City of Frederick Welcomes First Green Neighborhood

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updated 6/17/2011 7:45:42 PM ET 2011-06-17T23:45:42

FREDERICK, MD - Barbara Dillon will soon be a Frederick resident and moving into the home she's been waiting for with a money saving bonus.

"We were looking around downtown because we wanted a downtown lifestyle and saw the energy efficient, the net zero aspect of it and got in touch with our realtor," explained Dillon who is currently a Montgomery County resident.

Dillon's home will be part of a brand new "green neighborhood," the first of it's kind to come to the City of Frederick.

"We take advantage of geothermal heating and cooling, we have total recovery ventilation to equalize pressure and to also take care of the humidity levels of the home and keep those at a perfect level," said Mike Murphy, the president of construction for Nexus EnergyHomes, "We have HEPA filtration."

The neighborhood is part of the Hope VI project on North Bentz Street and it's energy tax credits have already attracted eager buyers.

Despite what many people say is a poor economy, four of the 55 lots have already sold.

"You have a direct 30% tax credit of the builders cost of the geothermal systems, that depending on the home here will be between $13,000 and $17,000 that the home-buyer gets back after purchase," explained Mike Muren of Mackintosh Realtors, "We're doing some custom single family and some of those home buyers are receiving as much as $30,000 to $35,000."

Tax credits or not, many people in Frederick see the homes as a gateway to the future.

"Not only are we saving the environment, but we are also putting ourselves in the leading role to get off oil," explained Mike Sare, a Frederick resident.

The green neighborhood ranks among the top 50 homes in the country for it's energy efficiency.

The model home is now open on 620 North Bentz Street in downtown Frederick. Read more at http://your4state.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=192347

Net-Zero Energy House Seen as Model for the Future

By Ed Waters Jr.


Photo by Bill Green


The model home of the new "net-zero" project that are part of the Hope VI program North Pointe off North Bentz Street.



A net-zero community in Frederick should be a model for the nation, said several speakers on Friday at the opening of North Pointe in Downtown Frederick.
Part of the Hope VI program, North Pointe off North Bentz Street will contain 55 dwellings, all designed to use little if any energy.

"It is all about vision," said Kevin Lollar, director of development for the Housing Authority of Frederick.

Lollar said state Sen. Ron Young had brought Paul Zanecki, CEO of Nexus EnergyHomes, to the Housing Authority Office to talk about a potential net-zero community in the city. Young said he had initially envisioned the project at the east end of the city, where development is planned.

"That wasn't ready," Young said of the area around the relatively new section of South East Street. Young said he would still like to see that area become self-sustaining when built up.

But the area off North Bentz Street, which formerly housed low-income housing, was seen as the perfect site for the new community.

Elected officials, builders and interested buyers toured the model house at 620 N. Bentz St. The 2,750-square-foot house has insulation and a structure that make the building quiet, efficient and well-constructed. Although listed for nearly $278,000, the house would sell for $264,900 with energy tax credits and incentives. Four buyers have already put down deposits on future houses.

The house uses solar panels that blend into the roof, geothermal heating and cooling, and a high-tech system that allows control of climate and security using an iPhone or laptop.

Zanecki said the air in the house is exchanged every 48 minutes to keep it clean from pollutants and other potential effects on health.

Over the years, people have built net-zero energy homes, but they were "spaceship" houses, Zanecki said. "They were built for an individual. What I had the vision of was for homes affordable to the general consumer."

Financing was a major hurdle, Zanecki said. The project is funded primarily through investors, though at a brief ceremony Friday morning the project was presented a check for $70,000 from the Maryland Clean Energy Commission.

Donald Briggs, an appraiser and member of the county's Sustainability Committee, appraised the house. He said besides the durability of construction, he included the net savings in energy in adjusting the affordability of the house.

Zanecki said his company worked with the National Association of Home Builders, following the organization's green standards guidelines. The model house, as will all of the homes, will meet Emerald Standards for energy, the highest level of efficiency, based on the association's research center criteria.

