December Update

Can't believe its the end of the year already! This past year flew bye. We have been blessed this last year by receiving several national awards and by being published is several national & local magazines and had a lot of coverage through the internet. Since our last update we found out that I was elected to the Board of Directory at the Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (AES). I...

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The "Glenn Retreat" Project is Under Construction

Here is a sneak peak of the new "Glenn Retreat" project which is projected to be a LEED for Homes "Platinum" project. This Passive Solar designed Farm House Style cottage will be built by Doug Wierenga of Lake Home Builders. The perspective above is a southeast 3d perspective created with Google SketchUp software. By double clicking on this perspective you are able to see an enlarged view that shows...

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"Vineyard Project" Wins GreenBuilder Magazine's "2009 Green Home of the Year Award"

We are very excited annouce that we just found out that our projected LEED for Homes "Platinum "Vineyard Project" in Paw Paw, Michigan just won the GreenBuilder Magazine's "2009 Green Home of the Year Award" this is a very prestigious national award from one of the industries most respect green building magazines. Congratulation should go out to all of "Team Hybrid" for all of the hard work they...

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Team Hybrid asked to share our Team Approach with Andersen Windows Central Division Sales Team

Team Hybrid (Image Design, LLC and Hybrid Homes, LLC ) spent the last two day's sharing our Team Approach of Designing and Building cutting edge sustainable homes with Andersen Window Companies Central Division Sales team. We were asked to speak and participate in their Success Fair (We were the only clients invite), showing their sales team how Andersen Windows companies commitment to working with Team Hybrid has paid off over the last 3 years and showing them what is instore for the near future.Team...

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Pentwater project receives LEED for Homes "Platinum" Certification

It's official we just received LEED for Homes "PLATINUM" Certification for the "Watercress Project" in Pentwater, Michigan. This is the highest honor you can receive from the USGBC. To our knowledge this is the first LEED "Platinum" Log Home in the nation. Congratulation goes out to Team Hybrid again this is the second LEED for Homes "Platinum" project from the team. We want to thank the member...

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Team Hybrid in Andersen Window Company Newsletter

LEEDing the Way: A inside look at Team Hybrid. Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes, LLC and Eric Hughes of Image Design, LLC are the leaders of Team Hybrid Michigan's leading sustainable Design/Build team. Featured in the Andersen Window Companies internal newsletter which goes out to all of its employees Andersen is getting the word out about Team Hybrid. Andersen Window Company has partnered with Team...

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Future Proofing Garages for Electric Cars

Just got quoted in a great article by Katy Tomasulo of EcoHome Magazine called Future-Proofing Garages for Electric Cars. She talks about how single-family and multifamily builders should be thinking about how their homes will accommodate charging requirements for electric cars. Please read this great article."I always say plan for the future today, you won't regret it tomorro...

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Frank Lloyd Wright Meyer May House Symposium

The Frank Lloyd Wright Meyer May House turns 100 years old. The birthday celebration this week features a symposium with big-name architects and designers coming to town and special tours featuring the home and others in Michigan. The symposium will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2009 form 1-5 PM . They will also be having tours of the Meyer May Houseon the day of and the day after the Symposium....

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Michigan Blue Magazine Fall Issue

If you get a chance please check-out the new fall issue of Michigan Blue magazine there is a great article written by Lisa Jensen the editor of the magazine about "River Living". One of our first green homes we designed back in 2003 was featured in this article. The home was called "Modern Cottage" and was built on the Thornapple River in Ada, Michigan. The home is a site specific home that was designed...

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Northern Home & Cottage Magazine Green Issue

If you get a chance please check out the last issue of one of my favorite Michigan magazines Northern Home & Cottage magazine it is also inside of this month's Traverse magazine too. This months issue it is dedicated to Green Building, they have a several great article in it. The Cool, Green House article on the LEED for Homes "Gold" project designed by Architect Danny Foster that was built...

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Image Design Web-log's 3rd Anniversary

Tomorrow is the 3 year anniversary (July 31, 2006 to July 31, 2009) of our Image Design Web-log. We hope you have found this web-log to be interesting and informative. I really enjoy writing it and have received allot of positive response to having it. Since I put a counter on my web-log about a year and a half ago we have had 22,200 people visit our site. I am currently working on a new web-site...

