Tag: smart home

How much does GREEN cost??

March 27, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Frequently we get a questions or comments about the cost of sustainable construction. Questions center around the perception that the construction or remodeling are excessive over traditional construction. The comments are usually concerning the return on investment (ROI) of a project – meaning the money you put in needs to “pay off” within a period of time that one lives in their home.

Here’s the thing… both concepts need to be examined.

A public opinion survey found that those that answered the survey believed the average cost to build sustainability to be 17% above traditional construction. However, the same study found the “actual average marginal cost of less than 2%”.

The question of ROI is often one of the first things brought up as a factor for some people considering building or renovations. “The most efficient way to analyze the financial benefits would be to look at both the cost premium and the savings associated with that premium, for each feature of a green home”. While ROI can be measured, we encourage folks to think of their homes as a whole system.

Picture a house surrounded by a balloon. If you poke holes in the balloon you’re left with a flat balloon. Each system contributes to the efficiency of the home. By creating the balloon and a tight home envelope, the other systems within the balloon can be optimized – saving money and resources.

Talk to us about your vision and let us help design your best shade of green.

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/content/do-green-houses-cost-more-build-regular-houses
http://www.usgbc.org/articles/green-building-costs-and-savings
http://buildipedia.com/at-home/design-remodeling/green-homes-vs-traditional-homes

Your vision is our vision

February 28, 2017 /

We are excited to expand our services and offer assistance with buying or selling your home. Our on-staff project manager is your exclusive agent via Halstead Property and will help you find the perfect place and create the sustainable and technological features you desire.

Known as one of the best in the industry from its consistent awards, Halstead far surpasses competitors in this aggressive market. Halstead provides visitors with the most innovative and user friendly experience… all in real time. Through our web based partnerships with the New York Times and others, our web search optimization on sites such as Yahoo and Google, and our web advertising on countless sites visited by our target audience, we have an online exposure twice our competitors.

With more than 93% of real estate searches starting on the web, it is imperative to grow with the trends, or be left behind. In addition to displaying our listings to more than 3 million searches a month through Halstead.com and NYTimes.com, we are partnered with dozens of other strategically chosen sites. Our web experts are staying ahead of the curve and developing new tools like room painter and exclusive video tours to optimize each listing page for our customers.

Let us find your next home and help you create your dream. Or we can help you prepare your home for sale and get value for your budget – moving you towards your next adventure.

Winter is coming

October 31, 2016 /

As a continued testing site, we are always looking for things to explore. A technology that has been around for years (and was seldom used properly) is programmable thermostats.

Programmable thermostats save money by saving the energy you use at home. I have always programmed my thermostats to be more cost effective when I’m away for the day or on vacation. Whether it’s to turn down the heat (to 58 during the winter) or turn up the a/c during the summer (to 85 as long as the cats are not in the house…if they are, 78 seems more reasonable).  A 7-day thermostat would allow me to program each day of the week separately. I would adjust the temperature just before I was to be awake, and again at bedtime with two more adjustments for my family’s work/school schedule and returning from same.  Some problems with all that programming is 1) it takes time, and 2) it doesn’t adjust for when someone stays home. Don’t get me wrong…it’s a big improvement over the old mercury thermostats which are neither programmable nor safe. If you still have a mercury thermostat, please consider alternatives — not only for your safety, but because bringing your technology into the 1990s could save you hundreds of Benjamins.

Welcome now to the world of smart thermostats….and the current century.

We’ve tested both the Lyric and the Nest and essentially they both work the same.  They are smart, meaning they “learn” your habits – like when you play hookie from work on Thursday nights to watch college ball – and can be controlled remotely since they are wifi based. These T-stats look great, are easy to install, and are actually easier to program than the old “programmable” thermostats. We like they look of the Lyric because it blends well with our decor, but the newer profile on the nest makes the cosmetic comparisons a wash.

Click HERE for a great CNET summary review of some fantastic options.

Winter is coming, my friend. Make your investment in a smart thermostat and you’ll be the one smarter (and richer) for it.

New tech home lab

July 30, 2016 / / 0 Comments

My house is a lab for new technology. Before I recommend something I make sure it works…and it works well. I’ve just installed smart bulbs through out the house and compared the Philips Hue and the Cree smart bulb. For the record, I am a big fan of the Cree product line and have found their customer service to be outstanding.

Initially I found the Cree bulbs difficult to connect to the Philips Hue system, but after quick conversation with customer service I discovered I was out-thinking myself. It was actually really simple.

Both lights give off really nice light and the system connects to our Amazon Dot – giving complete control via voice command. It’s especially fun to put in the color changing bulbs, play prime musi and have a dance party. The system is also connected to my smart phone giving us the ability to shut off the lights from anywhere. This is especially nice after you’ve told the kids to go to bed for the third time.

Something to note for anyone that is looking into smart bulbs…there are different ‘systems’ that may or may not work together. Look on the box to make sure that the switches, bulbs and hubs all will work together. For those of us of a certain age – think Beta and VHS. The technology war has not been settled yet so make sure that whatever you decide to invest in, they are on the same protocol. Philips and Cree are both Zigbee and they work with Leviton and Wemo switches. Just check the bottom or back of the box and match the logos…like Geranimals (another antique term).

Here is a published review of the Hue that gives a great overview.

REVIEW: Philips Hue 2.0 w/HomeKit

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