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5/23/2015

Zehnder Interview Series: Larry Ponziano, Technical Sales Representative

Interviewer: Could you introduce yourself?   Larry Ponziano: I’m Larry Ponziano, Technical Sales Representative at Zehnder America. My background for the previous 25 years has been residential construction as a general contractor and I also hold an HVAC license. I have designed and built over 300 homes. In the last 5 years, we have begun building super-insulated homes with ultra-efficient HVAC systems. I have built and live in a Net Zero home for one year now, utility bill free. Interviewer: How did you

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5/5/2015

How to Find Allergy Relief During the Spring

Common Seasonal Allergy Triggers In most areas of the United States, seasonal allergy sufferers are in the midst of an ongoing battle with allergy triggers right now. “Allergy season” generally runs from February through early summer, though it may vary slightly depending on how mild or severe the winter is and when plants begin to pollinate. Certain plants that bloom in the fall and summer, such as ragweed and grass, may also trigger seasonal allergy symptoms. Seasonal Allergy Triggers While specific allergy triggers

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3/9/2015

How Energy-Efficient is Your Home?

There is ever an increased focus on making homes more efficient, and for good reason. Energy-efficient homes are less costly to maintain and help to minimize damage to the environment in the communities in which they exist. While new homes are being built with greater consideration for energy efficiency, it can be effective to make changes to existing homes to increase energy efficiency. The first step to understanding the best ways to make a home more energy efficient is to

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1/16/2015

Proud Green Home of St. Louis to Collect Long-Term Energy Usage Data

ProudGreenHome.com  has partnered with Hibbs Homes, Verdatek Solutions, Curtiss W. Byrne Architect, and the High-Performance Buildings Research Center, part of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Research Consortium at the University of Missouri-Columbia, to build a high-performance five-bedroom, 3,700 square-foot, Prairie-style home that will collect long-term energy and water usage data. The Proud Green Home of St. Louis will host an open house with separate events for building professionals and consumers on Feb. 20 and 21, 2015 at the home outside of St.

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12/8/2014

Winter Comfort in a High-Performance Home

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship in the past with the heating systems in my home. As the fall temperatures started to dip, I loathed turning on the furnace each year. If we programmed the thermostat to have lower nighttime temperatures, then we were greeted each morning with a blast of warm air. Even with a humidifier on our forced air furnace, our home would become drier when the furnace was turned on in the winter, and I would cringe

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11/4/2014

11th International Passive House Days

On November 7-9, 2014, the International Passive House Association will host the 11th International Passive House Days. The event is designed to unite the global Passive House knowledge network and promote Passive House standard across the globe. The event will open doors (literally), inviting homeowners, builders, and spectators to take a glimpse inside the Passive Houses of the world. Hundreds of Passive House residents and owners will be showcasing their homes in an effort to share their experiences and show what the standard

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9/29/2014

Proud Green Home St. Louis to Ease Family’s Allergy Issues

Zehnder is proud to be part of the Proud Green Home of St. Louis high-performance home.   This project is currently under construction for the Kuentz family, whose son faces environmental allergy issues.  The Proud Green Home will place a special focus on indoor air quality to ensure that the indoor environment is comfortable for all the inhabitants. What Is a Proud Green Home? The Proud Green Home of St. Louis will be a 3,700 square foot home nestled within a St. Louis suburb.

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8/13/2014

Energy-Efficient Home Design

With greater energy efficiency awareness and stricter building codes, many homeowners are shifting toward a more energy-efficient home design. An energy-efficient home design has a number of benefits for homeowners, as well as the environment. With proper planning, homeowners can build a home that will have long-term cost and energy savings as well as increased comfort. When designing and building an energy-efficient home, homeowners can select from a number of standards and guidelines for the level of efficiency they wish to

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8/8/2014

Financing an Energy-Efficient Home

In addition to the benefits of energy savings, ongoing cost savings and greater comfort, homeowners who opt for energy-efficient homes can also receive financial incentives. Energy-efficient home financing can benefit those who are buying, refinancing, selling, or remodeling a home with certain energy efficiency options. Those who are shopping for an energy-efficient home may be eligible to receive an energy-efficient mortgage (EEM). Energy-Efficient Home Financing A common concern with home energy efficiency upgrades is the upfront costs associated with these projects. It’s

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7/18/2014

The New California Building Energy Efficiency Standards: What’s Changed?

The 2013 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards went into effect on July 1, 2014. The 2013 standards improve on the 2008 Standards for new construction of, and additions and alterations to, residential and nonresidential buildings. Below are summarized the major HVAC changes from the 2008 standard to the 2013 standard. As energy-efficient codes and standards increase, there is an increased need for mechanical fresh ventilation. For help with your Heat or Energy Recovery Ventilation strategy, please contact us at info@zehnderamerica.com. 2013 Residential HVAC Building

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