Custom Eco Home Design & Construction: Net‑Zero Houses
Design and build a tailored, all‑electric, net‑zero home that matches your lifestyle and climate, beginning with a free expert consultation and an instant online quote that clearly outlines scope, costs, incentives, and timelines, then progressing seamlessly from concept to commissioning.
About Us
We are an integrated team of architects, energy modelers, and builders specializing in all‑electric, net‑zero homes, combining Passive House principles with practical construction management to deliver predictable costs, measurable performance, and beautiful spaces tailored to diverse climates, budgets, and lifestyles.
Net‑Zero Vision and Design Principles
We craft climate‑responsive homes that minimize loads through passive strategies, then meet remaining needs with efficient systems and renewables, blending architecture, engineering, and cost reality to deliver measurable performance, enduring beauty, and resilient comfort in every season.
What to Prepare for Your Call
Bring basic site details, inspiration images, rough timeline expectations, and an initial budget range, and we will review zoning context, energy targets, lifestyle priorities, and decision‑makers, ensuring the conversation is productive, focused, and tailored specifically to your household’s aspirations and constraints.
Goals, Lifestyles, and Budget Alignment
We translate comfort preferences, aesthetics, hobbies, and family routines into tangible design criteria, aligning performance targets with realistic cost envelopes, so the path from dream to plans maintains integrity, avoids surprises, and channels resources where they deliver the greatest everyday value.
Next Steps After the Consultation
You receive a recap with recommended packages, anticipated timelines, documentation needs, and a link to our instant quote, enabling quick authorization of the next phase while maintaining full transparency regarding scope, responsibilities, and how early decisions affect cost, schedule, and long‑term performance.
Instant Online Quote: Transparent Costs
Our calculator combines regional construction indexes, envelope specifications, system choices, and solar production estimates to deliver a project‑specific price snapshot, with clear assumptions, upgrade paths, and contingency guidance, empowering decisions without waiting weeks for generalized bids or incomplete back‑of‑napkin estimates.
Learn MoreEnergy Modeling and HVAC Strategy
Early energy modeling guides envelope choices, mechanical sizing, and renewable strategies, allowing us to right‑size systems, anticipate comfort needs, compare life‑cycle costs, and quantify savings, ensuring every component contributes coherently to net‑zero performance without expensive oversizing, risky undersizing, or hidden compromises.
- Whole‑Building Energy Modeling We simulate hourly loads using climate files, occupancy schedules, and equipment profiles to compare envelope assemblies, glazing types, shading strategies, and orientations, ensuring design decisions are data‑driven, resilient across weather variability, and supportive of carbon‑aware operation and utility rate structures.
- Heat Pumps, Ventilation, and IAQ We specify cold‑climate heat pumps, balanced HRV or ERV ventilation, and smart controls with zoned distribution to deliver whisper‑quiet comfort, exceptional filtration, and humidity control, dramatically improving indoor air quality while reducing operational costs and maintenance complexity, while simplifying maintenance through accessible filters and clear service intervals.
- Thermal Bridge Mitigation From balcony connections and slab edges to window interfaces and penetrations, we detail continuous insulation, advanced fasteners, and thermal breaks, reducing localized heat loss, condensation risk, and occupant discomfort, while simplifying construction sequencing and protecting finishes from moisture‑related failures during extreme seasons.
Services
Choose focused packages that move your project forward decisively—from feasibility and instant quoting to permit‑ready design and construction‑phase verification—each structured for clarity, measurable value, and seamless handoffs to your selected builder or our partnered teams.
Concept‑to‑Quote Net‑Zero Feasibility Package
Includes a site review, early energy model, two massing options, preliminary envelope specs, solar potential analysis, and a detailed instant quote with line items, contingencies, and incentive pathways, delivered within ten business days and creditable toward subsequent design services.
,450
Passive House Architectural Design Set (Permit‑Ready)
Deliverables include coordinated architectural drawings, energy compliance reports, window and insulation schedules, air‑barrier detailing, and specification notes suitable for permit submittal on typical single‑family projects, aligning with local codes and Passive House best practices while excluding structural engineering and surveying.
,450
Construction Phase Commissioning & Airtightness Verification
Covers preconstruction kickoff, trade training, two blower‑door tests, infrared scans, moisture checks, checklist‑based inspections, and a final commissioning report with targeted fixes, ensuring the built home meets modeled performance, warranty requirements, and homeowner comfort expectations without costly post‑occupancy surprises.
,450
Materials, Health, and Embodied Carbon
We prioritize low‑toxicity finishes, bio‑based insulation, durable claddings, and regionally sourced materials, selecting assemblies that reduce embodied carbon and improve indoor air quality while maintaining durability, repairability, timeless aesthetics, and realistic budgets appropriate to your climate, market, and maintenance expectations.
Low‑VOC, Non‑Toxic Finishes
We recommend finishes verified by independent certifications, scrutinizing VOC content, plasticizers, and flame retardants to minimize off‑gassing, protect sensitive occupants, and maintain healthy indoor air, without sacrificing beauty or cleanability in kitchens, baths, and high‑traffic family spaces across many years.
Bio‑based Insulation Options
We evaluate cellulose, wood fiber, hemp, and sheep’s wool insulations for thermal performance, moisture buffering, acoustic control, and fire safety, pairing each product with compatible air and vapor control layers to deliver robust assemblies aligned with your performance goals and budget.
Responsible Sourcing and LCA
Product selection is supported by environmental product declarations and comparative life‑cycle analyses, letting us quantify embodied carbon reductions while balancing durability, cost, warranty confidence, and future recyclability, so sustainability decisions remain measurable, defensible, and practical during procurement and construction.
Solar, Storage, and Smart Controls
We design solar arrays and battery systems that match modeled loads and roof geometry, integrate electric vehicle charging, and deploy intuitive controls that automate comfort while maximizing self‑consumption, peak‑shaving, resilience during outages, and long‑term savings verified by transparent performance monitoring.
PV System Sizing and Placement
We analyze roof planes, shading, tilt, and azimuth to size arrays meeting annual loads, accommodate future electrification, and preserve curb appeal, coordinating structure and wiring early so installation is efficient, code‑compliant, and ready for monitoring and incentives without disruptive redesign later.
Battery Storage and Backup
We compare lithium‑ion chemistries, capacities, and inverter pairings to create safe, code‑compliant storage that carries critical loads through outages, manages time‑of‑use pricing, and integrates with solar to increase self‑reliance without compromising warranty coverage or homeowner safety during challenging conditions.
Smart Energy Management
Appliance scheduling, load shedding, and adaptive setpoints balance comfort with cost, while dashboards visualize consumption, solar production, and battery state, helping households act on insights, verify savings, and continuously improve performance throughout the seasons, and providing actionable recommendations that evolve with your habits and seasonal patterns to maintain predictable utility bills.
Water, Landscape, and Resilience
We reduce potable demand with efficient fixtures, reuse systems, and drought‑smart landscaping, while designing for stormwater control, erosion resistance, and backup water scenarios that protect your property, gardens, and comfort during increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
Rainwater Harvesting and Reuse
We design right‑sized cisterns, prefiltration, and treatment strategies for landscape irrigation or non‑potable indoor uses, coordinating roof areas, conveyance, freeze protection, and controls to deliver reliable savings and resilience aligned with local regulations and public health guidance for safety.
Native Landscaping and Irrigation
We specify native plants, healthy soils, and drip irrigation with weather‑responsive controllers to create landscapes that thrive with minimal inputs, support pollinators, and reduce maintenance, while framing architecture beautifully and respecting neighborhood character and wildfire considerations across changing climates.
Resilience for Extreme Weather
We incorporate shaded entries, passive survivability, backup power prioritization, sump strategies, flood‑tolerant finishes, and secure envelope detailing, keeping homes habitable longer during outages or heat events while protecting investments and easing recovery after storms or seasonal disruptions.
Navigating Local Codes
From zoning setbacks and height limits to stretch energy codes and wildfire urban interface requirements, we anticipate reviews and document compliance, avoiding late changes and securing approvals efficiently through jurisdiction‑specific checklists and pre‑application coordination with planners and reviewers.
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Incentives, Rebates, and Tax Credits
We connect your project with relevant credits, grants, and rebates for heat pumps, insulation, windows, solar, batteries, and electric service upgrades, structuring paperwork and timing to maximize benefits while preventing conflicts, clawbacks, or missed deadlines that could jeopardize savings.
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Documentation and Submittals
We prepare permit drawings, specifications, energy compliance reports, equipment cut sheets, and product certifications, packaging submittals to answer typical reviewer questions proactively and reduce resubmittals, while maintaining a clean record for lenders, insurers, and resale documentation for future owners.
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Construction Quality and Verification
We manage assemblies with checklists, mockups, and inspections, verifying airtightness and moisture control as work progresses, so the finished home performs as designed and remains durable, quiet, efficient, and comfortable for decades, with documentation owners can reference confidently.
