Come Tour the "River Escape" Project on 11.11.11

On 11.11.11 come see our "River Escape" project a truly affordable home that was built to be 88% more energy efficient than and standard new code built home. This home is a Zero-Energy home that is projected to be a LEED for Homes “Platinum” project. The home is also a finalist for Green Builder Magazines "2011 Home of the Years". And is ZeroStep “Silver” Certified (Lifetime Design or Barrier Free) from Disability Advocates of Kent County Michigan.

Key Sustainable/Green Features

• Rain Permeable Gravel Driveway.
• Lifetime Design (Barrier Free)
• Zero step entries.
• Energy Star North Star Triple Pane Windows.
• Energy Star LED & CFL lighting.
• Energy Star Ceiling Fans.
• Energy Star Appliances by Frigidaire.
• SIP Panel Roof
• Frost Protected Shallow Foundation (with R-20 Dow Insulation beneath it.)
• BuildBlock ICF Construction (with 40% Fly-Ash)
• Advanced Framing (Studs @ 24” o.c.)
• James Hardie FiberCement siding (with recycled content)
• MiraTec Trim (formaldehyde free, SCS Certified)
• Central Vacuum System (Greatly reduces in-door air pollutants)
• Concrete Floors through-out main floor. (Colored in the concrete mix)
• FSC certified Bamboo Flooring on second story.
• FSC certified stud interior walls.
• No-VOC Paints and primers.
• Low-VOC caulks and sealants.
• Amish Built Kitchen Cabinets from wood within 5 miles from the project site.
• Dual-Flush toilet by American Standard.
• Low flow shower heads and faucets.
• Pex Plumbing.
• Radon Venting.
• Radiant Heat Through-out Home.
• Life breath HRV (heat recovery ventilator)
• Passive Solar Design.
• Solar Hot Water. (30% Tax Rebate)
• 4.1kW of Photovoltaic (30% Tax Rebate)
• Pellet Stove (Back up Heat System)
• Pre-wired for a future Wind Generator.
• Pre-wired for future battery backup.

Please RSVP with us at 616.957.LEED (5333) or at ehughes@imagedesignarch.com

Read More

A HERS Score of -1!!!!!

More Exciting news from Arn McIntyre of Ferris State University Energy Center (Our Green rater) and Habitat for Humanity of Kent County our "335 Freyling Place Net-Zero Energy Project" just received a preliminary HERS score of -1. This is possibly the new lowest HERs score in the State of Michigan. It's all preliminary but we'll have firm results this fall upon completion:

• Area of conditioned space 2904
• Btu/ sf/ hdd .51
• Peak heat loss design 11.6 kbtu/h
• Shell area: 5677
• ACH 50 4.23
• Total cfm of blower door 400cfm
• Date of blower door test 4/8/11
• Test performed by Arn McIntyre
• Electrical kwh per year 28.6mmbtu/yr
• Fossil btu per year 20.2mmbtu/yr
• Renewable Elec produced per year 33.5mmbtu/yr
• HERS index -1

See the post below for more information on what a HERs score is.

As I mentioned in the post below, I am a firm believer in Kaizen ( A Japanese philosophy), or continuous improvement. I am continually studying the building science of homes to make improvements to them so they are as energy efficient as possible within their budgets. So even though a HERS rating of -1 is the best we have achieved so far our goal are to continually improve upon that score with the ultimate goal of a HERS score of even a larger negative score.

Read More

A HERS Score of 12!!!

Exciting news from Mike Holcomb of Energy Auditor General (Our LEED for Homes rater) and Dan Vos of Vos Energy Concept our "River Escape project" just received a HERS score of 12. This is the lowest score Mike Holcomb has every tested as a rater in Michigan and possibly the lowest score in the State of Michigan. This extremely low HERS score means that our "River Escape" project should easily be projected at the "Platinum" Level under the LEED for Homes program. Both Dan and I are very excited about this news.

What is a HERS, or Home Energy Rating System score? Well it is basically a rating of how energy efficient a home is based on a number of things, including a blower door test, the HVAC system, energy usage, and so on. The HERS rating is what is used to qualify a home for the Energy Star Rating. The rating is based off of a standard new home built to code that was rated originally tested and used as the test case with the score of 100. A typical older home has a HERS index of 125-150. Most homes that qualify for Energy Star homes must have a HERS rating of 85. That means that those homes are 15% more energy efficient than the test house. This is really good and a step in the right direction. Most of our homes have been scoring in the 50's, which is where we would expect the to fall. That HERS score would qualifies our homes as 5 star+ in the Energy Star rating system. The "River Escape Project" came in at 12 (lower the better) making it 88% more efficient than a new home built to code.

