Single-Family

John Avenson Residential Project, Westminster, Colorado | At 9 years old John became interested in the concept of green building on a family tour of the Colorado Indian Cliff Dwellings, where the park ranger told him that the Indians dug their caves on the side of the cliff as the winter sun kept them warm. The Avenson Residence, a single-family, detached, three-bedroom home, was built in 1981 as a research house by the Solar Energy Research Institute [SERI, the forebearer…

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Matteo & Mel (and family) after their home rebuild.

SURVIVING TRAGEDY • REBUILDING AFTER THE MARSHALL FIRE

May 20, 2024

Energy Efficient Home, Single-Family

Nova Terra / Rebeschini-Glover Residential Project, Superior, Colorado | Matteo Rebeschini and Mel Glover chose Lisa Morey’s company Nova Terra [previously Colorado Earth] located in Brighton, Colorado, to rebuild their home after the Marshall Fire destroyed it in December 2021. Matteo and Mel’s family story is compelling, including their strong desire for a home made of a high thermal mass material that would not burn and a quiet house when the high winds blow. They were very impressed with Lisa…

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David Takahashi's new home after the fire & flood rebuild.

TAKAHASHI RESIDENCE • REBUILDING AFTER FIRE & FLOOD

May 14, 2024

Energy Efficient Home, Net Zero, Single-Family

David & Emily Takahashi Residential Project, Boulder, Colorado | David Takahashi reached out to Heart of a Building with his story after watching our video episode on Rocky Mountain PBS. David and his wife, Emily’s sustainable home story began with a devastating fire. In 2010, they watched their home in Four-Mile Canyon outside of Boulder, Colorado, burn to the ground. Three years later, David watched as the canyon experienced severe flooding that damaged their new home, which was under construction after the fire.…

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Avenson House - we are within our goal. We need $1,900. Donate at our GOFUNDME page. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sponsor-an-episode-of-heart-of-a-building

WE REACHED OUR GOAL! THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS!

March 15, 2024

Energy Efficient Building, Energy Efficient Home, Rocky Mountain PBS, Single-Family

John Avenson Home, Westminster, Colorado | Celebrate with us! Heart of a Building will showcase John Avenson and his amazing home on Rocky Mountain PBS and affiliates! Homeowner John Avenson and Heart of a Building’s Paul Kriescher, invite you to join them for a Happy Hour Kick-Off ‘Pledge Drive‘. Networking & Tour of Home from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pmProgram & Special Guests from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm John Avenson’s interview with Colorado Public Radio (CPR)• Serving appetizers, beer,…

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My Net Zero Home Got Me Through a Wisconsin Winter

January 25, 2022

Energy Efficient Building, Single-Family

My Net Zero Home Got Me Through a Wisconsin Winter — Here’s What I Learned By Amber Westerman Is it really possible to get through a Wisconsin winter on solar electricity alone? We had a 10-day cold snap last February and it got down to minus 17 degrees F. My air-source heat pump (mini-split) was working hard — and consuming lots of power. When I set out to build a net-zero house (and afford it), I knew my design had to…

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10 Easy Things You Can Do To Increase Your Home’s Energy-Efficiency

December 15, 2021

Backpack Contest, Energy Efficient Building, Energy Efficient Home, Multi-Family, Single-Family

While we like to make a big deal out of building projects on the leading edge of environmentally sound techniques, we also want to make a big deal about the little things. It is those little things that can end up making a big difference. We’ve compiled a list of 10 Easy Things You Can Do to Increase Your Home’s Energy-Efficiency you can take to make your home more environmentally sound

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THRIVE VITALITY HOMES

November 21, 2021

Rocky Mountain PBS, Single-Family, Video Stories

Thrive Vitality Homes, Denver, Colorado | Each Vitality home features luxurious architecture combined with Thrive’s trademark Zero Energy construction, LEED certification, and a focus on cleaner indoor air. Vitality Thrive Homes are production built, single-family homes, which deliver zero-energy and zero-emission housing available to hundreds of home buyers every year in the Denver Metro area. Thrive’s decades-long vision was to optimize the health of the buyer. They did this by enhancing indoor air quality, comfort, and eliminating the home’s carbon…

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L’Avenir Episode Guide

October 21, 2021

Energy Efficient Building, Energy Efficient Home, Single-Family

This episode will air on RMPBS on Sunday, November 21 at 10:00 AM (MST) and be available for streaming after that time. Check your local listings for channel or watch here. Nantes Library Episode Guide | Thrive Episode Guide This zero-energy/zero-emission 4-plex of rowhomes nestled next to Old Town Ft. Collins embodies a lifetime of design work and learning from the wife and husband team Laurie and Bob Davis at Davis/Davis Architects to deliver homes with an exceptionally light footprint…

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Thrive Episode Guide

October 20, 2021

Energy Efficient Building, Energy Efficient Home, Single-Family

These “production built” single-family homes make zero-energy/zero-emission housing available to hundreds of home buyers every year in the Denver Metro area. Optimizing the health of the buyers via enhanced indoor air-quality, comfort and no operational carbon footprint were the vision, which has been delivered in these homes.

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CON FRANK / WES GEARY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT

September 8, 2020

Rocky Mountain PBS, Single-Family, Video Stories