"We are changing the dynamics of what a house is, and we can visualize the streetscape of the future," Zanecki said.

Osprey Pointe Homes Boast Futuristic Features

By SHAUNA THOMPSON Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 5:48 AM CDT

Net Zero Concept Attracts Attention and Buyers

STEVENSVILLE
Homeowners at Osprey Pointe in Grasonville can manage energy usage from their family room television, place of business or their winter retreat in Florida, according to Mike Murphy, construction division president for Nexus EnergyHomes(NEH).
Nexus Vision, a patented interactive home control software with remote capabilities, is just one of the futuristic features in the project touted as both the nation's first carbon-neutral waterfront community and the East Coast's first geosolar community. Whatever you call it, county officials and citizens are excited about the new community designed to generate as much energy as it consumes, its ancillary technology and its possible impact to future new construction.

During an open-house at NEH's new headquarters in Stevensville on June 2, County Commissioner David Dunmyer presented the group with a commendation on behalf of the county, saying he is especially excited as an environmentalist.

NEH VP Mike Murren said, "Let's make Queen Anne's County proud," before turning the program over to Murphy.

Located at Pierson Road and Maryland Route 18 in Grasonville, Osprey Pointe is the vision of Queen Anne's County developer Jody Schulz of Shore Land Ventures, LLC in partnership with NEH.

Each of the 12 single-family homes and two duplexes starting at $745,000, will include all the high-end details expected of a luxury waterfront home such as granite counters, wood floors, 9-foot ceilings, crown molding, soaking tubs and more. Add geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaic solar panels, super insulated building shells, and environmentally conscious green building materials, and the result is a very comfortable and environmentally responsible lifestyle.

At the open house, Murphy unveiled the prototype for Nexus Vision a systems control software that allows the homeowner to view energy consumption by room, control temperature, alarms and even unlock the front door from anywhere.

"The system reads the home breaker by breaker, allowing you to view and adjust the way you are living," said Murphy, adding that the remote locking feature could be handy when homeowners are unavailable to assist a family member who had lost a key.

The system is the perfect accessory to the homes Murphy said are "built different."

He explained that traditional builders say a house should breathe. This might sound like a good idea, he said, but the result is a structure at nature's whim; hot in the summer, cold in the winter and subject to air pollution.

"The house has to be tight as possible … the system should create the breath," said Murphy.

He said a full-house HEPA-filtration system creates the breath in Nexus homes, producing clean air every 48 minutes.

Structural insulated panels (SIP), made of rigid Styrofoam sandwiched between boards, provide twice the insulation of a traditional foundation. Foam that expands by 700 percent, is installed at the rafters and stops energy loss in the attic. These materials create a home that is tighter, cleaner, quieter and stronger than traditional construction by an average of about 50 percent, said Murphy.

Once the home is air-tight, geothermal heat pumps move the earth's temperature through a well and into the home.

"It takes energy to constantly alter the temperature by creating cold and hot air. With geothermal technology, we're not producing (temperature), we're just moving it," said Murphy.

Solar panels to produce energy enough for systems come standard in the homes while extra panels to produce energy for accessories and entertainment systems are optional.

Murphy said they will work with buyers to calculate additional energy requirements if desired.

"The home itself is net zero. True net zero (consumption) is an option," said Murphy.

The same technology available at Osprey Pointe was recently applied to three homes in Centreville's Three Creeks, also a Shore Land Venture development.

Three Creeks was in its last phase with three lots unsold for quite some time, according to Schulz. Providing options for green technology has made all the difference in getting the final lots sold, he said.

Michael and Jeannie Whichard of Colorado, signed a contract for an NEH home at Three Creeks in early June.

Their $400,000, 2,700 square foot home on one acre will have all the green technology featured at Osprey Pointe minus the waterfront location, community dock and pool and possibly some of the higher-end details of the Osprey project.

"It has the new control system, geothermal heat and it's insulated like a big cooler," said Whichard, describing the SIP foundation and air-tight insulation.

