Hamptons builder wins energy-efficiency approval

Telemark Inc., a Wainscott-based luxury-home contractor, has been accredited by a leading energy-efficiency organization, the Building Performance Institute, making it "the first contractor in the Hamptons to achieve this accreditation,” the company said. 

Telemark says it builds and remodels homes, specializing in environmentally sustainable structures with geothermal cooling systems, passive and active solar power, and engineered lumber. 

It is a subsidiary of Hamptons Luxury Homes, of Bridgehampton. 

"Hamptons Luxury Homes and its subsidiaries are national leaders in the construction industry in terms of our commitment to and expertise in the areas of green-building and energy-efficient performance," Frank Dalene, Telemark's president, said in a news release. "We use the latest technologies to enable our clients to achieve old fashioned savings." 

Dalene said the company sets energy-saving goals, carries out tests for energy loss, and gives clients an analysis of possible cost savings.  

Among Telemark’s services in the Hamptons: 

-- Blower door and draft tests to calculate air exchange and identify areas of heating and cooling loss.
-- Infrared imaging to verify hot and cold spots as well as insulation air leaks.
-- Combustion analyzers and relative humidity sensors to determine the indoor air quality.
-- Combustion safety tests to ensure that the area where the boiler and furnace are located is ideal for efficient and safe fuel combustion.
-- Off-season and weekly inspections to ensure a house is operating as efficiently as possible.

BPI is an independent not-for-profit that focuses on improving the energy efficiency, comfort, and safety of existing homes. 

Photo: The Hampton's Green Alliance house in Southampton, which Telemark built.