In case you didn’t get a chance to attend the recent Triangle Green Home Tour, we thought it might be helpful to highlight some of the innovative, high-performance features that were on display in the “Madison” entry by Homes By Dickerson in Briar Chapel:

• Nest Learning Thermostat: 89% of programmable thermostats waste energy – about $173 a year, on average – because most people don’t bother to program them. The Nest, on the other hand, learns what temperatures you like and builds a schedule automatically. The device can also sense when you’re away from home, and turns itself down when you’re gone. You can even connect to it from a smartphone. By programming itself, the Nest can save up to 20% on your heating and cooling bills. See a demo of how the device works.
• Solar-Ready Option: Homes By Dickerson now offers its customers the option to add a solar power system during the construction of their home. In the event a homeowner is not quite ready to invest in renewable energy, they offer the option to make the home “solar ready” by installing a dedicated electrical circuit and conduit for future solar panels.
• Tankless Water Heater: natural-gas, tankless water heaters provide an endless supply of hot water. Unlike traditional tank-style water heaters that heat and reheat water all day long, even when you’re sleeping or away from home, tankless units save money on your energy bill by heating water only when needed. Since they are a fraction of the size of their larger predecessors, they also save valuable space. With a life expectancy of up to 20 years, they last twice as long as traditional water heaters. They also provide homeowners peace of mind by eliminating the concern of flooding due to a ruptured tank.
• Advanced Framing: there was a great demo in the garage that showed how 2×6 exterior walls and advanced framing techniques allow for additional formaldehyde-free insulation to be installed, and how these work in tandem with radiant barrier roof sheathing and ZIP System air and moisture infiltration barrier to improve efficiency.
• Sealed & Conditioned Crawl Space: the builder installed a see-thru floor to demonstrate the use of a sealed and conditioned crawl space, which provides a controlled environment for more efficient operation of cooling and heating systems in addition to several other benefits.
• Independent Testing & Certification: a third-party (Southern Energy Management) conducted performance testing in order award Energy Star andNAHB green certifications.  Here is the certificate showing this home has qualified and been tested and passed for the BRONZE level certification.

This green-certified home is currently available for purchase.  If you would like to schedule a showing, please contact Peter Winkler at 919-360-1285 or Rob Jamison at 919-609-0374 or email info@homesbydickerson.com