for this tour (Tour IV) loads at 7:30 a.m. and will depart the Denver Marriott Tech Center at 8 a.m.  The bus will return to the Denver Marriott Tech Center in time for the EEBA Conference opening lunch.  This tour is limited to the first 50 attendees to register.  Learn more about the EEBA Conference Off-Site Tours and register here.

Populus is a Boulder-based, full-service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus is your partner in high-performance design solutions, specializing in energy efficiency codes, green building certifications and LEED for Homes™ training.  Contact Populus at news@popboulder.com.

Visit Populus at the Logan-Wiggins House on the CRC’s Solar & Green Homes Tour.  The Boulder County Solar & Green Homes Tour, part of the Center for Resource Conservation’s Solar Week, will be held on September 26th, from 10 am to 4pm.  The Tour includes 14 solar and green homes throughout Boulder County.  At each house you will have the opportunity to talk with the homeowners and the green service professionals on each project for advice, tips and lessons learned.  In addition, you will have the opportunity to explore the high performance sustainable systems and materials used in each home.

Populus Sustainable Design Consulting provided the energy analysis and LEED for Homes Green Rater services on the Logan-Wiggins House and will be on-site during the tour to answer questions and showcase the home’s green features.  The Logan-Wiggins House goes beyond net-zero in its bid to achieve LEED for Homes Platinum certification.  Based on the energy modeling provided by Populus, the home will be a net-producer of energy, providing enough additional electricity to charge a Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle.  The home’s numerous energy efficiency features include optimum value engineered (“OVE”) framing, insulated concrete formwork, open-cell foam insulation, a high-efficiency ground source heat pump system, and a solar photovoltaic array.  Beyond energy efficiency, the home uses only low VOC interior finishes and a heat-recovery ventilation system to ensure healthy indoor air quality as well as a graywater re-use system and low-flow fixtures to minimize water consumption.  Finally, the use of responsible materials, such as the building’s salvaged brick façade, reduces the home’s embodied energy and preserves resources.

You can learn more about the CRC’s Solar & Green Homes Tour here.

Populus is a Boulder-based, full-service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus is your partner in high-performance design solutions, specializing in energy efficiency codes, green building certifications and LEED for Homes™ training.  Contact Populus at news@popboulder.com.