During this Pro Tour, members looked at two Deep Energy Retrofit projects in Northampton, MA. Members were also able to meet with other sustainability professionals, ask questions about DER, and network. The afternoon capped off with a workshop event where the building teams were able to share their successes and mistakes, address specific questions, and show pictures of the project under construction.     

The Stevens Residence:

National Grid sponsored an Open House, with Maple Street Architects, Wright Builders, Inc., and Mark Landy Design Build, showcased the Deep Energy    

Retrofit of a 1900 two-family home in Northampton, MA. The owners, Peter and Rachel Stevens, are also the architects. As they started renovations, it became clear that most of the systems and finishes needed replacing, which made this two-family a perfect candidate for a Deep Energy Retrofit. With both the siding and the roof ready for replacement, there was the opportunity to fully insulate the entire building envelope. The largest challenge for this job was to preserve some of the interior finishes and detail while replacing the entire shell and all systems.

The super-insulated enclosure, made possible through financial and technical support from National Grid and Building Science Corporation, includes full envelope insulation and air sealing, new windows and doors, and new heating equipment for both units. Separate heat recovery ventilators in each unit lower energy use, improve indoor air quality and eliminate cross-contamination between units. The project was completed in November 2012.

For the construction blog for this house, click here.

The Wick Residence:

Deep Energy Retrofit of a circa 1869 home by Kent Hicks Construction Co. National Grid Pilot Project, completed late 2011. Goals of the project included eliminating carbon based combustible fuels for heating, cooling, and electricity from the home and successful completion of The Thousand Home Challenge, by reducing the family’s energy consumption by 70-90%.

The Workshop:

The day finished off with a workshop held at Smith College, allowing even more time for Q&A with the various project stakeholders for each of these sites. There was also more time to connect and network with fellow tour-takers.