Based on their Home Energy Rating System (HERS) scores, the average home certified under LEED for Homes since its launch in February 2008 is predicted to use an estimated 30-60% less energy than a comparable home built to International Energy Conservation Code. Based on the average HERS ratings for each level of LEED certification, these homes could potentially see energy reductions of:

• Certified: Up to 30%.


• Silver: Approximately 30%.


• Gold: Approximately 48%.


• Platinum: 50-60%.

As many know, I am a firm believer in Kaizen ( A Japanese philosophy), or continuous improvement. I am continually studying the building science of homes to make improvements to them so they are as energy efficient as possible within their budgets. So even though a HERS rating of 12 is the best we have achieved so far our goal are to continually improve upon that score with the ultimate goal of a HERS score of 0 or a negative score.

Read More

Our "Net Zero" Habitat Home Breaks Ground

Yesterday was the Ground Breaking for the "Net Zero" Habitat for Humanity of Kent County project at 335 Freyling Place in Historical Weathy Height district of Grand Rapids. This will be Michigan's first Habitat "Net-Zero" Energy Home and the 300th home for Habitat For Humanity of Kent County.

The project is being used as a "Green Learning Laboratory" for more than 120 students at Grand Rapids Community College's Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC and other departments, and students from Ferris State University Energy Department, will be doing Energy Modeling on the project and collecting data on the house and sharing it with the community, the State of Michigan and the nation through the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

The homes is a 1,519 square foot, 5 bedroom , Passive Solar , Super Insulated home. Some of the key features include ICF Construction, SIP Panel Roof, Advance Framing , Solar Hot Water, Solar Photovoltaic, Radiant Floor Heat, Passive Heating and Cooling, High R-Value Serious Windows, Dow Corning Foam product and CertainTeed cement board siding. This home is a projected Leed for Homes "Platinum" project along with Green Built Michigan "Gold, ZeroStep, EPA Indoor AirPlus, Epa WaterSense and Energy Star certifications as well as to adhere to all historic guidelines set in place by the Historic Preservation Commission. You'll all be able to visit this home on the 2011 Spring Parade of Homes tour May 27th - June 11th hope to see you their.

Please check out all of the Habitat Zero Energy projects at www.habitatzero.org

Read More

Habitat for Humanity of Kent County builds its 300th Home

Since 1983 Habitat for Humanity of Kent County has built 300 homes and 68 of those homes were LEED certified. We are proud to have designed their 300th Home and their most energy efficient home to date. Grand Rapids Community Collage's Building Trades program has partnered again with Habitat for Humanity as they build its 300th home in Kent County. this will be Habitat's first zero-energy home and will be their second  LEED for for Homes "Platinum" project. Please take a minute to watch the video below.

. 

Read More

End of the Year Update!

We have been very busy the last three month of this year. Our "Glenn Retreat" project (See the picture above) is now complete and the final LEED for Homes certification paperwork is nearing completion this will be a LEED for Homes "Platinum" Project. Our projected LEED for Homes "Gold " "Turtle Lake" (Beulah, Mi.) project (Possibly a "Platinum" project now) and projected our LEED for Homes "Platinum" "River Escape" (Stanwood, Mi.) projects are under full construction along with our "Honey Prairie" (Dexter, Mi.) project and "Joyfield Ridge"(Benzonia, Mi.) project. We also have several projects under design in Ada, Caledonia, Cascade, Glenn, Ionia and Niles

Read More

Affordable LEED for Homes project being built by Students

A affordable Near Zero Energy, projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" project called the "Genesis Project" designed by Image Design is now under construction in Grand Rapids and will be built by Students from Grand Rapids Public Schools Academy of Design & Construction and Habitat for Humanity of Kent County. This home is a Passive Solar home and will have concrete floors and a trombe wall for Thermal Mass. The homes foundation will be constructed with a Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) from Logix , installed by our friends from R-Value Conctrete Structures, LLC and the rest of the home will be Advanced Framed @ 24" O.C. with 2" of Dow foam to stop the studs from Thermal Bridging. The roof will be R-Control SIP panels from TEAM Industries with Energy Star Landmark Solaris roof shingles that reflect the sun from CertainTeed. The home will have Solar Hot Water panels tied into to a Radiant Heating system and it will be pre-wired for future Photovoltaic panels (Unless some solar company out there would like to donate some panel to this project!!!!). The Genesis Home plan is the most energy efficient design that Habitat for Humanity of Kent county has ever built and offers a tremendous opportunity for students to learn cutting-edge green building and Design techniques.

