(November 4, 2010) Only One Lake Lot Cottage Remains!
Call the Serenbe real estate team today to tour the Nest Model and choose your lot - 770.463.9997.
(October 29, 2010) Nest Designer Lew Oliver on Planning the Site
The design process is simple: homes should form a setting for activity spaces, be it gathering areas, edible gardens, or natural enclaves. Homes should reinforce circulation systems–streets, pathways, and sometimes even streams. Porches and dooryards should be located to provide outdoor living spaces that transition the zone between community space and private interior space. Local culture and passive orientation should influence the design. In essence, homes are clustered, an old and time–tested model that, today, fosters a frugal use of land and creates community spaces. The character of the land is preserved through careful sculpting of the topography and the restoration of native species of plants. Cars are always de-emphasized.
For more from Lew Oliver’s blog, click here.
(October 1, 2010) Thanks to HCNRG Solutions and Radiance Solar for a great presentation!
Nest Partners HCNRG Solutions and Radiance Solar gave a presentation last month to an interested group of visitors following the Serenbe Farm Tour, and answered common questions about solar power and how it’s used in the Nest.
Guests were curious about the SunPower Solar Panels on the roof of the Nest Model, the inverter (the transformer that converts DC power to AC power to use in the home), the monitor (wall mount, internet and iPhone options), and ways that solar power could affect their daily life – especially after hearing that energy bills in the Nest were estimated to be as low as $200 for the entire year. Many also commented on the temperature and natural light in the house, noting that using solar power and saving energy does not mean sacrificing comfort.
(August 19, 2010) “ENERGY-EFFICIENT COTTAGES TAKE OFF IN SERENBE” – ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE
The Nest cottages were recently featured in Atlanta Business Chronicle, in a great article detailing the concept behind the project and the next-generation energy efficiency in the homes. A few highlights are below; to read the full article, click here.
“Well before the cottage concept came to be at Serenbe, the 1,000-acre community was a lesson in sustainability, green building techniques and creating a harmonious co-existence between private residences and commercial space.”
“The reason behind interest in the Nest homes is what (Serenbe Founder Steve) Nygren and others observed as a ‘value shift’ that’s been unfolding in recent times. He said he’s noticed that, for many people, the bigger-is-better belief about homes has waned.”
“Dennis Creech, executive director of Southface, has said that the Nest cottages ‘are on track to become among the most energy-efficient EarthCraft single-family homes to be built in the 10-year history of the EarthCraft program.’”
“Utility bills for the cottage are predicted to be less than $200 a year, which is impressive to a prospective home buyer no matter the person’s salary, said Serenbe Director of Communications Tucker Berta.”
(July 19, 2010) “NOT SO BIG” AUTHOR SARAH SUSANKA VISITS (AND LOVES) THE NEST
Author and architect Sarah Susanka has a huge following in the design world thanks to her bestselling “Not So Big” books. Susanka is a cultural visionary leading a movement to redefine the American home and lifestyle, embracing the “build better, not bigger” approach to residential architecture.
Sarah made a special visit to Serenbe to see the new Nest model cottage and fell in love with it. Here’s what she had to say about Serenbe:
“Serenbe is a marvelous example of what’s possible when people come together with the intent to create a place that nurtures the body, heart and soul. Ever since leaving England as a teenager, I’ve wanted to bring communities with the same kind of personality and authenticity to the U.S. I’ve always known it’s possible, but very few place actually have that sense of ‘THIS IS IT!’ about them. Serenbe has ‘IT.’ I suspect that in years to come there will be books and articles aplenty describing the process of Serenbe’s making, and I for one, hope to be able to visit again before too long. It’s a gem of a town. Keep up the good work, Serenbe!”
Sarah Susanka with Steve & Marie Nygren and the Nest model
(July 13, 2010) THE NEST OFFERS A TOTAL BATHROOM SOLUTION
The Nest exceeds current Georgia and federal standards for water efficiency with WaterSense-labeled plumbing products. Similar to the ENERGY STAR® program for appliances, WaterSense is a voluntary federal program designed to give consumers confidence that water-saving products will work properly and efficiently while reducing water use by 20% or more.
The rest of Georgia isn’t far behind the Nest in adopting that same standard of a 20% reduction in water use. The Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010 , signed into law last month by GA Governor Sonny Perdue, requires efficient water fixtures in all new residential and commercial construction statewide beginning in July 2012.
An experience within the Serenbe community convinced us that this new generation of water-saving plumbing products was right for the Nest. Several members of the community tested the new products from American Standard Brands during a water-use test sponsored by the company. Participating residents saved an average of 27% on water usage after replacing all their plumbing products, without any noticeable differences in water pressure of performance. More details reported here.
Similar products are now featured in the Nest, including the Flo Wise showerhead, the H2O Option siphonic dual flush toilet and Enfield bathroom faucet, one of all American Standard faucets that is WaterSense-labeled. These products are part of a total bathroom solution created for Serenbe by American Standard Brands.
(June 24, 2010) USING THE POWER OF THE SUN AT SERENBE
HCNRG Solutions and Radiance Solar have come together to harness the power of the sun and bring solar powered energy to Serenbe. The installation of solar photovoltaic electricity systems at the Nest complements Serenbe’s vision for sustainability and translates into meaningful benefits for homeowners.
Why choose solar?
- Stabilize your electric rates and save thousands in utility bills.
- Save up to 80% on your water heating bills and gain control over rising utility rates.
- Increase the value of your home twice as fast as conventional homeowners.
About our solar partners:
HCNRG Solutions provides natural, renewable and green energy solutions by providing the highest quality planning services, product, equipment, installation and on-going maintenance programs in the renewable energy field.
Radiance Solar is a Georgia-based renewable energy company dedicated to providing clients with fully-customized Solar Energy Systems designed by a team of specialists and installed by solar experts in the field.
Click here for more information on Solar at Serenbe.
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- Sarah Susanka with Steve & Marie Nygren and the Nest model
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- Sarah Susanka with Steve & Marie Nygren and the Nest model
(June 18, 2010) USING GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING
The Nest uses geothermal heat exchange. While temperatures vary throughout the year, the temperature below ground stays fairly consistent, regardless of climate or season.
The ground is able to maintain a higher rate of temperature consistency because it absorbs 47% of the sun’s energy (heat) as it hits the Earth’s surface. Geothermal systems are able to tap into this free energy with an earth loop. This technology is then used to provide your home or office with central heating and cooling.
What is Geothermal Heating?
During the heating cycle, a geothermal heat pump uses the earth loop to extract heat from the ground. As the system pulls heat from the loop it distributes it through a conventional duct system as warm air. The same heat energy can also be used for a radiant floor system or domestic hot water heating.
What is Geothermal Cooling?
In the cooling mode, the heating process is reversed – creating cool, conditioned air throughout the home. Instead of extracting heat from the ground, heat is extracted from the air in your home and either moved back into the earth loop, or used to preheat the water in your hot water tank.
(June 15, 2010) MEET NEST DESIGNER: LEW OLIVER
The designer of the Nest cottages is Lew Oliver, Award-winning home designer and New Urbanist. Oliver’s mission is simple: to design utopian communities, marrying the natural environment with human habitation in perfect beauty and harmony.
Resisting the one-size-fits-all philosophy of modernist prefabs, Oliver tailors designs according to the climate of the communities—an oft-forgotten if common-sense design imperative found in vernacular architecture in the last century and one the designer intends to resurrect. Considerations include sun exposure, prevailing breezes, snowfall, rainfall, and temperature.
“Vernacular forms are all about responding to the climate,” Oliver notes, “from the cat-slide roofs and porches of the South to the saltboxes with central chimneys of the Northeast, the glazed porches of the Pacific Northwest, and the adobes of the Southwest. The aesthetics of the design is derived entirely from concrete needs, and is particularly compelling precisely because of this fact.”
