High-Performance Homes, Measured
reBuild Workshop specializes in high-performance, deep energy retrofits for Brooklyn and Manhattan townhouses. For clients who choose this path, we design and build the envelope, air sealing, ventilation, and mechanical systems as one system. That's why these houses are quieter, healthier, and more comfortable, and why they cost far less to run.
Windsor House
WINDSOR TERRACE, BROOKLYN
Windsor House is an all-electric renovation in Windsor Terrace, New York. Its rooftop array generated 90.6% of the home’s annual electricity, bringing it close to “net zero”.
of annual electricity generated on site.
90.6%
gap between modeled and measured energy use, four years after completion.
0.4%
Java Haus
GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN
A 1910s Brooklyn NY timber-frame townhouse transformed through a full high-performance retrofit and vertical addition. In 2025 it used within about 10% of its modeled energy, and its rooftop array covered 82% of that.
lower modeled energy demand than a comparable code-minimum renovation.
62%
annual electricity cost net of solar, against $11,159 for the same house built to code.
$754
The Air Inside
High performance is not only about energy. When wildfire smoke pushed Brooklyn's outdoor PM2.5 above 150 µg/m³, a "Very Unhealthy" reading, levels inside Java Haus stayed below 35 µg/m³.
PM2.5 AT PEAK
µg/m³
Java Haus
<35
Outdoors
150+
Outdoor AQI ~200 ("Very Unhealthy"). Indoor stayed under AQI 100.
How a High-Performance Home Works
High-performance isn't a product or a style. It's a coordinated approach to the envelope, ventilation, and mechanical systems that dramatically reduces energy demand while improving comfort and indoor air quality. A high-performance home can be historic or contemporary, quiet or expressive. The systems belong behind the architecture, not in place of it.
Insulation
Continuous insulation around the whole envelope: roof, front and rear walls, and cellar.
1
Airtightness
A continuous air barrier around the conditioned space minimizes uncontrolled leakage.
2
High-Performance Windows
Triple-glazed windows and exterior doors, with carefully detailed openings.
3
Filtered Fresh Air
Continuous balanced ventilation with heat recovery: fresh air to living spaces, stale air out of kitchens and baths.
4
All-Electric Systems
Efficient heat pumps for heating, cooling, and hot water.
5
Solar
Rooftop solar with net metering, where the roof allows.
6
Testing + Verification
Blower-door tests during construction and at completion, commissioning, and post-occupancy measurement - where available.
7
We Build What We Design
The details in the energy model are the same details our construction teams execute in the field. Keeping architecture and construction within one team closes the gap between predicted and actual performance, from insulation continuity and window installation to mechanical systems and commissioning.
01 Model
We compare options before construction, so decisions about the envelope, systems, solar, and cost rest on real numbers.
02 Build + Test
Our own crews build the details we drew, and we test airtightness during construction, not only at the end.
03 Measure
After move-in, we work with our clients to collect energy-use data and compare it with the model. What we learn from one house informs the next.
Passive House & High-performance homes FAQ
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Passive House is a building performance standard that dramatically reduces the energy needed for heating and cooling while keeping indoor temperatures steady and the air fresh and filtered. In a New York townhouse, that means continuous insulation, an airtight envelope, high-performance windows, minimal thermal bridges, and heat-recovery ventilation.
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No. A home can incorporate High-performance/ Passive House principles without pursuing formal certification. In all our projects, we help clients determine the appropriate performance target based on the building, project scope, budget, and priorities.
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On our comprehensive New York townhouse renovations, high-performance measures typically add between 5–10% to the project’s construction cost. The exact figure depends on the existing building, the project scope, and the level of performance you pursue.
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Yes. historic & landmarked townhouses can achieve very high levels of energy performance, while preserving their architectural character. The approach needs to respond carefully to existing masonry, party walls, historic façades, Landmarks requirements, and the realities of renovating an older building.
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An ERV, or Energy Recovery Ventilator, continuously brings fresh, filtered outdoor air into the home while removing stale indoor air. In the process, it transfers heat—and some moisture—between the two air streams, improving indoor air quality while minimizing energy loss.
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Yes. The mechanical ventilation system continuously supplies fresh, filtered air, so you don’t need to open the windows for ventilation. But every window can still open—and on a beautiful day, there’s no reason not to.