Come visit this home on the 2011 Spring Parade of Homes.

Read More

Turtle Lake Project is Under Construction

Our projected LEED for Homes "Gold" "Turtle Lake Project" is now under construction in Beulah, Michigan. The home is being built by Joel Harner of Let Us, Inc and the ICF foundation is being constructed by Adam Eerdmans of Turtle Wall (Good company name for our project). This home will be a Passive Solar home with Photovoltaic and Geo-Thermal heating and cooling. The home will be constructed with a ICF Foundation and Advance Framing with 1" of Dow Foam for the main floor. The exterior will be Fiber Cement Siding with a Metal Roof and Andersen Windows.

Read More

Help Us Welcome A New Employee

Please help us welcome Ching C. Van, LEED AP to Image Design, LLC. He is a graduate from Lawrence Technological University (LTU) with a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture and is currently pursuing his Masters Degree. He will be helping us in multiple way from Drafting and Marketing to LEED Consulting. We are excited to have him working with us so next time your in of office please welcome him to our firm.

Read More

Wealthy Heights Net-Zero Energy Home

We are proud and excited to be the designer of the Habitat for Humanity of Kent County projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" Net-Zero Energy Homes in Wealthy Heights. This will be Michigan's first Net-zero Energy Habitat home and it will be built as part of the Wealthy Heights Partnership Project. Construction could begin as soon as September or as late as March 2011 depending on the entire neighbor hood improvement plans approval by various authorities. Besides being a projected LEED for Home "Platinum" project the project has goals of reaching Green Built Michigan "Gold" certification, 5+ Energy Star certification, HERs Score of 0, Zero-Step certification, EPA WaterSense Partner and EPA Indoor AirPlus Partner.

This home will have Photovoltaic's and Solar Hots Water System combined with Radiant Floor Heat to help it achieve it's Net-Zero Energy. The home will use several construction methods such as Frost Protected Shallow Foundation for a portion of the House, ICF Construction for the Basement, Advanced Framing for the Walls and SIP panel Construction for the Roof.

Read More

LEED for Homes "Gold" Gut Re-Hab project completed

Just helped Habitat for Humanity of Kent County completed a LEED for Homes "Gold" Gut Re-Hab project. It was just 5 points shy of score "Platinum"certification. Please visit the Hovey Project's

I would like to thank our friends at Generations Timber Frames donate the awesome Timber framed front porch (Made from recycled telephone poles) that you see in the picture above. and our friends at Apex Landscape Donated the Landscaping along with our friends at Let Us, Inc. for donating the custom wood shutters.

Read More

Judging EcoHome Design Awards

I am honored to have been ask to be a judge of EcoHome Magazines inaugural EcoHome Design Awards, honoring the best sustainable homes for innovative design, green building features, environmental performance, and integration with their sites and communities in the nation. I will be flying to Washington D.C. for the judging in a week and a half and I am really excited about the opportunity to be one of the judges for such a prestigious award from one of my favorite magazines. We will be helping to judge in all of these categories.

1. Production, less than 2,000 square feet
2. Production, 2,000 to 4,000 square feet
3. Production, more than 4,000 square feet
4. Custom*, less than 2,000 square feet
5. Custom*, 2,000 to 4,000 square feet
6. Custom*, more than 4,000 square feet
7. Remodeling, whole-house
8. Remodeling, green addition
9. Multifamily
10. Affordable Housing

Read More

Come See Us at GreenSolutions4: GreenFest in Traverse City

If you get a chance please visit us at our booth at the GS4 Greenfest in Traverse City this Saturday. Our booth will be in the Con Foster Building and we will also be speaking on designing Grand Traverse Counties First LEED Certified Home at 12:00pm in the same building. This will be the place to connect with people, ideas, information, products and services related to green building. Get great ideas from green professionals, discover how to reduce your utility bills, learn about green products and services, and explore green initiatives that the Traverse City area has to offer.

Read More

Paw Paw project receives LEED for Homes "Platinum" certification

It's official we just received LEED for Homes "Platinum" Certification for the "Vineyard" project in Paw Paw, Michigan. This is the Highest highest honor you can receive from the USGBC and the third time we have achieved this honor. We want to thank the member of the Vineyard project team for project well done. Thanks goes out to Image Design LLC, Hybrid Home LLC, Andersen Window Corporation, BuildBlock, R-Value Concrete Structures, Bauer Power, and AES (Alliance for Environmental Sustainability) for awesome job! We would also like to thank the Homeowner for allowing us all to be apart of the special project!