The Whichards have opted for true net-zero energy consumption and hope to someday be completely off the grid. Because the system generates but does not store energy, they will need a battery or non-solar powered technology to operate after the sun goes down if they want to be off the grid independent of energy companies.

Michael Whichard is returning to a position with the Armed Forces News Command at Fort Meade and is currently living in Arlington, Va. He used every spare moment since moving from Colorado, to look for a commutable property with environmental aspects and land, for an affordable price he said.

"Finding land and convenience at a decent price is the hardest thing to do," said Whichard.

The Whichard's new home has a contemporary, open floor plan with no formal living room or dining room, just like they enjoyed in Colorado and were looking for in Maryland.

They are looking forward to living in Queen Anne's County, hopefully by this fall, said Michael Whichard.

For more information on the Osprey Pointe Development go to www.homesatospreypoint.com or for Nexus EnergyHomes, go to www.nexusenergyhomes.com or contact realtor David Azar of Coldwell Banker Waterman Realty 443-618-2952.

Nexus News

North Pointe

The North Pointe model in Frederick, Maryland will be completed by the second week of June, 20 11. Having a sixteen week building pace, it rivals that of any Maryland home-builder. The Grand Opening Event is scheduled for mid-June. The end goal for this first GeoSolar Community in Maryland, with 55 Nexus EnergyHomes, is to present a clearly defined and attractive urban, zero-energy alternative to potential home buyers. The classical, yet contemporary, interior design scheme of the model will enhance the traditional downtown exterior feel and aims to target the twenty-five to forty- five year old demographic buying market.

Osprey Pointe

Nexus EnergyHomes recently received full approvals for the development of Queen Anne’s County’s first GeoSolar Community at Osprey Pointe, overlooking a beautiful section of the Chesapeake Bay by the Narrows, on Kent Island. This will be the Nation’s first Carbon-Neutral Waterfront Community and is receiving tremendous support from both the Government and citizens. Naturally, this has created local realtor excitement for the twelve single family home lots and two duplexes, all with magnificent views of the Kent Narrows.

Marketing, Websites and NexusVision

Nexus EnergyHomes now also features three websites online. The main Nexus website address is www.nexusenergyhomes.com. The GeoSolar Communities are located at Osprey Pointe’s website address www.homesatospreypointe.com and North Pointe’s website address is www.homesatnorthpointe.com.

The Nexus EnergyHomes Custom Home Building site will be up and running in the very near future. On site, potential buyers will surf through multiple floor plans that are being added, offering a range of between 1,700 square feet to 4,000 + square feet, with broad spectrum pricing. In the near future, potential customers will have the ability to interactively build their virtual Dream Home online. This will be branded as NexusSelect.

Nexus Vision, the patented interactive home control software system is currently being installed at the Stevensville Headquarters, as well as in the North Pointe Model Home in Frederick, MD, which will monitor each home’s energy intake and output, while allowing every homeowner the ability to manage their usage depending on the time of day and area of the home, both in-house and remotely. Additionally, Nexus Vision will monitor the current customer database and store data into the future, creating a balanced CRM (Contact Relationship Management) system.

Future Projects

Nexus EnergyHomes is currently working with a prominent New Jersey Land Developer to build a 220 Home, 55+ Active Adult Development as a Nexus Net-Zero Energy Geo-Solar Community in Millville, NJ. The property is located midway between Philadelphia and Atlantic City. The site is adjacent to the Land Owner’s proposed 100 acre Solar Farm, and Nexus EnergyHomes will soon enter into negotiations with the Town of Millville for the creation of a complete SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) Manufacturing Plant.

In downtown Philadelphia, Nexus EnergyHomes is in negotiations for multiple joint ventures to build approximately twelve Net Zero Energy Homes on various downtown sites.

