# Matthew Grocoff

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**Matthew "Matt" Grocoff** is an American [environmentalist](/source/Environmentalist), [sustainability](/source/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](/source/The_Environment_Report) produced by [Michigan Radio](/source/Michigan_Radio) (part of the [NPR](/source/NPR) network), [FOX News](/source/Fox_News_Channel) Energy Team, and was host of GreenovationTV.[9][10] He advocates for modernized distributed [renewable energy](/source/Renewable_energy) networks and distributed water and wastewater systems that work with natural systems.[11][12]

## 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](/source/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](/source/County_Farm_Park) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Veridian at County Farm was among 100 projects worldwide highlighted in the [Local Projects Challenge](http://localprojectchallenge.org/living-community-veridian-at-county-farm/) at the 2020 [World Urban Forum](/source/World_Urban_Forum) 10 in Abu Dhabi as part of the United Nations program for Accelerating the UN [Sustainable Development Goals](/source/Sustainable_Development_Goals).

## Mission Zero House

Grocoff first gained national attention for the rehabilitation of his Victorian-era [Mission Zero house](/source/Zero-energy_building) in [Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor,_Michigan). Built in 1901, the home is considered the oldest home in America to achieve [net zero energy](/source/Zero-energy_building).[15][16][17] The [Atlantic Magazine](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Ray_Anderson_(entrepreneur)), founder and chairman of [Interface, Inc](/source/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](/source/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]

## References

1. Koch, Wendy (January 5, 2011). ["Best green homes of 2010? You may be surprised"](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/01/best-green-homes-2010/1#.UxZIU_RdWEM). *USA Today*. Retrieved March 4, 2014.

1. Angel, Cecil (April 29, 2012). ["Green house in Ann Arbor makes excess electricity"](http://www.freep.com/article/20120429/BUSINESS06/204290486/Green-house-in-Ann-Arbor-makes-excess-electricity). *Detroit Free Press*. Retrieved 4 March 2014.

1. Gallagher, John (April 17, 2012). ["Anti-idling campaign, among 2012 Michigan Green Leaders, is just one of many efforts to clean Michigan"](http://www.freep.com/article/20120310/BUSINESS06/104170008). *Detroit Free Press*. Retrieved 4 March 2014.

1. Moran, Darcie (Nov 11, 2019). ["See the latest plans for mixed-income, solar-powered Ann Arbor development"](https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/see-the-latest-plans-for-mixed-income-solar-powered-ann-arbor-development.html). Ann Arbor News. Retrieved 11 March 2020.

1. Grable, Juliet (2013-12-27). ["The Living Building Challenge"](http://www.homepower.com/articles/home-efficiency/design-construction/living-building-challenge). *Home Power Magazine*. Retrieved 12 March 2014.

1. Grocoff, Matt. ["Lecture at Google"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ncxkvHVsxw). *YouTube*. Talks@Google. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Koch, Wendy (Jun 11, 2010). ["110-year-old home gets net zero energy rehab"](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/06/century-plus-victorian-renovated-to-power-itself/1#.UxZHdPRdWEM). *USA Today*. Retrieved 4 March 2014.

1. Benefield, F. Kaid (January 2014). *People Habitat: 25 WAYS TO THINK ABOUT GREENER, HEALTHIER CITIES*. Island Press. pp. 23–29. ISBN 9780989751117.

1. ["Environment Report"](http://michiganradio.org/term/greenovation). *Michigan Radio*. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Grocoff, Matt. ["Eco-friendly ways to beat the heat and save cash"](http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19108482/eco-friendly-ways-to-beat-the-heat-and-save-cash). *FOX News WJBK*. Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Rosen, Zak (Aug 16, 2013). ["RADIO: Unplugging from an unstable electric grid"](http://www.wbez.org/series/front-center/unplugging-unstable-electric-grid-108440). *WBEZ Chicago*. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Graham, Lester (June 24, 2013). ["Interview with Matt Grocoff of GreenovationTV"](http://michiganradio.org/post/retrofitting-112-year-old-house-solar-panels). *Stateside Radio Show / Michigan Radio*. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Living Building Challenge

1. Love, Hanna; Harvell, Samantha; Warnberg, Chloe; Durnan, Julia (June 19, 2018). ["Transforming Closed Youth Prisons Repurposing Facilities to Meet Community Needs"](https://www.urban.org/research/publication/transforming-closed-youth-prisons). *Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center*. Retrieved 11 March 2020.

1. George, Bulanda (March 2011). ["The Nation's Oldest Net-Zero Home Belongs to One Green Ann Arbor Family"](http://www.hourdetroit.com/Hour-Detroit/March-2011/The-Nation-039s-Oldest-Net-Zero-Home-Belongs-to-a-Green-Ann-Arbor-Family/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc). *Hour Magazine*. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

1. Jeff, Kart. ["America's Oldest & Michigan's First Net Zero Energy Home"](http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/americas-oldest-michigans-first-net-zero-energy-home-photos.html). *Treehugger*. MNN Holdings, LLC. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

1. Yost, Peter (14 December 2011). ["Mission Zero House: A Net-Zero Retrofit"](http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/homes/mission-zero-house-net-zero-retrofit). *Green Building Advisor*. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

1. Benefield, Kaid (July 29, 2011). ["Sustainable Perfection: A Michigan Couple's Model Green Home"](https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/07/sustainable-perfection-a-michigan-couples-model-green-home/242763/). *The Atlantic*. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

1. [*No Regrets Remodeling: How to Create a Comfortable, Healthy Home That Saves Energy*](http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/noregrets_remodeling_second_edition:paperback). Chelsea Green. October 7, 2013. pp. 1–168. ISBN 9780963944436.

1. Judge Hensel, Jennifer. ["Zero water consumption: U-M students to retrofit historic home"](http://www.engin.umich.edu/college/about/news/stories/2013/february/bluelab-students-to-retrofit-historic-home). *Michigan Engineering*. University of Michigan. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. ["Certified Net Zero Energy Buildlings"](https://archive.today/20150212015153/http://living-future.org/case-study/missionzero). *Living Building Challenge*. International Living Future Institute. Archived from [the original](http://living-future.org/case-study/missionzero) on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.

1. Grable, Juliet (Dec 27, 2013). ["The Living Building Challenge"](http://www.homepower.com/articles/home-efficiency/design-construction/living-building-challenge). *Home Power Magazine*. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

1. Rosen, Zak (Aug 16, 2013). ["Unplugging from an unstable energy grid"](http://www.wbez.org/series/front-center/unplugging-unstable-electric-grid-108440). *WBEZ Chicago*. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Gopwanit, Jewel. ["2012 Michigan Green Leaders"](http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012204290497). *Detroit Free Press*. Gannett. Retrieved 6 March 2014.

1. Koch, Wendy (January 5, 2011). ["Best green homes of 2010? You may be surprised"](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/01/best-green-homes-2010/1#.UxkQ5uddWEM). *USA Today*. Retrieved 7 March 2014.

1. Risman, Adam. ["Forward Focus"](http://www.myfordmag.com/innovation/forward-focus). *myFORD Magazine*. Time Inc. Content Solutions. Retrieved 7 March 2014.

1. Brett, Little (2014-12-18). ["Mission Zero Home: A Greenstar Gold Remodel & CE Webinar"](https://greenhomeinstitute.org/mission-zero-home-a-greenstar-gold-remodel/). *Green Home Institute*. Retrieved 15 December 2015.

## External links

- [Official Website](http://mattgrocoff.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matthew Grocoff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Grocoff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Grocoff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.