Read More

Glenn Retreat Project Under Construction

We made a site visit to the Projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" Glenn Retreat Project this week and things are coming along great. We are very impressed with the construction progress and attention to detail on this project. Thumbs up goes out to Doug and Jeff from Lake Homes Builder's for all their hard work on their first LEED for Homes project.

Note: you can see how the passive solar is working on this project, see the overhangs and the passive solar awning's shading the project's windows from the summer sun.

Read More

Earth Day Special

To help celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday April 22nd Image Design, LLC will be taking $500.00 off our design fee for any new design projects that we are hired for between April 18th and April 24th 2010. We hope that you all enjoy the different Earth Day events through-out the next week.

"YOU MUST BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD." - Mahatma Ghandi

Read More

Kingsley project receives LEED for Homes "Gold" Certification

It's official we just received LEED for Homes "Gold" Certification for the "Granite Hill" project in Kingsley, Michigan. This is the second highest honor you can receive from the USGBC. To our knowledge this is the first LEED certified home in Grand Traverse county. Congratulation goes out to Frontier Construction this is their first LEED for Homes project they have completed, hopefully we can help them with many more. We want to thank the member of the Granite Hill project team for project well done. Thanks goes out to Frontier Construction LLC, Image Design LLC, Andersen Window Corporation, BuildBlock, Brown Lumber, Odem Re-use Co. and Sustainable Environmental Services for awesome job! We would also like to thank the Homeowner for allowing us all to be apart of the special project!

Read More

"Granite Hill" Project Wins Two National Awards

Today we found out the "Granite Hill" in Kingsley , Michigan won two national awards from the ICFA (Insulating Concrete Form Association). The 2009 ICFA Excellence Award is the premier industry recognition for the most innovative and noteworthy ICF projects of the year. We are proud that BuildBlock our ICF supplier believed in our project so much that they entered us it these prestigious awards. Buildblock sweep the awards with there projects. We are proud to have won the following two awards.

ICFA Small Residential Project Gold Award: Is awarded to the nations top ICF residential project less than 3,000 square feet.

ICFA Sustainability Project Bronze Award: Is awarded to the nations top
Residential or Commercial ICF project which maximizes the energy
performance and minimizes the environmental footprint of a building.

Congratulation to the Homeowners and Frontier Construction (Builder), Dave Russell of Wall Tech Products, LLC (Distributor), ourselves Image Design, LLC (Designer) and BuildBlock (Supplier) for winning these prestigious awards. Also a big thank goes out to all the behind the seen people who worked on this project, we could not of done it without all of you.

Read More

"Vineyard" Project Wins Two National Awards

Today we found out the "Vineyard Project" in Paw Paw , Michigan won two national awards from the ICFA (Insulating Concrete Form Association). The 2009 ICFA Excellence Award is the premier industry recognition for the most innovative and noteworthy ICF projects of the year. We are proud that BuildBlock our ICF supplier believed in our project so much that they entered us it these prestigious awards. Buildblock sweep the awards with there projects. We are proud to have won the following two awards.

ICFA Large Residential Project Gold Award: Is awarded to the nations top ICF residential project over 3,000 square feet.

ICFA Sustainability Project Silver Award: Is awarded to the nations top
Residential or Commercial ICF project which maximizes the energy
performance and minimizes the environmental footprint of a building.

Congratulation to the Homeowners and "Team Hybrid" members Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes, LLC (Builder), Dave Russell of Wall Tech Products, LLC (Distributor), ourselves Image Design, LLC (Designer), R-Value Concrete Structures (Installer) and BuildBlock (Supplier) for winning these prestigious awards. Also a big thank goes out to all the behind the seen people who worked on this project, we could not of done it without all of you.

Read More

Grand Traverse Green 2010

If you get a chance I will be speaking at Grand Traverse Green 2010 Conference in Traverse City Michigan on Saturday February 6th from 10:00am to 11:30am at the Hagerty Center. We were invite by the Grand Traverse Home Builders Association to speak at this conference. Traverse City  Home Builders Association (HBAGTA) and Traverse Area Association of Realtors (TAAR) are both Pioneers in the Green Building movement  TAAR, with the with the technological support from the HBAGTA Green Build Grand Traverse Committee, has developed additions to its MLS (Green MLS). These additions allow sellers to list homes, commercial buildings and developments that have been certified or rated by one or more of the major Green Building Programs, including LEED, NAHB Green, Energy Star, and HERs.  HBAGTA was the first in Michigan to have a nationally recognized local Green Building Certification Program which was recently retired in May, 2009 to partner with the NAHB Green Build Program. We are excited to be speaking in one of the Pioneering Green Communities in our State.