In Northern Virginia, Nexus has signed a consulting agreement to re-design or “energyze”, and supervise the construction of an 8,000 square foot Custom Home. Also in Northern Virginia, near Leesburg, NEXUS is in negotiations for several joint ventures, one on two magnificently placed 8 acre lots in rolling hills – perfect for wrap around verandas to be incorporated into two existing NEXUS EnergyHomes designs.
Negotiations are also underway with the ownership of “WISP” Resorts in Garrett County (Deep Creek Lake) with regard to redesigning their “log construction” style of home, in anticipation of developing a 200 Unit Golf Course Resort, which WISP Ownership wishes to convert into a Nexus GeoSolar NetZero Community.

Near Frederick, Maryland, Nexus EnergyHomes is developing five, one acre Net Zero Homes on Oakdale Acres in Middletown, MD. Also in Frederick, across from the MARC Train Station, NEH has been contacted to develop a Net Zero, 35,000 square foot extension and Product Outlet Store to the current commercial operation, which would result in the existing roof being installed with NEXUS Solar PV Panels.

Lastly, two homebuyers have delivered deposits on two of three available lots at the NEXUS Three Creeks Subdivision on the Eastern Shore. Notably, these Lots have been on the market, with 5 different realtors, for nearly 4 years without an offer. The Nexus EnergyHomes sign went up only 3 weeks ago!

In Summary

The first quarter of 2011, has seen dramatic growth, consistent with the goals in the Nexus EnergyHomes Inc. Business Plan. Future News will cover the Grand Opening of the NEXUS EnergyHomes Headquarters, at 1000 Island Professional Park, Stevensville, Maryland, 21666 on June 2nd, 2011

Grant Helps Build ‘Green' Homes

$70,000 From State Will Help Pay for Geothermal Heating, Other Features

by Tripp Laino Gazette.net Staff Writer

A $70,000 grant from the Maryland Clean Energy Center is helping put "green" homes in Frederick's North Pointe Community, helping foot the bill for the installation of several features.

The program is one of 10 projects selected by the Maryland Clean Energy Center to receive funding assistance supplied by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Maryland Energy Administration.

The grant was called a "pass through" grant by Richard Griffin, Frederick's director of economic development, during a public meeting March 17. In effect, the city receives a $70,000 grant which it then gives to Nexus Energy for constructing the homes. After the homes are sold, the company repays the grant to the Maryland Clean Energy Center by setting aside a portion of each home sold, and the grant money is given to start another green project.

"They've already put most of the stuff into these homes. We suspect that this is going to be repaid fairly quickly, though they have provisions to pay it back over two years at a certain percent per house," Griffin said at the meeting.

According to the documents presented as background for the city's public meeting, the North Pointe area, at the intersection Bentz and Lord Nickens Streets and was originally made up of "146 public housing units which were demolished due to their poor condition and health, safety, welfare issues."

The new development will have 97 housing units, including 27 public housing units and 15 rental units, which have already been completed, according to the documents. The last 55 units are being built by Nexus Energy Homes, and will be sold to the general public.

The mission of the Maryland Clean Energy Center is promote clean energy economic development and jobs by educating consumers, assisting businesses and advising policymakers, according to a press release.

"These programs are intended to try to assist local government with projects that advance renewable energy in the community," Griffin said. "This project, being located right downtown, as an infill project, on a former public housing site, will have a lot of visibility in the community and the intent is to try to advance energy-efficient homes."

The homes have myriad environmentally friendly features, including resource conservation, such as power and water, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. According to a press release announcing the grant, the homes have solar and geothermal power generation, smart operating systems and energy efficient materials to generate as much or more energy than the home consumes, creating a "net-zero" demand on local energy supplies. In the case of excess energy, the power is sold back to the utility company.

The geothermal system uses a closed loop that passes a refrigerant into the ground, where the temperature is a constant 68 degrees. It is then brought through the system into the house, where it is raised to room temperature.

Green homes cost more to build, but the price of the Nexus homes are on par with average home prices in Frederick city according to Paul Zanecki, president of Nexus Energy Homes. Zanecki said the homes are within five to seven percent of their traditionally built counterparts, but that some of that cost can be made up by tax credits. He said cost estimates of green products are often inaccurate, due to the ever-decreasing costs in production.

