The project was designed entirely in-house at our namesake company, Zenesis Engineering/Architecture.   (www.zenesisgroup.com)

Raj Parikh, PE LEED AP – Visionary, Owner, Chief Engineer

Engineer Raj Parikh spent 40 years as a practicing design engineer and researcher of climate-reactive building systems cooperunionltr041410 .      He was the designer behind the Net-Zero-Energy affordable housing in New Orleans called “GreeNola” archwk globalgreen, and Chairman of Zenesis Group Engineering / Architecture.  (www.zenesisgroup.com)   Raj is the Owner, visionary, financier, and resident of Zenesis House, earned his MS in Mechanical Engineering from Cooper Union, and Management degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Hitesh Parikh – Lead Architect

Architect Hitesh Parikh is Design Captain at our firm, and managed every phase of Zoning analysis, schematic design, construction documents, and every detail drawing, shop drawing, and field diagrams needed throughout the project.   He has Masters Degrees in Architecture and Urban Planning, with a Construction Management concentration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Erik Velez – Design Architecture & Site Parametrics

Erik Velez came to us with a Masters in Architecture, an MBA and a special talent with design parametrics.   That is, configuring a 3D model of a building to meet any number of parameters ahead of time:  cost, insulation, natural light transmittance, while allowingfor tremendous efficiency and innovation in building shape and materials chosen.

Asit Parikh – Passive House Consultant, GC, & Real Estate Advisor

Passive House designer, Construction Manager, and Real Estate broker Asit Parikh started his career in the Real Estate/REITs division of Goldman Sachs in 1997.    After several years in qualitative market analysis and brand consulting, Asit joined Raj’s Engineering/Architecture firm wherein he re-positioned the company to serve the building efficiency and NGO sectors.     Asit studied Economics and Psychology at NYU, Construction Management at CUNY, is a PHIUS-certified Passive House Large Building Verifier, a BPI Multifamily Building Analyst, and a NY State Licensed Real Estate agent.   Asit was the lead Passive House designer and General Contractor for Zenesis House.

Perfecto DeGuzman, PE – Staff Structural Engineer

Perry DeGuzman is a life-long structural engineer, and our neighbor 2 doors down at Zenesis House.   He and Raj met nightly for years poring over the various aspects of storm-tolerance, structural reinforcement, breaking the mold into using nontraditional materials, and thermally breaking the entire structure from its environment.

Evan Lai – Landscape Designer

Evan is Principal of ECL Landscape Designs (http://www.eclld.com/), serving the NYC Penthouse and high-end residential sector.  Established in 1992, the ECLLD team is an exciting collaboration of talented, educated and experienced professionals led by Evan C. Lai.  Their team has experts with advanced degrees and experience in landscape architecture, landscape design, horticulture, lighting, and irrigation.  They design, install and maintain gardens throughout the New York City metro area.

Rachel Luptak – Interior Designer

After years of designing boutique hotels and spas around the world, Rachel came to New York as a high-end residential designer first for Mark Zeff, and then Martin Brudinski studio in Chelsea.   Rachel worked through all phases of materials selection, fixtures, furniture, and overall interior design.   Rachel studied Interior Design at Arizona State University, and has a Masters in Historic Preservation & Sustainable Development from New York University.

Professional Timeline

We’ve been at this for a while, and invite you to click below and read some of our highlights and influences.

1949-1989

1989-Present

Featured Partners

Zenesis House is a living showroom of exceptional design.     Based on the quality of their product and commitment to sustainable practices, we’ve asked the following companies to participate in the project.

Having accepted, each is entitled to use Zenesis House’s name and likeness in their promotion and has reserved time for tours to highlight the placement of their product in our residence.

Envelope & Structure

Company	Component	Description
	ICF	Concrete forms made of slag, recycled wood pallets, and insulated with rockwool form the extension’s reinforced concrete structure on South and portions of the East elevations.
	Rigid Insulation	Made entirely out of aerated recycled glass, Foamglas is a rigid insulation we used below slabs and around footings.  It entirely clads the envelope & forms a vapor, fire, termite, radon, and thermal barrier.
	Floor Structure	Lightweight temporary steel floor structure eliminates the need for extended forming and greatly reduces lumber used in construction and allows column-free interior spans.
	Borated Cellulose Insulation	National Fiber dense-pack cellulose is simply the cleanest, most organically produced, local recycled cellulose insulation available on the market today.   Together with solid service and installation support, the company and product are an end-to-end solution.
	High-Value Insulation	Aspen came on board the project early and goaded us into the challenge of thermally breaking a concrete and steel balcony protruding through the envelope of a Passive House.  With a value of R-10 per inch, we quickly achieved effective R-values of the entire balcony on 6 sides, including it as a part of the unbroken thermal envelope and airtight barrier.
	Pipe Insulation	Rubberized foam insulation. Long lasting.

Mechanical

Company	Product	Strategic Attribute
	Ground-Source Temp Control	Eco Air- We worked with Rehau to pre-heat and pre-cool intake air for the Energy Recovery Ventilator by running their Eco-Air tubing 300’ along the foundation and below the frostline. Geothermal Piping – Using their dual-band piping in our closed loop system, we are able to achieve unusually high efficiencies for a ground-source system in Climate Zone 5.
	Ground-Source Heat Pump	Water Furnace has long been our choice for ground-source heat pumps. With a team unmatched in technical creativity, they joined our effort to demonstrate that GSHPs in single-family applications are both attainable and practical.
	ERV	Passive House requires energy recovery ventilation that is at least 75% effective. The Zehnder ERVs used in Zenesis House- both for kitchen and general ventilation heat recovery is at 92%.

Fixtures & Appliances

The below manufacturers have come aboard the Zenesis House project to feature their own product line. Selected for both luxury appointment and impressive performance metrics, we welcome the participation of leading brands.

Company	Component
	Kitchen Plumbing Fixtures
	Bath Fixtures
	Kitchen Cabinetry

Specialty Materials

Company	Service	Strategic Attribute
	Airtightness, Moisture Control	Ken Levinson and the folks at 475 High Performance  Building supply are not only experts in complex wall assembly design, but also supply specialty product for the NY market to meet the challenge of Passive House.
	Insulation Contractor	Devon & his team at Brooklyn Insulation & Soundproofing are also Passive House-trained, and skilled at a variety of insulation techniques ranging from dense-pack cellulose to Aspen Aerogel.
	Soy-Based SprayFoam	Enviro Foamtek worked closely within our strict no-VOC and cradle-to-cradle requirements to provide high R-value insulation in targeted portions of the thermal envelope.
	Façade Grade Cork	Cork is a 100% natural, renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable product made from the outer bark of an oak tree, a species called Quercus suber. Cork trees grow primarily in the cork forests of the western Mediterranean, but over 55% of the world’s cork production originates from the nationally protected forests of Portugal.
	FSC Certified Teak	The incredible beauty and workability of teak lumber has given this material a legendary status with shipbuilders, furniture makers and designers alike. Ideal for is long-lasting durability and eye-catching wood grain, our teak is an excellent choice for those who understand that the lumber you select is often as important as the design itself.