September 3, 2017

Zero Energy Project: The Future is Now

If you are thinking of building a new home the Zero Energy Project web site is a great place to find valuable information regarding net zero energy homes. The Zero Energy Project is here to connect you with resources and empower you to take action towards buying, building or selling zero energy homes and buildings. Global climate […]

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Cozy, Low-Cost Winters in Maine: A Conversation with the New Owners of a Zero Energy Home

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Josh and Kelly Sink, the two new happy owners of an Island Carpentry zero energy home in the Kelsey Brook subdivision of Freeport, Maine. Below I’ll relay some of what we talked about, including why the Sinks chose a zero energy home with Island Carpentry and BrightBuilt […]

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August 22, 2017

FAQ about Electric Vehicles: Range, Cost, Charging Stations, and Tax Credits

Island Carpentry isn’t just concerned with building net zero energy houses. No, we also want to see a world where everyone plugs in their electric car at night to be powered by solar panels on top of their zero energy home. Since electric vehicles are part of a greener, more beautiful future, we put together […]

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August 8, 2017

BrightBuilt Home and Island Carpentry: Delivering You Beautiful and Affordable Zero Energy Homes

Island Carpentry is currently partnered with BrightBuilt Home for our net zero energy home at Kelsey Brook in Freeport, Maine. BrightBuilt Home was founded by award-winning Kaplan Thompson Architects with the mission of providing state of the art, healthy, low-energy, affordable homes. Our project at Kelsey Brook utilizes BrightBuilt’s modular home design.   These the […]

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July 21, 2017

An Overview of Zero Energy Homes: Why Island Carpentry Chooses Green Building Standards

Overview of Zero Energy Building Wouldn’t it be great to save hundreds or thousands on energy bills while also helping to save the planet? Those are two main incentives for choosing a zero energy home. Island Carpentry has been building zero energy homes for twelve years, but this style of building is still just catching […]

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February 6, 2016

Australia should follow Obama’s solar SunShot

The US government has announced a US$36 million program to develop technologies that turn solar PV and storage batteries into a new kind of decentralised, virtual power source which some are calling ‘the internet of energy’. This is just the kind of technological shift that excites Australia’s new Prime Minister Malcolm and terrified his predecessor, […]

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November 4, 2015

Energy Efficient Housing for Maine Senior Citizens

Yesterday, Maine citizens voted to pass Question Two: The Senior Affordable Housing Bond: The Senior Affordable Housing Bond authorizes the sale of $15 million in general obligation bonds, to be used in combination with more than $22 million in leveraged funds, for the construction of approximately 225 affordable, highly energy efficient homes for Maine’s seniors […]

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October 19, 2015

Solar Power and Affordable Housing

Sometimes new technologies are first available exclusively to the wealthiest. It looks like in the case of solar we may have a different ballgame. This past summer, the Obama Administration declared measures to promote solar power for low income housing. The government intends to connect local housing authorities to over $520 million in capital from […]

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August 20, 2015

Rise and Shine, Maine: It’s Time to Solarize

Welcome to the age of renewable energy and collaboration. Six years ago in 2009, a group of citizens in Portland, Oregon began a community collaborative program that brings homeowners and businesses together to purchase solar energy installations for buildings in bulk deals that lowers the price per household or business. They called their program Solarize. […]

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July 28, 2015

HERS Rating Freeport Project

Dec 14 Hi Mike: Attached please find the Final HERS Report for the Humphrey Residence in Freeport. Of the 1,000 plus new HERS Rated homes I have evaluated over the years, this home is clearly in the very small group of truly high performance homes. As we discussed, even though this home did not qualify for the […]

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