Read More

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 consider this a great honor and look forward to working with the rest of the Board members their, the AES has mentored myself and Image Design, LLC over the last 4 years and we would not be where we are today without them.

Our projected LEED for Home "Platinum" Glenn Retreat project is now under construction and the homeowners are writing a web-log about it. You can follow the progress of this project by clicking on the project's name above. Our projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" Turtles Hope project should be nearing completion some after the first of the year. We have several interesting project in design one of them is a sustainable remodel to a 1890's old farm house (see the picture above) built in in Dowling, Michigan the homeowners call the project Uncle Shane's. You can also follow the progress of this project by clicking on its project name too. This project will ultimatly be turning into a off the Grid Orgainic Farm. We are working on commercial LEED certified project called Northwoods by Nature that will be a non-profit Training Center for Green Building and Wind Tower Safety in LeRoy, Michigan. This project is exciting to me because it will give us a place up north to train and speak about Green Building and the LEED for Homes program to Builders, Sub-contractors, Building officials, Realtors and Homeowners in Northern Michigan. Some of the other project's we have in design will be built-in Howard City, Traverse City, Benzonia, Beulah, Dexter, Glenn, Ionia, Friutport, Newaygo, LeRoy, West Branch and Grand Rapids.

We are also anxiously awaiting final LEED for Homes certification on two of our projects the national award winning Vineyard Project which is projected to be "Platinum" and th Granite Hill which is projected to be "Gold". I am also in the process of working on my LEED AP + Homes Professional Credentials this is a two part process, first I will go for my LEED Green Associate certification then take a exam then if I pass it, I go take the LEED AP + Homes exam. This certification is worth one point on any of my projects that are going for LEED certification. So its important to have these Professional Credentials and it will also sets me apart from my competition. Also I will need it for a new venture I will be starting in 2010 (More about that next year)

2009 was a challenging, yet transformative year. Looking forward to the opportunities opening in 2010. Hope you all have a Happy New Year!

Read More

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 the 2'-6" overhangs and the passive solar awnings that shade the sun from coming it to the home during the summer keeping this cottage naturally cool for summer enjoyment. There was an old existing cottage on this site that was beyond repair so the homeowners decided to re-use as much of the material as possible in there new cottage. You'll enjoy how these re-used material are worked into the interior design of this new cottage. This new cottage will use Advanced Framing methods (24" o.c. framing) w/Agra Based Open Cell Foam insulation and Geo-thermal heating and cooling to achieve the highest in energy efficiency. The home uses Lifetime design and Not So Big House design principle through-out the home making it the ultimate Retreat for family and friends of all ages to visit. Every material going into this home has been studied and research to make sure it is the greenest most sustainable choice for this home. The exterior landscaping was designed by Landscape Design Services, Inc. to meet the stringent LEED for Homes requirement and still be beautiful throughout the season. To follow this project through construction please follow the home owner web-log by clicking on "Glenn Retreat" at the beginning of this article.

Read More

"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 are doing to be the leaders and pioneer's in the Green Building field in the State of Michigan.

I would like to thank the team members Hybrid Homes LLC, Image Design LLC, Andersen Window Corporation, BuildBlock ICF Company and R-Value Concrete Structures LLC for another awesome job! We would also like to thank the Homeowner for allowing us all to be apart of the special project!

Read More

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 Hybrid would like to thank Andersen Windows Company and there entire Central Division Sales Team for inviting us to this event and empracing the team concept approach to marketing. We are honored to have you all as members of our Team.

Read More

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 of the team for another project well done. Thanks goes out to Hybrid Homes LLC, Image Design LLC, Andersen Window Corporation, Homestead Timbers, Porter Sips and R-Value Concrete Structures LLC for another awesome job! We would also like to thank the Homeowner for allowing us all to be apart of the special project!

Check out the article's on the PrairieMod, Jetson Green, Materialicious and Mother Nature Network web-log's on the "Watercress Project".

Read More

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 Hybrid to help them stay the leading Sustainable/Green Design/Build team in Michigan.

