Getting To Zero Energy Ready [ON DEMAND WEBINAR]

Jay Epstein President and Founder Healthy Communities Williamsburg, Va. Jay Epstein is President of Healthy Communities and has spent the last 45 years building homes that are energy efficient with enhanced indoor air quality throughout the Hampton Roads and Richmond area. Over the last five years Jay worked to develop a balanced approach to successfully integrate optimum value engineering to provide high levels of comfort, indoor air quality and low energy usage combined with onsite Solar PV electric generation. In 2014, Jay built the Villas at Rocketts Landing, Virginia’s first solar community of 45 single family homes in Richmond. Jay won the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Department of Energy’s Housing Innovation Award – in the fields of Custom, Production and Multifamily. Walnut Farm, Jay’s current community is the First Zero Energy Ready Home Community in Virginia, located in Williamsburg, VA. This community features 75 single family homes that give the buyer the ability to choose to upgrade to solar now or in the future! This community was awarded the DOE 2020 Grand Housing Innovation Award for production builder nationwide. Jay’s next community is Solara Woods, Virginia’s first Zero Carbon Community of Zero Energy Ready Homes with a solar microgrid. Solara Woods is about balance. The Zero Energy Ready Homes are designed to reduce the carbon footprint. The homes at Solara Woods will release less than 2000 lbs. of carbon a year to be offset by creating a conservation easement protecting the trees. Solara Woods will have its grand opening January 2023.

Bill Rectanus Vice President of Homebuilding Operations Thrive Home Builders Denver, Colo. Bill Rectanus is a managing partner and Vice President of Homebuilding Operations for Thrive Home Builders in Denver, Colo. His responsibilities include the management and oversight of the construction, purchasing, customer service, quality assurance and land development departments. In addition to his daily responsibilities Bill is also responsible for the implementation of Thrive Home Builders' "High Performance Building Initiative". Bill is very active in the Homebuilding industry both locally and nationally. He is committed to the local Home Builders Association of Metro Denver and has served 7 terms on their Board of Directors and 3 terms on the Flat Irons Building Council. Two of those council terms as Chairman. Bill holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Ohio University and currently lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife of 20 years and two daughters.

David Barista Content Director Utopia Arlington Heights, Ill. David Barista has covered the U.S. construction industry for more than 19 years, including multiple editorial roles at Building Design+Construction magazine, where he currently serves as Editorial Director. He also leads content direction for UTOPIA, SGC Horizon’s new media platform for innovation and advancements in the U.S. housing sector.