Airtightness Testing and QA
Scheduled blower‑door tests at rough‑in and completion confirm envelope integrity, identify leaks early, and guide corrective actions, while infrared imaging and smoke tracing help crews understand details and deliver repeatable, verifiable results aligned with stringent performance targets and warranties.
On‑site Training for Trades
We brief framers, mechanical contractors, electricians, and finish crews on critical details, sequencing, and quality expectations, reducing rework and scheduling conflicts while building shared ownership of performance outcomes across every subcontractor, and ensuring lessons learned translate into durable details that keep future maintenance minimal and predictable for homeowners and builders alike.
Progress Inspections and Reporting
Regular site walks, photo documentation, and concise reports highlight completed milestones, issues, and next steps, maintaining transparency for owners, lenders, and insurers while ensuring the schedule stays realistic and aligned with procurement realities, and providing early warnings wherever risks emerge, so corrective actions remain inexpensive and schedules stay realistic despite market volatility.
Budgeting, Financing, and Cost Control
We bring clarity to costs with transparent breakdowns, scenario comparisons, and escalation planning, then help secure financing aligned with incentives and energy savings, protecting budgets from surprises while preserving the design intent that supports long‑term value and reliable comfort.
Transparent Cost Breakdown
We present line items for site work, structure, envelope, systems, finishes, and renewables, with allowances and alternates clearly labeled, enabling informed choices and value management without compromising performance or future maintenance costs, while highlighting escalation allowances and regional variables that might influence bids across trades or procurement windows.
Financing Paths for Net‑Zero
We outline green mortgages, construction loans, rebates, tax credits, and utility programs, modeling cash flow and payback so borrowers and lenders share a clear picture of risk, savings, and equity growth potential, including comfort‑focused incentives and grid programs that reward flexible loads and solar storage integration.
Value Engineering Without Compromise
We prioritize envelope performance, airtightness, and daylighting while simplifying forms, finish strategies, and detailing to reduce cost, maintaining comfort and efficiency while trimming complexity that drives construction time and warranty concerns, and we model performance impacts quantitatively, so every adjustment preserves measurable comfort, energy intensity targets, and durability expectations, avoiding false economies that lead to premature replacements or disappointing outcomes.
Timeline and Project Delivery
We map milestones from feasibility and design to permitting, procurement, construction, and commissioning, setting realistic durations and contingencies, then track progress with collaborative tools that keep decisions timely and the schedule achievable even as market conditions shift.
Phased Milestones and Scheduling
We define durations and dependencies for each phase, incorporating review cycles, manufacturing lead times, procurement buffers, and on‑site productivity, resulting in a credible schedule that accounts for weather, inspections, owner decisions, and structured change control with clear sign‑offs.
Procurement Strategy and Lead Times
We secure long‑lead items—windows, heat pumps, ERVs, electrical gear—early, align submittals and shop drawings with fabrication queues, and create storage and protection plans, protecting timelines and quality through thoughtful logistics, and coordinating substitutions only when equal performance and warranties are documented, preventing last‑minute compromises that erode outcomes or delay inspections.
Communication Cadence and Changes
Weekly check‑ins, documented decisions, and structured change orders maintain clarity and momentum, while digital dashboards show current status, open items, and upcoming activities, reducing stress and keeping everyone aligned, and we document responsibilities, deadlines, and approvals in shared platforms, reducing ambiguity and keeping designers, builders, and owners aligned through inevitable complexities without losing sight of performance priorities.
Living Net‑Zero: Support and Monitoring
We stand behind your home with commissioning, manuals, training, and performance monitoring, helping you operate systems confidently, verify predicted savings, and adapt settings seasonally to protect comfort, costs, and equipment life while learning from real‑world data.
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We deliver step‑by‑step manuals, quick‑start cards, and room‑by‑room walkthroughs that explain controls, maintenance tasks, filter changes, and seasonal settings, ensuring every household member feels empowered to operate the home efficiently and comfortably, and we also provide seasonal checklists and warranty contacts, keeping upkeep simple and predictable for busy households.
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Interactive dashboards visualize energy flows, indoor air quality, and comfort metrics, with alerts for unusual consumption or equipment faults, enabling proactive service that protects savings and prevents small issues from turning into avoidable breakdowns, and owners can share temporary access with technicians or advisors, streamlining service and ensuring accountability for promised performance metrics.
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We revisit setpoints, ventilation rates, shading strategies, and automation rules as weather shifts, ensuring the home remains quiet, comfortable, and efficient year‑round, while capturing new insights that guide future improvement opportunities, and data‑driven adjustments protect comfort while gently extending equipment life and preserving warranties, even as family routines, occupancy, or energy tariffs evolve.
