Background
ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) is an architecture and energy consulting firm specializing in new construction and major renovations. Our commitment to innovative and ecologically sensible design is reflected in our multidisciplinary knowledgebase, which spans architecture, mechanical engineering and financial analysis. With this shared expertise, ZED originates designs that are tailored to a client’s way of life, environmental ideology, and unique sense of style.
We believe that great design should enhance the value of each place, make optimal utility of space, elicit an emotional response, and use less energy.Our designs are inspired by clients and the surrounding landscape, resulting in an architecture that is uniquely informed by both subject and place. We are also committed to designing homes and buildings that use 50% less energy than building code requires, in pursuit of energy independence.
Our Start
The firm's founders got their start leading Cornell University's 2005 Solar Decathlon team. The competition, sponsored by the US Department of Energy, challenges universities from across the US and beyond to research, design and build an 800 square-foot off-grid solar home. Cornell's first entry to the competition was awarded second place. The team's success was driven by a well-rounded team fielded from the top-rated departments within the University. Subsequent to the project's conclusion, the founders chose to continue working together to realize their shared vision of bringing sensible green design to the commercial and residential sectors.
Our Name
We take our name from the industry term zero energy (or zero-net energy), which is defined as a building that creates as much energy as it uses. A zero energy building is the result of a multi-disciplined effort and appropriately symbolizes our integrated design philosophy and approach. While zero energy buildings are an aspirational goal for some, they are feasible for some clients.
