Cold Brook Farm a Team Sponsor of New Jersey Audubon’s World Series of Birding 2022
March 28, 2022
Cold Brook Farm Chosen as a Pollinator Habitat Restoration Project Site
August 19, 2022
Cold Brook Farm was designed from the start to be an extremely energy-efficient, environmentally sensitive, healthy home while also looking like a “traditional,” modern farmhouse. The house has been awarded numerous distinctions for energy efficiency and sustainable design:
Zero Energy Ready Home
On May 6, 2022, Cold Brook Farm received a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index rating of -34 (NEGATIVE 34). The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) calculation represents a home’s overall energy efficiency with lower scores on the scale indicative of higher energy efficiency. A “typical” new house scores 100 and a HERS of zero means that the home creates as much energy as it consumes, and is, therefore, classified as a “Zero Energy Home.
Zero Energy Ready Homes are designed and engineered to meet or exceed strict home performance guidelines set by The U.S. Department of Energy and typically have HERS scores in the low-to-mid-50s. As of the end of 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy had certified just 8,656 homes in the United States as being Zero Energy Ready Homes.
The HERS index rating of -34 achieved by Cold Brook Farm means that onsite power generation (from Solar) can actually deliver 34% of the energy used by a typical home back to the grid each year – BEYOND WHAT IS NEEDED AT COLD BROOK FARM itself! Because of this, Cold Brook Farm is actually a “Positive Energy Home” that produces more energy annually than it consumes. This excess energy will be used to power electric vehicles and tools (including a car, truck, farm utility vehicle and battery-powered outdoor gardening/farming tools).
Energy Star Certified Home
On December 13, 2021, Cold Brook Farm was independently verified as meeting the rigorous requirements for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Energy Star Certified homes have features that include:
- Thermal enclosure system with comprehensive air sealing, quality-installed insulation, and high-performing windows
- Water management system to protect roofs, walls, and foundations
- Heating, cooling, and ventilation system
- Energy-efficient lighting and appliances
Indoor airPLUS Qualified Home
On December 13, 2021, Cold Brook Farm was verified as meeting Indoor airPLUS construction specifications established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Indoor airPLUS features include:
- Moisture and mold control
- Radon resistant construction
- Pest barriers
- Effective heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems