Matthew Grocoff

Last updated
Matt Grocoff
Headshot of Matthew Grocoff.jpg
Born
Matthew Grocoff
CitizenshipUnited States
Alma mater University of Georgia School of Law
Occupation(s)Real Estate Developer, Writer, Speaker, Sustainability Advocate
EmployerTHRIVE Collaborative
Known forNet Zero Energy Buildings, Modernized Water Infrastructure, and Living Buildings
AwardsUSA Today Best Green Homes of 2010 [1] Michigan Green Leader [2] [3]

Matthew "Matt" Grocoff is an American environmentalist, sustainability advocate, sustainable real estate developer, [4] writer, speaker and founder of the THRIVE Collaborative. [5] [6] He is known for his work on net zero energy and net zero water buildings and for the rehabilitation of the oldest home in North America to achieve net zero energy. [7] [8] Grocoff is a contributor to the radio show The Environment Report produced by Michigan Radio (part of the NPR network), FOX News Energy Team, and was host of GreenovationTV. [9] [10] He advocates for modernized distributed renewable energy networks and distributed water and wastewater systems that work with natural systems. [11] [12]

Contents

Living Community Challenge and Veridian at County Farm

Grocoff is developing one of the world's first projects to register for the Living Community Challenge. The Living Community Challenge is a certification of the International Living Future Institute intended to bring the [13] Living Building Challenge to the community scale. The development is targeted to be a mixed-income net zero energy community: 100% all-electric, powered by solar, with resilient energy storage and no gas lines or combustion appliances. Grocoff's project, Veridian at County Farm, is repurposing the site of a former youth prison [14] adjacent to the 130 acre County Farm Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Veridian at County Farm was among 100 projects worldwide highlighted in the Local Projects Challenge at the 2020 World Urban Forum 10 in Abu Dhabi as part of the United Nations program for Accelerating the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Mission Zero House

Grocoff first gained national attention for the rehabilitation of his Victorian-era Mission Zero house in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Built in 1901, the home is considered the oldest home in America to achieve net zero energy. [15] [16] [17] The Atlantic Magazine called the work "sustainable perfection". [18] The home is featured on the cover of the book, No Regrets Remodeling: How to Create a Comfortable, Healthy Home That Saves Energy. [19] In 2013, Grocoff and his company THRIVE partnered with BLUElab from the University of Michigan College of Engineering and offered his home as community testbed for net zero water and restoration of ecological water flow to pre-development conditions. [20] The project is the first Cold Climate home certified as a Net Zero Energy Building under the Living Building Challenge, which is based on actual rather than anticipated performance. [21] [22] Grocoff calls the home "Mission Zero House" in honor of Ray Anderson, founder and chairman of Interface, Inc., who, in 1994, pledged that his multi-national carpet company would meet a "Mission Zero" goal to eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment by the year 2020. [23]

Recognition

In 2012, Grocoff was awarded Michigan Green Leader by the Detroit Free Press . [24] USA Today honored him with a Best Green Home of 2010. [25] MyFORD Magazine selected Grocoff as the #1 Electric Innovator. [26] Grocoff received the first Net Zero Hero Award from the Green Home Institute. [27]

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References

  1. ↑ Koch, Wendy (January 5, 2011). "Best green homes of 2010? You may be surprised". USA Today. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ Angel, Cecil (April 29, 2012). "Green house in Ann Arbor makes excess electricity". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Gallagher, John (April 17, 2012). "Anti-idling campaign, among 2012 Michigan Green Leaders, is just one of many efforts to clean Michigan". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  4. ↑ Moran, Darcie (Nov 11, 2019). "See the latest plans for mixed-income, solar-powered Ann Arbor development". Ann Arbor News. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  5. ↑ Grable, Juliet (2013-12-27). "The Living Building Challenge". Home Power Magazine. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  6. ↑ Grocoff, Matt. "Lecture at Google". YouTube. Talks@Google. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  7. ↑ Koch, Wendy (Jun 11, 2010). "110-year-old home gets net zero energy rehab". USA Today. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  8. ↑ Benefield, F. Kaid (January 2014). People Habitat: 25 WAYS TO THINK ABOUT GREENER, HEALTHIER CITIES. Island Press. pp. 23–29. ISBN   9780989751117.
  9. ↑ "Environment Report". Michigan Radio. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Grocoff, Matt. "Eco-friendly ways to beat the heat and save cash". FOX News WJBK. Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  11. ↑ Rosen, Zak (Aug 16, 2013). "RADIO: Unplugging from an unstable electric grid". WBEZ Chicago. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  12. ↑ Graham, Lester (June 24, 2013). "Interview with Matt Grocoff of GreenovationTV". Stateside Radio Show / Michigan Radio. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  13. ↑ Living Building Challenge
  14. ↑ Love, Hanna; Harvell, Samantha; Warnberg, Chloe; Durnan, Julia (June 19, 2018). "Transforming Closed Youth Prisons Repurposing Facilities to Meet Community Needs". Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center: 7, 13. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  15. ↑ George, Bulanda (March 2011). "The Nation's Oldest Net-Zero Home Belongs to One Green Ann Arbor Family". Hour Magazine. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  16. ↑ Jeff, Kart. "America's Oldest & Michigan's First Net Zero Energy Home". Treehugger. MNN Holdings, LLC. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  17. ↑ Yost, Peter (14 December 2011). "Mission Zero House: A Net-Zero Retrofit". Green Building Advisor. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  18. ↑ Benefield, Kaid (July 29, 2011). "Sustainable Perfection: A Michigan Couple's Model Green Home". The Atlantic. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  19. ↑ No Regrets Remodeling: How to Create a Comfortable, Healthy Home That Saves Energy. Chelsea Green. October 7, 2013. pp. 1–168. ISBN   9780963944436.
  20. ↑ Judge Hensel, Jennifer. "Zero water consumption: U-M students to retrofit historic home". Michigan Engineering. University of Michigan. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  21. ↑ "Certified Net Zero Energy Buildlings". Living Building Challenge. International Living Future Institute. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  22. ↑ Grable, Juliet (Dec 27, 2013). "The Living Building Challenge". Home Power Magazine. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  23. ↑ Rosen, Zak (Aug 16, 2013). "Unplugging from an unstable energy grid". WBEZ Chicago. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  24. ↑ Gopwanit, Jewel. "2012 Michigan Green Leaders". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  25. ↑ Koch, Wendy (January 5, 2011). "Best green homes of 2010? You may be surprised". USA Today. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  26. ↑ Risman, Adam. "Forward Focus". myFORD Magazine. Time Inc. Content Solutions. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  27. ↑ Brett, Little (2014-12-18). "Mission Zero Home: A Greenstar Gold Remodel & CE Webinar". Green Home Institute. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
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