LG Partners with Marc Rutenberg Homes for Zero Energy America Project

Highly efficient air conditioning and energy technologies from LG Electronics are at the heart of a unique green building initiative that is bringing the concept of “net-zero energy” design and construction to life, LG Electronics USA announced today.

The just-completed first phase of the Zero Energy America™ project in Tampa Bay is considered a benchmark of environmental stewardship and sustainable “green” building for the housing industry. LG Electronics played a key role in the project – initiated by Marc Rutenberg Homes to provide discerning homebuyers with highly efficient luxury homes – supplying technology solutions to compliment the unique design features in the home.

“Not only were we looking to build exceptionally efficient homes, we were able to provide a model for sustainable home construction and keep it upscale, fashion forward and real,” said Marc Rutenberg, president, Marc Rutenberg Homes, who led the project along with his daughter, Ashley Rutenberg, project LEED AP. “Thanks in part to LG’s energy efficient technologies, we’re giving our clients in the Tampa Bay area the potential for electric bill free living and a tangible way to visualize what it means to live in a sustainable world.”

To conquer the daunting task of cooling the large square footage of the Florida homes (ZEA 1 in Palm Harbor, Fla. is 4,522-square-feet), Marc Rutenberg turned to LG’s innovative variable refrigerant flow (VRF) solutions, constructing a system with a single outdoor unit and five indoor zones to help provide the optimal temperature control and efficiency levels throughout the space.

“We’ve developed solutions for our customers around the world to provide high levels of both comfort and efficiency,” said Kevin McNamara, vice president, Commercial Air Conditioning, LG Electronics USA. “LG is proud to work with visionary home builders like Marc Rutenberg who bring technologies from throughout the energy-efficient industries together to produce remarkable, comprehensive solutions to energy concerns.”

The homes are a model for sustainable construction, explained Marc Rutenberg, who also drove the net zero capabilities with LG’s MonoX solar modules which are designed to exceed the demands of the home’s energy requirements. LG’s technologically advanced Photovoltaic module, Mono X, boasts the highest power output among all LG modules in its class. While conventional mono products run at 240W, advanced units operate at 260W. With a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index of negative 12, the NET meter installed by Duke Energy displayed energy returning to the grid when activated at the grueling end of a Florida summer, where average summer temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 90-plus-percent humidity.

The four sites that make up the Zero Energy America project are located in the Tampa Bay area of Central Florida. ZEA 1 and 2, which represent phase 1 of the project and are also referred to as the ZEA Castaway III model, are located in Palm Harbor, Fla. ZEA 3 is located in Odessa, Fla., while ZEA 4 is located in Trinity, Fla.  In addition to integrating LG’s air conditioning and energy solutions into their designs, the homes feature LG ENERGY STAR® qualified consumer electronics products, including some of the industry’s most efficient LED TVs.

Due in part to the use of LG’s solar panels, VRF systems and ENERGY STAR TVs, the Zero Energy America homes are designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program “LEED for Homes” Platinum certification, as well as other green building standards set by the National Association of Home Builders’ National Green Building Standard and the Florida Green Building Coalition.

More information can be found at www.LG-VRF.com and www.LG-Solar.com.