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Tulikivi Masonry Unit Heater (Fireplace)

Some of you were able to tour our 2009 Michigan Energy Fair Show Home in Kingsley Michigan this last weekend, for those of you that were not. One of the favorite feature of this home was the Tulikivi Masonry Unit Heater Fireplace from Positive Chimney & Fire Place Located in Cadillac, Michigan. TULIKIVI (TWO-lee-KEE-vee). In Finnish, it literally means "fire stone". In English, it translates...

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May & June Update!

Many thing have happened since our last update. You can read the articles I wrote below about our trip to the Andersen Window factory, our "Watercress Project" completion or our 2009 Michigan Energy Fair show house and the exciting news about the "Vineyard Project" HERS score and it becoming a projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" project just to name a few thing since our last update!As of this month...

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A HERS Score of 34!!!

Exciting news from Mike Holcomb of AES (Our LEED for Homes rater) and Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes our "Vineyard Project" just received a HERS score of 34. This is the lowest score Mike Holcomb has every tested as a rater and possibly the lowest score in the State of Michigan. This extremely low HERS score means that our "Vineyard Project" is now projected at the "Platinum" Level under the LEED for...

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Happy 142nd Birthday, Frank LLoyd Wright

Today is the birthday of Frank LLoyd Wright. Widely regarded as America's most influential architect, Frank Lloyd Wright left behind a rich legacy of homes and buildings, and created a distinctly American style of architecture that continues to influence architects to this day. He was born June 8, 1867 and pasted a way in April 9, 1959. His work has influence my life since I was a young teenager....

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2009 Michigan Energy Fair

Its time again for the Michigan Energy Fair! Come visit the fair June 26th - 28th in Onekama, Michigan and see the latest in green building technologies. We are proud to have our projected LEED for Homes "Gold" project called the "Granite Hill Project" in Kingsley Michigan (Just outside of Traverse City) Be the 2009 Michigan Energy Fair Show House its also the first LEED for Homes project in Grand...

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Sustainable/Green Interior Design

Here is a sneak peak of the interior of the "Watercress Project" that my wife Christy designed with the homeowners. Following the LEED for Homes guidelines she can help save you and your builder time and money by helping you with your Sustainable /Green Interior Design selections. She has experience in the following areas.LEED for HomesFlooring (FSC, Recycled & Reclaimed)Lighting (Energy Star,...

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The Watercess Project is now complete

Team Hybrid has completed another one. The "Watercress" Project in Pentwater Michigan is now complete except for the final LEED for Homes certification which is projected to be "Platinum". This is the ultimate in Up North vacation homes; the home shell is constructed from ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) & SIP (Structural Insulated Panels) panels and North White Cedar Log siding with a Energy...

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Church of the Holy Spirt Addition Breaks Ground

This past Sunday was the ground breaking of the Church of the Holy Spirit Addition that Image Design, LLC designed. A main part of the addition will be used as a food pantry to help local area families. The food pantry at Holy Spirit is an Emergency Pantry for Northern Kent county through the North Kent Service Center. The Pantry is a cooperative effort with Church of the Holy Spirit and Assumption...

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Andersen Window Sustainability Tour & Meeting

You may have noticed we use Andersen Windows on all of our projects whether there are LEED certified or not! As a Residential Designer they have been my window of choice for over 20 years now (Example see the picture in the post below this one). I didn't let my personal preferences sway the choice of windows for our Team Hybrid projects they had to earn that. When Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes, LLC...

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March & April Update

March & April were very busy months for us. We now have 16 projects under design in our office with several of them in the pricing stages. Such as the Grand Rapids, West Branch, Glenn, Howard City and Pittsford, Michigan projects. We also have several projects under construction beside the one's mentioned above. Our projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" "Turtle's Hope" project is now under construction....

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The Vineyard Project is now complete

Team Hybrid has done it again. The Vineyard Project is now complete except for the final LEED for Homes certification which is expect to be at least "Gold". This net-zero or Zero Energy Home (ZEH) is sure to be another national award winning home with all of its sustainable features such as being Passive Solar, ICF construction and having Solar Hot Water, Radiant Heat, Geo-thermal, 3.3 kw of Photovoltaic...

