In June 2009, the APPLE Center hosted it’s first event.  An energy audit performed by Balance Point Home Performance with assistance from DeMaranville Construction.

What the Audit Showed:

Bower door test: 1.2 air changes per HOUR.  This means that with the doors and windows closed, this building leaked the entire volume of air inside 1.2 times per hour under normal conditions.

What that means: Very inefficient heating, air conditioning, poor air quality (which we could smell!).

So, instead of moving in right away as we had planned, we decided to gut the building and make it a model of energy efficiency.  Our grant funding did not cover this type of expense, so we hit the streets of Grass Valley and Nevada City, and asked for help.

Dozens of volunteers and local businesses donated their time, materials, expertise, and services to our cause.

See our fantastic donor list here!

The Results:  Come take a tour to see all our energy efficiency and green features.  Twenty plaques are installed around the Center explaining what, why and who we chose for our: flooring, wall covering, lumber, insulation, furniture, lighting, windows, doors.

You’ll also find out the energy efficiency “extra measures” we took to ensure the best possible results!

The APPLE Center is open Wed - Sun 11am - 5pm at 412 Commercial Street, Nevada City, California.