It’s a bit of an experiment to see if a hard-working middle class family can actually make this happen with the current restrictions on financing and overall lack of mainstream information on these improvements. But when we make that HERS 30 mark, it’ll all be worth it!

NOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE HERS30 or Bust! PROJECT! And get some really cool shwag. Click here.

The July 24th Open House was a Huge Success!
Thanks to all who came out to see the DER Model Home.

The HERS 30 or Bust! Story:

The layers: polyiso rigid foam and hardie plank for efficiency and durability.

Squeezing every penny of equity from our home in Easthampton, MA, we are deep into home improvement with a Deep Energy Retrofit. Working closely and vigilantly with our contractors, Beyond Green Construction, we are now halfway through the Deep Energy Retrofit, projected to accomplish a 70% reduction of energy use with super insulation, a metal roof, fiber-cement board siding, water saving bathroom fixtures, energy efficient lighting and windows, energy star rated appliances, solar hot water, and an indoor ventilation system.

When the DER is complete, our home will achieve a HERS 30 rating, 50 points lower than what the current stretch code calls for in new construction and virtually unheard of in a turn-of-the-century house. We have already seen a 33% reduction in electricity usage and early oil stats are encouraging at close to 67% reduction so far. What was once a typical drafty old New England home gets tighter with each layer of insulation, and the effects are astounding. The boiler goes on less than 25% as often as before. There are no more drafts, and the house retains heat long after the thermostat is turned down. With the ventilation system, there is fresh air being pumped in three times a day, circulating the existing air to keep the upstairs and downstairs temperatures even.

However, the process of financing and planning has taken almost a year and still isn’t set in stone. When retrofitting an older home, next steps and strategies often have to be made gradually as the project progresses. With true determination and faith in the process, we continue on through the frustrations and road blocks. With a limited budget, decisions regarding cost versus efficiency versus appearance become a constant balancing act.

Stay tuned for the next part of our retrofit process…

WINDOWS!

REAL TIME: 06.04.10  9:15 AM
Everything is sided except the porch! Isn’t it beautiful? It may not be the most grand or creative or sexy house in the world, but the sustainability factor raises the bar on htis home’s beauty mark.

Determined to finish the North Side before Memorial Day Weekend officially began, the guys install the last few planks on Friday evening. Now we have two whole sides complete! Click here for more details on recent work.

We’re going for that 70% and we want to show you how! Click here for details.

HOT OFF THE PRESS!
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/easthampton_home_serves_as_mod.html

LISTEN!
Have you heard our Sustainable Valley feature on WRSI The River (93.9 FM) and WHMP (96.9 FM / 1400 AM)? Click here!

April 20, 2010

This was our house last spring. Old vinyl siding being removed from the rest of the house. Then more Green Guard before the rigid foam.

We’ve come a
long way!