On Monday, May 20, Transition Town Chelsea welcomes eco-builder Matt Grocoff.
The presentation takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Washington Street Educational Center, 512 E. Washington St., Room 112.
Grocoff retrofitted his house to be “net zero energy,” which means that it produces at least as much energy – from renewable sources – as it uses.
The 118-year-old structure carries the distinctions of being the oldest net zero retrofit in American and the first to achieve net zero energy certification in a cold climate.
Now, with his company THRIVE Collaborative and a long list of partner organizations, Matt is going to build a whole community of net zero homes off Platt Road in Ann Arbor.
This mixed-income housing development is called Veridian at County Farm and it does indeed include a farm. It will be “powered” by solar, feeding excess electricity into the grid when it is sunny and drawing back from the grid at night and in winter.
The farm will help support an Argus-like (or we might say Agricole-like) market within the community. They will intelligently utilize rainwater, incorporate energy conservation features, and more ecologically responsible building materials. You can read about it here and here.
Veridian is registered with Living Community Challenge.
The potluck meal begins at 6:30 p.m. and Grocoff’s presentation begins at 7:15. If you are coming to the potluck meal, please bring a dish to pass and your own place settings.
