Daniel Colombini, an Ossining, New York, resident, was honored with a Housing Innovation Award presented by the U.S. Department of Energy. His LEED Platinum passive house is credited with advancing the housing industry across the country.
Westchester Magazine reported on the award, stating that there were only 24 national recipients for 2024.
The LEED system is an international green building rating system, with platinum being the highest level of certification. A passive home designation indicates a high-performance, energy-efficient building and was created by the Passive House Institute.
🗣️ Do you think America is in a housing crisis?
🔘 Definitely 🙁
🔘 Not sure 🤷🏽♂️
🔘 No way 🏘️
🔘 Only in some cities 🏙️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Colombini earned the award and rating by creating a new standard of suburban housing, starting with a partial teardown and retrofit of the property. He had the entire home torn down except for the foundation, then reused 75% of the original materials for the construction.
It was important for the engineer to make his home "zero energy," meaning net zero and carbon neutral. It produces enough of its own renewable energy to cover its power usage. "Energy-efficient and green design is vital, given the challenges of climate change," he said.
Colombini's single-family, three-bedroom home has about 3,500 square feet of living space and provides people with a new model of what a sustainable, energy-efficient, and more affordable residence can be.
Some of the green design features include a high-performance thermal enclosure, shading and daylighting, moisture control, and airtightness and heat recovery.
Even though these upgrades add about 8% to traditional construction costs, Colombini will be able to make up those expenses in about 10-15 years with the energy savings they create for the home.
Home energy upgrades like these save homeowners a lot of cash. They can cut down on energy bills, water bills, and maintenance fees. They can also help make homes more resilient against climate change-induced extreme weather events and produce less planet-warming gases.
While temperatures — as well as power bills — rise around the globe, it's becoming increasingly important to keep homes cool in cost-efficient ways and help communities become less dependent on the power grid.
"This house provides the home that my family wanted while demonstrating that the highest standards can be attained cost-effectively," Colombini said. "I'm excited that it has been honored by the U.S. Department of Energy and now provides a model for the nation."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
