Deep Energy Retrofit !
Ordinary homes, extraordinary solutions.
What is a Deep Energy Retrofit?
It is the renovation of an existing home that results in a profound reduction in energy consumption. (A graphic display of the Deep Energy challenge.)
Typical renovations do not address the deep challenges provided by our changing climate, our decreasing resource base, and the unstable (but inevitably rising) costs of fuel for our homes. Our office, with its broad experience in energy conscious design, has renewed its commitment to renovation of existing homes.
For your renovation project, you can expect a rigorous process of design, construction administration, and post-occupancy review. And we expect a certain degree of vision from all our clients.
A Deep Energy Retrofit is not a blank slate or an unlimited budget. It is about fixing what we’ve got. And we propose doing it right.
 | First off, it means real numbers. Start with a house that uses 120 million BTU per year. End with a house that uses 20 million BTU per year. We strive for large scale reductions in home energy usage. Along the way, an awkward floor plan gets fixed, more daylight gets introduced, and maybe a guest room or a mudroom gets added. At the same time you've added a hundred years to the life of your house. A deep energy retrofit is a sound investment. We keep a critical eye on the short and long term economic payback of design choices. In unstable times, energy stability and security are also at the front of our minds. And while the dollar drives many decisions, we are careful to include the values of investment in health, comfort, and the environment. Deep Energy Retrofits should be available to everyone. We are currently targeting renovation projects in Massachusetts with construction budgets between $100k and $400K. | |
| We have structured our office to take on a more diverse range of clients in order to affect as many homes as possible. | ||
| Project managers work with the support of an office of professionals with over 60 years of combined experience in green building and design, achieving deep energy and design goals within your budget. GoalTo prepare the existing houses of the Northeast for a changing energy climate. We are not afraid to address the energy crises and the economy. In fact, we see a great opportunity for human beings to take stock, prioritize, and even change. Our specialty is applying those big picture goals to the complex situation of a real home. This is not just about insulation or windows. It is about hopes, dreams, and expectations mixed with budgets, phases, and coordinated steps toward a concrete goal. StrategiesAnalysis, research, & collaboration. This is where the design of the living room meets the soggy basement and peeling paint. |  | |
| We consider homes holistically, informed by the most recent information in building science, and work with the smartest folks in the business to design the best solutions available. | ||
 | We listen carefully to understand your needs and goals, then create practical design solutions working closely with builders to understand feasibility, cost, and schedule. Our process does not end with a set of plans. Setting high standards for performance means working closely with the builder and the trades throughout the construction process to ensure the integrity of your home's design. As we strive to achieve a common goal of high performance housing, we value the inputs of builders and tradespeople. We all benefit from the shared knowledge and continual refinement of the best practices of retrofit. | |
ResultsA simple, beautiful, energy-efficient renovation. | ||