Posts From May, 2025

Solar Confidence in Commercial Construction

How One Oregon Contractor Lowered Operating Costs & Elevated Design with CertainTeed’s Solstice® Shingle
Solar Confidence in Commercial Construction
Written by: Andrew Wickham, the Senior Director of Solar Products at CertainTeed, where he leads the development of innovative solar roofing and energy solutions for residential and commercial applications. Project: New office building, Sarmiento’s Roofing, Oregon | Building Type: New-construction commercial office (~11,000 sq. ft.) | Solar / Roofing Contractor: Sarmiento’s Roofing, LLC |Solution Provider: CertainTeed The Project In 2024, Sarmiento’s Roofing, LLC completed a brand-new, 11,000-square-foot, wood-frame office, showroom and shop in Salem, Oregon. For owner Santiago Sarmiento, the roof was more than a building component, it was a proving ground. As a roofing and solar contractor, he wanted his own facility to showcase where the industry is heading: integrated solar roofing that looks like a traditional roof, protects like a premium roofing system, and delivers real energy savings. A major motivator came from Oregon’s rapidly changing energy landscape.... read more
 

Exponential Growth for the Zero Energy Ready Home Program

Exponential Growth for the Zero Energy Ready Home Program
Exponential Growth 2024 was a banner year for the Zero Energy Ready Home program seeing the most single-family home certifications in the program’s 11-year history. In 2024, nearly 15,000 homes were certified, more than double the previous record of 6,500 certified homes in 2023. The record year also pushed the program over 32,000 certified homes. National production builders such as Beazer Homes and K. Hovnanian becoming ZERH partners contributed substantially to the growth in 2024, but with 20 different states experiencing a 50% increase in certified ZERH homes the program is garnering more attention from builders and homebuyers across the country. With a nearly 125% increase in certifications from 2023-2024, multifamily and manufactured housing program versions available, and the continued rebates and incentives from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the ZERH program is primed for continued success into 2025 and beyond. Some highlights from the 2024 calendar year include:... read more