Barry Isett & Associates was at the ribbon cutting to celebrate Sustainable Energy Fund’s (SEF) new 15,000-square-foot headquarters and the first Net Zero Energy building in the Lehigh Valley. There are fewer than 100 certified Net Zero Energy buildings worldwide.
At 4250 Independence Drive in Schnecksville, the building was designed and built to generate more electricity than the amount it consumes. Excess energy is generated through renewable resources such as solar panels and the ability to harness heat generated by people inside.
Isett’s civil, survey, geotechnical, landscape architecture, environmental, and structural teams played a role in the project from the design phase through construction. The building was completed in 2020 and SEF moved in a few weeks before they had to send everyone home to work during the COVID-19 shutdown last year.
“While it was unoccupied, we left the temperatures where they were supposed to be, and we received a check from PPL Electric just after May 31 for the excess electricity we sent back to the grid. And we’re still generating excess electricity today,” said John Costlow, President of SEF.
SEF will occupy 3,000 square feet of space with plans to lease the remainder to local businesses and nonprofits and hopes to inspire construction of similar buildings. Isett is proud to have served on the team alongside Ashley McGraw Architects and TN Ward Company, helping this vision become a reality.