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Happy Earth Day 2009

Happy Earth Day everyone! I hope you all take a moment today to really appreciate our earth and maybe do something today to help save it. Try planting a tree or picking up some garbage get your kids involved too. Please remember one of my favorite Indian quotes today."We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors: we are borrowing it from our children."Last chance for our special Earth Day incentive...

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Earth Day Special

To help celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday April 22nd Image Design will be taking $500.00 off our design fee for any new design projects that we are hired for between April 15th and April 22nd 2009. We hope that you all enjoy the different Earth Day events through-out the next week.Take action this Earth Day, encourage your states law makers to adopt programs that will help support green homes like...

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West Michigan Home & Garden Show

Come see us at the National Award Winning Team Hybrid booth #84 ( it's in the atrium across from our friends at Bauer Power) at the West Michigan's Home & Garden show . Many of you meet us there last year. Come see all that's happened since last years show. Check out our latest LEED for Home projects just nearing completion and see our new projects just about to start construction.Dates &...

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Pierce Cedar Creek Institute's Renewable Energy Conference

On March 21, 2009 from 8:30am-4:00pm Pierce Cedar Creek Institute will be having their Seventh Annual Renewable Energy Conference. This conference is designed to provide a quality experience for anyone interested in renewable energy, from the novice to the expert. The conference consists of a keynote session, break-out sessions and an exhibit area. Please save the date to join us for an exciting...

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Onekama Project in ICF Builder Magazine

The award winning Onekama Project is feature in this months ICF Builder magazine. It was the ICF Magazines award winner for Best Large Residential ICF project in the nation for 2008. Congratulation to Buildblock our ICF manufacturer, WallTech Products our ICF supplier, Hybrid Homes LLC the Builder and ourselves for designing and building this award winning project. Be sure to check out the extra...

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Turltle's Hope plans are ready for construction

Here is a sneak peak of the new Turtle's Hope project which is projected to be a LEED for Homes "Platinum" project. This near Net-Zero Farm House Style cottage will be built by Adam BearUp of Hybrid Homes, LLC. The perspective above is a southeast 3d perspective created with Google SketchUp software. By double clicking on this perspective you are able to see an enlarged view that shows the suns angle...

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Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live

Sarah Susanka is back, with a new book that shines the spotlight on remodeling, Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live. With new house sales continuing to flounder, many people are opting to stay put and work with the house they have. The book walks through the process of evaluating problem areas in a house and identifying the least invasive and most effective strategies...

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Onekama project wins ICF Builder Magazine Award!

We just got the news from the World of Concrete 2009, held in Las Vegas. That the Onekama project has won the 2008 ICF Builder Magazine Award for Large Residence 3,000 to 6,000 sq. ft. We are proud that BuildBlock our ICF supplier believed in our project so much that they entered us it this prestigious award. Buildblock also had two other projects besides ours win awards too.Congratulation to the...

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January & February Update

Great news our projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" "Watercress" project in Pentwater is one of the main features in Walls & Ceilings Architect Magazine this month please take a moment to read the article. Also our national award winning "Onekama project" was feature on the 9 & 10 News Northern Michigan's leading news station click on the link and watch the video. We are also excited to have...

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The "Granite Hill" project is under construction

Our latest LEED for Homes project call "Granite Hill" is under construction on 60 pristine acres in Kingsley, Michigan (just outside of Traverse City) This home sits on a ridge next to a hill of large granite boulders thus comes the projects name "Granite Hill". The project is being built by a new builder that were working with, Joel Diotte of the Frontier Group, LLC. The project team will be registering...

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West Michigan Chapter of USGBC names two Residential Green Building Advocates

The West Michigan Chapter of the USGBC has named two of its members Residential Green Building Advocates (RGBA) for the State of Michigan. Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes, LLC and Eric Hughes of Image Design, LLC both have accepted the nomination of Residential Green Building Advocates for the chapter. A chapter’s Residential Green Building Advocate (RGBA) volunteers to serve as the local face of USGBC’s...

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Following the Turtle's Hope Project

Here is a unique chance to follow the construction of a projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" project from start to finish. The project is called Turtle's Hope it is a small (1,328 sq.ft.) energy efficient cottage being built in rural Southwest Michigan, on a small inland turtle-filled lake in Hope Township (Thus giving it the name Turtle's Hope). This near zero energy cottage will be using some interesting...

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