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June 2015
| Business World
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a couple more traditional models of town-
houses, as well as guest rooms in finished
lower levels or in lofts.
All homes also have high-efficiency heating
and cooling systems, and are “insulated above
code,” Kowalski adds. “Energy-efficiency is
very important to us.”
According to him, all Silver Beach Homes
feature “a state-of-the-art combination sys-
tem.” The heating system consists of a high-
efficiency condensing boiler which produces
hot water for both domestic use and for heat-
ing the house. It also incorporates a forced
air hydronic furnace with zone controls, pro-
viding residents with greater flexibility when
heating or cooling their home.
“Each home has three different heating
zones,” Kowalski says. “If you’re in a bunga-
low that has a loft and a basement, then each
level will have its own heating and cooling
controls. In most homes, the upper level is
almost always hot in the summer, and the
basement is almost always cold in the winter.
With zone-heating, our residents can con-
trol which area is hot or cold without affect-
ing the other levels, no matter what season it
is. They can keep every level of the home at
the temperature they want it at.”
This technology allows residents to only use
energy to heat the home when and where
they need it, which conserves energy and
costs. Silver Beach was one of its earliest
adopters, and Kowalski has personally been