With a passion for high-performance building, Mark Kuntz, the chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), decided to put his knowledge to the test after buying an 11-acre property in Monroe, Georgia.
“Our goals for the home were threefold: We wanted to build a house that would consume zero energy, incur no debt and utilize materials that are long life and relatively maintenance-free,” explained Kuntz.
With his vision clear, Kuntz set out to assemble his project team. With help from Mitsubishi Electric’s Performance Construction Team, a local custom home builder and energy rater, Imery Group, was selected for the job.
“Everything we do as a company focuses on value and quality. Not only the economic value of a high-performance building but the social and environmental values to the greater community as well,” said Luis Imery, owner, Imery Group. After assessing Kuntz’s goals and the property, the team set their sights on building a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home. “This home recognition essentially means that we maximized our efforts and did everything we could to make the house as healthy and energy-efficient as possible, prior to the incorporation of renewable energy,” explained Imery. With these criteria in mind, the project team planned the thermal envelope and mechanical system design for the 1,863-square-foot, two-story home.
The METUS Performance Construction Team and Imery Group brought in energy and HVAC consulting firm, Energy Vanguard, to collaborate on the layout and load calculations of the mechanicals.
“When you’re building any new home, calculating the heating and cooling loads is important to do from the start,” said Allison Bailes III, president, Energy Vanguard.
Ultimately, the team decided upon three MSZ-FH Wall-Mounted Indoor Units (one for each bedroom) and one Horizontal-Ducted Indoor Unit (PEAD) to condition the first level of the home. Mitsubishi Electric’s mobile app and web service, kumo cloud®, was also installed so that Kuntz and his family can control the comfort of the home from their preferred smart devices.
“With the way codes are going and with energy programs pushing efficiency to higher and higher levels, it’s getting harder to serve homes with existing, conventional equipment,” said Bailes. “Compared to the competition, Mitsubishi Electric also appears to have the best network of dealers, contractors and support.”
The Performance Construction Team is a big part of that superior support offering. “We serve in an advisory capacity,” explained Chad Gillespie, senior manager of performance construction, METUS. “We assist with the HVAC design and recommend other mechanical products that we trust to achieve our clients’ goals. Our team works to provide optimal air quality and a truly healthy home.”
Since the home’s completion in December 2018 and review by a third-party green verifier, Home Performance Solutions, the residence has exceeded the entire project team’s expectations. “With the solar panels, the home has a confirmed HERS score of -13. The home also officially meets DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, ENERGY STAR®, EPA Indoor airPLUS and EarthCraft™ certifications and exceeds the 2009 and 2012 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC).
