Energy Consulting

Mechanical Design Services

ZED provides mechanical design for heating, cooling, and ventilation systems for high-efficiency homes and buildings. Accurate load calculations, equipment sizing and specification, and distribution system design result in a right-sized system, lower equipment costs, longer equipment life, increased energy performance, lower utility bills, and greater occupant comfort. 

ZED can address the following aspects as appropriate for each project:

  • Manual J for Load Sizing

  • Manual S for System Selection

  • Manual D for Duct Sizing

  • Hydronic distribution design

  • Planning for renewable energy integration

  • Geothermal calculations

  • Ductwork layout in CAD

  • Register/diffuser sizes, placement, and flow rates

  • Ventilation design and rates

Construction Administration.  As a supporting service, ZED offers guidance and client advocacy during the construction process to ensure that the mechanical design and specifications are implemented properly, helping to achieve the project energy performance goals and resolving challenges that arise during construction. Site visits can be made to review and verify critical mechanical system details.

Passive House Consulting

ZeroEnergy Design’s commitment to Passive House performance spans nearly a decade. Our principals attended one of the first courses in the U.S. for training Certified Passive House Consultants.

While Passive House design is the norm for ZED’s own architecture projects, the firm also provides Passive House Consulting services for other architects, building owners, developers, and homeowners seeking exceptional energy performance - with the option of targeting PHI or PHIUS+ certification.

ZED services include building envelope and mechanical systems recommendations to best accommodate project goals like comfort, durability, indoor air quality, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and carbon footprint reduction. Depending on project requirements, ZED can assist with the following:

  • Passive House Feasibility

  • Passive House Energy Modeling

  • Pre-Certification + Certification Facilitation (Optional)

  • Financial Incentives

Acton Passive House
Acton, MA
PHIUS+ Certified

Bethany Senior Terraces
Brooklyn, NY
PHIUS+ Certified

Passive House Case Studies

ZED’s Passive House Consulting Practice has been the Certified Passive House Consultant, Mechanical Designer, and Building Enclosure Consultant on many landmark projects across New England and beyond.

First in Chicago, PHI Certified

CERTIFIED PASSIVE HOUSE

First Elementary School in U.S.

CERTIFIED PASSIVE HOUSE

First in New York City

CERTIFIED PASSIVE HOUSE

Supporting Services

Building Science Consulting. Building science addresses heat, air, and moisture flow and how they impact a structure. Potential problems that result from thermal bridging, condensation, and/or moisture accumulation, such as mildew/mold growth and building decay can be avoided using ZED services for wall/roof section development, condensation risk analysis, air barrier detailing, thermal bridge calculations and analysis, and critical construction details.

Certification Facilitation for PASSIVE HOUSE and PHIUS+. To complement the firm’s Passive House consulting services, ZED offers the option of facilitating adherence to energy certification programs such as the international Passive House Institute’s Passive House standard and the Passive House Institute US’s PHIUS+ standard. Facilitation typically includes plan review for compliance, detailed energy modeling for certification, performance measurement, required site inspections, and paperwork submission.

Woodlawn Senior Living
Bronx, NY
PHIUS+ Certified

Jordan Goldman
Engineering Principal

MANAGEMENT
MECHANICAL DESIGN + PASSIVE HOUSE ENERGY CONSULTING PRACTICE

Jordan manages the firm’s energy consulting practice as a specialist in energy modeling and mechanical engineering. He is fluent in building envelope strategies and energy efficient construction systems, building science design principles, as well as mechanical system design, specification, and sizing for enhanced energy performance. Additionally, he is experienced in sizing and specifying renewable energy systems, such as photovoltaics and solar hot water. Jordan has been recognized by the EPA for his achievement in systems design for green buildings and has been featured on NPR. He is a Certified Passive House Consultant and studied Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, where he received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering.