The Edgewood neighborhood on the east side of downtown Atlanta is home to many craftsman-style bungalows. Originally developed for blue-collar workers in the early 1900s, today’s contractors and developers are finding new life for these homes, modernizing them while maintaining their original charm. That’s what local builder Joe Thomas decided to do when he came across a home with potential on Dahlgren Street.
“The home was built in 1925. I wanted to take the existing structure and do a high-quality renovation to a green building standard,” explained Thomas, owner, Elemental Green Homes. With plans to achieve certification from EarthCraft, a green building program, Thomas wanted to take energy efficiency and whole-home building design to the next level. Working with Mitsubishi Electric’s Performance Construction Team, he selected Zoned Comfort Solutions® for the project’s mechanical system.
After buying the lot in July 2018, Thomas immediately got to work changing the structure of the home to feature a more seamless and spacious design. “The home is ranch style, originally 1,000 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom. We added on a master suite, bumping it up to 1,600 square feet,” said Thomas.
High-Performance Equipment with Style
As for the spec home’s heating and air-conditioning, Thomas decided on Zoned Comfort Solutions for increased energy efficiency. “I had limited experience with Mitsubishi Electric HVAC equipment and had never designed a whole home around ductless systems,” explained Thomas. “That said, the Mitsubishi Electric brand has been around the longest in the ductless space. Even though the home was already ducted, the project team knew mini-splits would be practical for the project.”
The team incorporated a hybrid ductless and ducted design featuring the SEZ Horizontal-Ducted Indoor Unit and one of Mitsubishi Electric’s latest products, the EZ FIT® Recessed Ceiling Cassette. Sitting flush to the ceiling, the EZ FIT seamlessly fits into any aesthetic.
“I think the EZ FIT is brilliant. It’s safe to say that one of the deciding factors for choosing mini-splits for this home was the aesthetic of the EZ FIT units. As a spec home, we’re always trying to appeal to potential buyers,” expressed Thomas.
Thomas is confident the home is a solid representation of what Elemental Green Homes stands for: comfortable, energy efficient and healthy. Because of the measures taken to ensure low energy loads and savings, Elemental Green is also projected to receive two rebates through Georgia Power: $1,100 through its Home Energy Improvement Program and $750 for the HVAC systems since the outdoor unit is over 16 SEER.