Synergy Building Co. began to clear a house site in December 2008 and poured the footing during Christmas week. This is an 1800 sq.ft. 3-bedroom, 2-bath solar-oriented, energy efficient house built with AAC block (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete). This 8†thick lightweight solid block has a high insulation value and is fireproof and is an affordable alternative to wood framing. In addition to a radiant heat slab-on-grade, the house ... Read full post »
Retaining Walls & Landscaping
The challenges created by this multi-level addition and renovation in the historic area of Chapel Hill did not stop with figuring out how to engineer a garage beneath the original foundation. The adjoining landscaping posed a significant challenge as well. Jonah Roberts, owner of Lael Landscapes in Raleigh, NC created a landscape design that not only addressed the structural elevation issues of the property, but did it in a way tha ... Read full post »
Historic District Renovation/Addition in Chapel Hill
We are very excited to be starting a new project in the historic district of Chapel Hill near UNC. This project poses a lot of exciting challenges. The project includes the construction of a three story addition, with two car garage below, plus remodeling and renovation work to the existing home. When this renovation is completed it will feature a new high energy efficiency HVAC unit installed by Duggins Mechanical, spray foam insulatio ... Read full post »
Second OCH< Affordable Home Starts
Our second green built affordable home for the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust is under way.   Architect David Ripperton donated his time to put the plans together for these homes. In addition to putting together a great plan with a very functional traffic pattern and many special features, he did a great job of making spaces and room sizes that allow the use of standard length framing materials – which he ... Read full post »
Can Green be affordable?
Building an energy efficient home that qualifies as part of an affordable home project may seem unrealistic……but that is exactly the project initiated by the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust. Synergy is very excited to be involved in this venture, and believes that the project will demonstrate that quality built energy efficient homes can also be affordable homes. Synergy has been working with the Land Trust to develop ... Read full post »