"A lot of the energy products that are being used today are distinctly different in terms of cost and price then they were even a few years ago," Zanecki said. "If you took two-year-old costs, as many people do, and applied them today, you could be off by as much as 50 to 60 percent."

Zanecki said the builders chose Frederick because of the prime location downtown, and said it would be a great addition for the company. "It was a location that was an opportunity," he said. "...It's near the center of the city and adjacent to so many amenities like the hospital and the college. Everything combined we thought it would be a great addition to a developing portfolio."

The project is scheduled to be completed at the end of April, and that there would be a grand opening type of event in mid-May, but no date has been set.

Homes in Frederick to Receive Clean Energy Funding

1 of 10 Innovative Projects Selected in Maryland

Rockville, MD, March 15 – Governor Martin O’Malley announced today that $70,000 will become available to help leverage construction of affordable net-zero energy homes in the community of North Pointe in the City of Frederick. The development is one of 10 clean energy projects across the state selected by the Maryland Clean Energy Center to receive funding assistance supplied by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Maryland Energy Administration.

“These award recipients truly represent an investment in the talents and skills of our people,” said Governor O’Malley. “I’d like to congratulate them for their hard work and recognize the Maryland Clean Energy Center for demonstrating a commitment to building our shared energy future. Together, we can continue to make Maryland a leader in clean energy by establishing vital partnerships, providing resources and incentives for our families and workforce, creating jobs and fueling innovation.”

The North Pointe community is a unique mixed-income infill neighborhood being developed in Frederick as a partnership between the City of Frederick’s housing authority and Annapolis-based Nexus EnergyHomes, with support from county, state and federal agencies. The $70,000 award will be used to satisfy minimum equity requirements and leverage additional private sector investment in building new, affordable net-zero energy homes. The investment is also expected to provide a return to the Maryland Clean Energy Center that can be used for future projects.

The affordable net-zero energy homes built by Nexus EnergyHomes utilize solar and geothermal power generation, smart operating systems and energy efficient materials to generate as much or more energy than the home consumes, creating a “net-zero” demand on local energy supplies. The project is also committed to incorporating green building techniques and will showcase the creation of green jobs and the use of cutting-edge energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

Among the other clean energy innovation projects selected for funding in Maryland are installation of an energy efficient wind, solar and LED lighting “Eco Pole” on the roof and associated educational display in the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore; a 20-kilowatt wind energy system to launch a Renewable Energy Education Center at the Crain Memorial Maryland State Welcome Center in Charles County; and a solar photovoltaic electric system and touch-screen display at the Clean Energy Technology Incubator at the University of Maryland – Baltimore County.

Awards were also granted to clean energy demonstration projects in public facilities across the state, including a geothermal energy system to increase heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) efficiency at the Fair Hill Nature Center in Cecil County; upgraded HVAC systems and lighting in the Riverdale Park Town Hall in Prince George’s County; retrofitting Easton traffic signals with light-emitting diodes (LED) bulbs in Talbot County; a slip-by-slip metering system for the solar energy project at Crisfield’s Somers Cove public marina in Somerset County; replacement of 92 old lighting fixtures with energy-efficient LED bulbs in the Hagerstown public parking garage in Washington County; and a hydroelectric power plant for the Frostburg public water system in Allegany County. Award funding for all projects is subject to timely fulfillment of all approvals and grant requirements.

The board of the Maryland Clean Energy Center approved 10 awards that demonstrate the incredible range of clean energy solutions and innovations that are occurring in Maryland,” noted the Center’s Executive Director I. Katherine Magruder. With just under half a million dollars in federal funding, we are helping counties and municipalities across the state implement effective, efficient clean energy solutions that show the way to a cleaner, greener future.”

The mission of the Maryland Clean Energy Center is promote clean energy economic development and jobs by educating consumers, assisting businesses and advising policymakers. More information is available at http://MDCleanEnergy.org.

Contacts: Jim Pierobon at jpierobon@mdcleanenergy.org, 301-738-6286.
Or Lauren Miller at Sandy Hillman Communications, 410-616-8944.

