Page 25 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2019 Issue

Annual Building Science Roundup 2020 A GRAND SYNERGY

track how behavioral changes can improve the home’s overall effi-
ciency while reducing energy costs,” says Bill Rectanus, vice president
of operations for Thrive Home Builders. Rectanus also notes that
every ZEN home is equipped with a Tesla Powerwall energy storage
system that integrates with solar to power the home in the event of
a power outage.
Rectanus points out that while nationwide in 2017 new homes
averaged 62 on the HERS index, Thrive Home Builders’ single-family
homes averaged HERS 28, and its multifamily homes averaged HERS
48. “Thrive successfully differentiates ourselves from the competition
with our Zero Energy Ready construction techniques,” says Rectanus.
The industry has recognized Thrive Home Builders’ efforts in hous-
ing innovation and energy efficiency. Thrive also won a Green Home
of the Year Award from Green Builder magazine in 2019.
Thrive Home Builders’ consistently low HERS scores and high
performance gave the builder the confidence to offer homeowners a
two-year built-in savings guarantee. If the total energy costs exceed
the predicted amount over a 12-month period, the difference will be
refunded to the homeowner. “Energy bills are locked in at the original
estimate, even if the cost of energy increases, college students return
home, or there is an extremely hot or cold season,” says Rectanus. GB

KEY FEATURES
DOE ZERO ENERGY READY HOME PATH: Performance.
WALLS: Double walls, staggered studs at 24 inches, 2.5-inch space
between walls, two-stud open corners, right-sized window headers,
open framed wall intersections; R-40.7 total wall, closed-cell spray
foam, drywall, 0.5-inch OSB sheathing, house wrap, fiber cement siding.
COURTESY OF THRIVE HOME BUILDERS ROOF: Ice-and-water shield; waterproof underlayment; metal drip
edge; 30-year asphalt shingles.
ATTIC: Vented attic, R-50 blown-in fiberglass.
FOUNDATION: Unfinished basement with R-15 unfaced batts.

Good housekeeping. Energy Star®-rated appliances and EPA WaterSense- WINDOWS: Double-pane, argon-filled, vinyl frames, U=0.24, SHGC=0.22.
AIR SEALING: 2.29 ACH 50.
labeled plumbing fixtures, from tankless water heaters to all-LED lighting, VENTILATION: ERV, balanced, meets ASHRAE 62.2, MERV 6 filter
add to energy and water savings. on ERV, MERV 15 filter on air purifier.
irrigated with ground-level drip irrigation to minimize evaporation HVAC: Heat pump, SEER 18.9, 12.2 HSPF; 97.4 percent AFUE gas
and reduce overall water usage. back-up furnace.
For additional energy savings, the home is equipped with Energy
Star double-pane, argon-filled, vinyl-framed windows with an insu- HOT WATER: Tankless gas water heater with smart recirculation
®
pump, 0.97 EF.
lating U-factor of 0.24 and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of
0.22, meaning the windows perform well at preventing solar heat LIGHTING: 100 percent LED.
®
gain. Energy Star appliances and 100 percent LED lighting add to APPLIANCES: Energy Star -rated refrigerator, dishwasher and
®
energy savings. exhaust fans.
SOLAR: 7.93-kW PV system.
SMART FEATURES WATER CONSERVATION: WaterSense fixtures, drought-tolerant and
Every Thrive home is provided with its own internet-based live moni- climate-specific species, drip irrigation.
toring system that tracks the home’s solar system production and ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Battery storage.
overall electric consumption. “This information provides a better OTHER: Low-VOC paints, low-formaldehyde wood, active radon
understanding of energy use and is a tool homeowners can use to mitigation, two electric vehicle charging stations.

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