Please read the article written in the Andersen Window Companies newsletter by double clicking the pictures below. Team Hybrid would like to thank Andersen Window Company for believing in what we do and for having the same passion for a sustainable future for all of to share.

Read More

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 tomorrow"

Read More

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 House
on the day of and the day after the Symposium. For those of you that know me, you know I wouldn't miss it. For those of you the don't know me, I am a big Frank Lloyd Wright fan. Hope to see some of you there!

Update
The symposium was awesome!!! And we also finally where able to meet our friends from our favorite web-log PrairieMod in person at the symposium.

Read More

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 for a narrow lot that was really close to their neighbors on each side of them. Every room in the house has a view of the river from the moment you step through the front Door. The home was designed to direct your view to the River not the neighbors. This home was a experiment with green and unique building products and was ahead of its time.

Green Feature

• Metal Roofing.
• Concrete counter-tops
• Stained Concrete Floors
• Hand made Concrete Tiled fireplace.
• Recycled Barn Beams
• Radiant Heat Floors
• CertainTEED Cement Board Siding
• Andersen 400 Series Windows
• Use of the "Not So Big House" principles.

Unique Feature

• Precast Plank for a Garage below the Garage.
• Alder w/matte charcoal finish kitchen cabinets.
• Honed granite counter top with glass tile backsplash.
• Brazilian cherry flooring.
• Catwalk connects masters suite w/childrens rooms.
• Open stairs.
• Connecting loft "secret room" in clildrens rooms w/rock climbing holds to access loft.
• Bunk room designed for weekend visits and sleepovers.
• Bedrooms all have decks and patios.
• Mylar sink.
• Built in sand box.

I would like to thank Lisa Jensen and Michigan Blue magazine for featuring one of our projects in one of its articles. Their magazine is one of my favorite magazine here in Michigan because of how it features unique homes and activites along our Lakes and Waterways.

Read More

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 in Omena, Michigan is a very interesting article and project worth reading about. There is a article on 20 Great Green Products which three of them were recommended by me (Eric Hughes of Image Design, LLC ) and one from our friend Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes, LLC all of which were use on our LEED for Homes "Platinum" project in Onekama, Michigan. We were also mentioned as Green Building pioneer's in the Editor's Note article called Sexy Green which mentioned our Onekama LEED "Platinum" project. This magazine is dedicated to covering some of the most interesting and inspiring homes & cottage in northern Michigan every issue is worth reading! They also have a great online community on their MyNorth.com web-site where I created a group called Up North Green Living please check it out and become a member.

Read More

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 beside having this web-log. Our new web-site will be able to show more of our past, present and future projects along with being able to purchase some of our most popular plans online. I would like to thank those of you how visit this site often and hope you keep visiting this site. A great way to stay in touch with this site is to click on the follow button on the right side of the web-log and become a Follower on this site!. Thanks to those of you that are already Follower on this site.

Read More

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 into one of the world's most beautiful and efficient ways to heat your house.

Fireplaces are important in every home especially to those who are located in cold places like Michigan. However, burning wood inside your home is not eco friendly enough and not an efficient way to save fuel. To address this issue, Finnish company Tulikivi has created the soapstone fireplace that is truly beautiful and fuel-efficient that produces some of the cleanest, most energy-efficient wood-burning fireplaces in the world. Adding to the “green” appeal of a Tulikivi fireplace is its healthy radiant heat output and use of a local, renewable, carbon neutral fuel – wood. These soapstone fireplaces are a traditional heating method in Finland, but are now winning converts here at a time when prices for oil and natural gas continue to soar. Typical wood-burning fireplaces send the majority of their heat up the chimney; not so with a Tulikivi. The soapstone soaks up the fire’s heat as it burns, stores it and then gently and steadily releases it after the fire is out. Tulikivi is recognized by the Finnish Allergy and Asthma Federation as a heating option for those households where asthma or allergies are a key concern, due to the extremely low particle emission of its latest collection of fireplaces (introduced in North America earlier this year). Tulikivi fireplaces supersede the strictest air quality standards in the world and help's our "Granite Hill Project" earn points towards its projected LEED for Homes "Gold" certification. It’s nice to know that you can now have a fireplace that is not only fashionable and elegant, but also an earth friendly one.

Several people that attended this years Energy Fair told me it was worth the trip to this home just to check out his Tulikivi soapstone fireplace.