Carbon Neutral Project Set For Grasonville

CBEC praises 'environmentally responsible growth'

By SHAUNA THOMPSON Staff Writer

GRASONVILLE A new waterfront residential development in Grasonville will be the first "carbon neutral" community in Maryland according to developers Jody Schulz of Shore Land Ventures, LLC and Paul Zanecki of Nexus EnergyHomes.

Osprey Pointe at Pierson Corner Road and MD Route 18 just east of the Kent Narrows, is designed to produce as much energy as it uses creating a neutral carbon footprint for the entire project.

"We're focused on reducing the carbon footprint in the built environment and helping reduce the demand for fossil fuels and dependence on foreign oil supplies," said Zanecki, president of Nexus EnergyHomes of Annapolis.

The concept plan, approved by the county planning commission on Nov. 12, includes 11 single family homes, a duplex, open space and common areas. Zanecki explained that while the community may use energy from the grid, it will also provide energy to the grid netting a zero balance at year's end.

Although Zanecki is working on a net zero urban renewal project in Frederick County called North Pointe that will break ground before Osprey, renewable energy was not applied to common areas there, whereas Osprey Pointe is an entire net zero community including common areas, street lighting, pool area and gatehouse, he said.

The developers will use sustainable building techniques and are seeking National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Emerald certification, which is the highest level for residential green building, and Platinum certification, the highest level available from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

"Osprey Pointe will meet extraordinary environmental standards within its walls, and with advanced land management techniques, outside its walls," said Zanecki.

The project, entirely inside the 100 year floodplain, includes technology to manage nearly 100 percent of water runoff.

"Land and storm water runoff management will include rain harvesting, underground storm water cisterns, gray water irrigation and extensive native plantings which, combined, will manage nearly 100 percent of water runoff at the site," said Zanecki.

While the energy consumption for the project is considered carbon neutral, Zanecki said the industry has not yet developed building techniques to establish a completely neutral impact but sustainable building techniques come close.

The concept of sustainable building incorporates a variety of strategies during the design, construction and build. The use of green building materials, water conservation and enhanced air quality are included in the considerations, according to Zanecki.

"With advanced air filtration, ventilation and energy recovery systems, the air inside the homes will be akin to a "clean room," which may be particularly important for the many people suffering from respiratory problems," said Zanecki.

The homes will operate from solar and hydrothermal technology and will be constructed of green materials, defined as renewable resources in "Green Building Materials: A Guide to Product Selection and Specification," by Spielel and Meadows, 1999.

According to the Guide, green materials are environmentally responsible due to impact considerations over the life of the product including the environment in which the product originated, was manufactured, will be used in, and its future recycling potential.

The developers said they are working with their neighbor, the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center to improve run off, choose aquatic plantings and to benefit from CBEC's expertise in sustainable building on a similar piece of property.

In January of 2008, CBEC obtained LEED Certification on their new education building and conference center which uses renewable energy and sustainable materials.

In a letter distributed at the Nov 12 meeting, CBEC Restoration Manager, Vicki Paulas highlighted Osprey Pointe's attributes and said she hopes the development will serve as a model for future standards in the county.

"This will be the first development that promotes 100 percent sustainable and environmentally responsible growth within Queen Anne's County," said Paulas.

The proposed construction showcases "green building materials/techniques, Net Zero energy consumption and gray water utilization, all of which ultimately help protect the bay while providing residents with a green living lifestyle," she said.

Jody Schulz, president of Shore Land Ventures, LLC, said he is excited to bring the project to his community and he hopes to break ground in the spring.

"With what we know today about the effects of carbon emissions, responsible development must include utilizing renewable energy and energy conservation in all our building plans," said Schultz, who noted commercial potential as well.

"I am currently working with Nexus to incorporate this technology into commercial development with the Fisherman's Village project at Kent Narrows," said Schulz. "I am also working towards a partnership that would bring a 65 person assisted living facility and child day care center to Kent Island that would also incorporate this technology."