Read More

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 we are happy to have 15 active projects in our office for design. The picture in this article is from the site of the latest project under design which will be built on Long Lake in Traverse City, Michigan. We have just completed the designs for a interesting projected LEED for Homes "Gold" project called the "The Hybrid II Project" in Pittsford, Michigan that Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes will be building along with the projected LEED for Homes "Platinum" "Turtle's Hope Project" that he has currently under construction. These projects should be fun to watch as Adam turns our designs in to reality. At the end of May we were hired for a new Zero Energy Home (ZEH) project in Beulah, Michigan and are currently interviewing for several other interesting projects throughout the state. Thats all for now.

Hope to see some of you at the 2009 Michigan Energy Fair were in Booth #8.

Read More

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 Homes program. Both Adam and I are very excited about this news.

What is a HERS, or Home Energy Rating System score? Well it is basically a rating of how energy efficient a home is based on a number of things, including a blower door test, the HVAC system, energy usage, and so on. The HERS rating is what is used to qualify a home for the Energy Star Rating. The rating is based off of a standard new home built to code that was rated originally tested and used as the test case with the score of 100. A typical older home has a HERS index of 125-150. Most homes that qualify for Energy Star homes must have a HERS rating of 85. That means that those homes are 15% more energy efficient than the test house. This is really good and a step in the right direction. Most of our homes have been scoring in the 50's, which is where we would expect the to fall. That HERS score would qualifies our homes as 5 star+ in the Energy Star rating system. The "Vineyard Project" came in at 34 (lower the better) making it 66% more efficient than a new home built to code.

Based on their Home Energy Rating System (HERS) scores, the average home certified under LEED for Homes since its launch in February 2008 is predicted to use an estimated 30-60% less energy than a comparable home built to International Energy Conservation Code. Based on the average HERS ratings for each level of LEED certification, these homes could potentially see energy reductions of:

• Certified: Up to 30%.


• Silver: Approximately 30%.


• Gold: Approximately 48%.


• Platinum: 50-60%.

As many know, Adam and I are firm believer in Kaizan ( A Japanese philosophy Adam introduced me too), or continuous improvement. We are continually studying the design & construction of our homes to make improvements to them so they are as energy efficient as possible within their budgets. So even though a HERS rating of 34 is the best we have achieved so far our goal are to continually improve upon that score with the ultimate goal of a HERS score of 0. You can read Adam's take on it at his blog.

Read More

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. I have been and still am inspire by his work. Some of my favorite works of his are Fallingwater, Meyer May House and all the Prairie Style and Usonian houses . Wright's philosophy in architecture promoted harmony between the building, its inhabitants and nature. His homes became part of their surroundings. He minimized their presence and maximized their practicality. He revolutionized modern architecture with the essentials of ecological design and green building. Also today was the birthday of another organic architect pioneer Bruce Goff who would of been 105rd. Today we should all honor both of these pioneers of the green movement. Other birthday this month are, mine Eric Hughes (June 9Th), My Son Joshua (June 29Th) a future pioneer in green movement.

Read More

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 Traverse County. Many of you toured our 2007 & 2008 Energy Fair Show House in Onekama which was West Michigan's first LEED for Homes "Platinum" project and won numerous local and national awards.

Stop by our booth (booth #8) and see what we have be up to since last year and get a look at some our latest projects. We are able to show multiple projects using the latest in Sustainable/Green building technologies such as ICF's (Insulated Concrete Form), SIP Panel (Structural Insulated Panels), Advanced Framing, Straw Clay Construction, Passive Solar Design, Solar Hot, Photovoltaic, Wind Generation, Geo-Thermal, Zero-Energy Homes (ZEH) along with the use of the Lifetime Design ( Aging-in-place or Barrier Free Design) and the Not So Big House Design Principles.

Read More

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 Homes
• Flooring (FSC, Recycled & Reclaimed)
• Lighting (Energy Star, CFLs & LED)
• Windows & Window Treatments (Energy Star)
• Paints & Interior Finishes (Low & No-Voc)
• Furniture & Furnishings Appliances (Energy Star)
• Children's Spaces & Baby Nurseries
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Water efficient fixtures
• Lifetime Design

Christy is incredibly down to earth and easy to work with, people love working with her. By continuously staying up to date on new materials and innovative techniques, Christy is considered a green product expert. With her knowledge and enthusiasm, she continues to inspire our clients to mix these Green Design ideals into their projects.

Read More

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 Star Metal Roof. Almost all of the tree's that had to be removed for this cottage were use in the construction or furniture for this home. The interior of this home is unique and one of a kind it was designed by Christy Hughes (My wife) along with the homeowners and is something you really should see.

If you are interested in seeing how the homeowners followed the 3 R's (Reduce, Recycle and Reuse) along with all the other sustainable green feature inside and outside of this home we will be having an open house in the next few weeks, please let us know if you would like to see this home!

We want to thank the member of Team Hybrid for another project well done. Thanks goes out to Andersen Window Corporation, Hybrid Homes LLC, Homestead Timbers, Image Design LLC, Porter Sips and R-Value Concrete Structures LLC for another awesome job! We would also like to thank the Homeowner for allowing us all to be apart of the special project!

Read More

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 Catholic Church in Belmont. This construction will bring the Pantry up to ground level, currently the pantry is in the basement. This modification will make our pantry handicap accessible and provide for additional storage space for food stuffs. In addition, this modification to the church will provide additional meeting room for the pantry and community programming.

If you would like to help food and cash donations can be made to either church. The hours of the pantry are 6:00- 7:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Read More

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 and Image Design, LLC had the chance to design and build the LEED "Platinum" Onekama project, we wanted to form a project team to be involve with all of our LEED for Homes projects which we call Team Hybrid. This team of companies had to prove to Adam and me that they had a commitment and a passion for sustainability and our environment with their products or services. So when we were looking for a window company to be a part of our team we didn't let either Adam's or my past preference cloud our judgment we looked at Andersen, Marvin, Pella and Jeld-Wen (Don't get me wrong these are all good window manufactures and I have used them all before.) We also looked at some local manufactures of windows. We asked to meet with a local representative from each of these companies. Before these meetings we asked them all the same question before our meetings with them. "What makes your company Green or Sustainable"? Out of these four companies only one set of representatives could answer and show us why their company was green or sustainable; and that was Aric Lavancher and Mike Bottema from the Andersen Corporation. They were able to show us why their company has been green and sustainable by providing documentation, literature and explaining their manufacturing process to us.

On April 28th Adam and I were invited by Aric Lavancher, our Andersen Architectural Representative, to fly out to Bayport Minnesota to tour the Andersen manufacturing facility and to meet with the Andersen Sustainability Team. We were able to see firsthand and behind the scenes of many of Andersen's manufacturing facilities and process. We were given access to several restricted area's that most people have never seen (even many Andersen employees) This access allowed us to see firsthand how Andersen Corporation is committed to environmental stewardship. To put it in perspective for you the Andersen plant is a 2.8 million square foot manufacturing facility that takes up 64 acres along the environmentally sensitive St. Croix River. Below are just a few examples of their commitments.

• Andersen Corporation strives to utilize a majority of sourced wood from FSC or FSC Certified Controlled Wood in its clad wood products* based on availability and market conditions.”
  
• They commissioned in 2007, a Steam Generating Facility at the Andersen plant that uses wood byproducts from manufacturing, and it produces 80% of the plants energy source. (We are one of the few people that has ever tour this facility and it was amazing to see it working).
  
• 98.5% of raw materials that come into the Andersen plant are used in the manufacturing of their products. Land-filled solid waste at Andersen's Bayport, Minnesota facilities has been reduced by 83% since 1990.
  
• Andersen was the first window company to be Green Seal® certified. Green Seal is an independent non-profit group that labels environmentally responsible products.

I could show you numerous more examples but don't have the room here to do it. So if you would like to find out more about Andersen Windows commitment to Sustainability please visit their web-site by clicking on the underlined Andersen Windows link at the beginning of this post.
To say the very least I was impressed with Andersen Corporations commitment to green and sustainability and give them my endorsement as our window of choice for Image Design, LLC and Team Hybrid.

Read More

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. The existing cottage (Which was un-savable) was taken down last week and and recycled. The augers cast pile should be going in next week. Please follow the Turtle's Hope projects web-log. The picture above is a updated photo (South Side or Rear Elevation) of our projected LEED for Homes "Gold " project called "Granite Hill" which is under construction in Kingsley, Michigan (Just outside of Traverse City) they're moving along to have this home ready for the 2009 Michigan Energy Fair this will be the 2009 Michigan Energy Fair Show Home. To find out more about these two projects please read the previous web-log posts on these projects. We also have a non-green project under construction in Forest Hills and a sustainable project near completion in Lake Placid, New York (I'll try to get some up dated picture from the owners of this project to post soon!). We also have the "Watercress" and the "Vineyard" projects now complete and anxiously waiting for their final LEED for Homes rating.

Read More