Building With Community: Maryline Damour + Tamar Nagel Share Tips on Energy Efficient Homes

It’s never too early to start planning for a cozy, stress free winter and if running an energy-efficient home is at the top of your list, tune into Radio Kingston on August 30th. Interior Designer, Maryline Damour and Tamar Nagel, a New York State Research & Development expert will share the benefits of clean heat, installing more efficient systems and rebates and tax incentives for homeowners wanting to update their systems. Take a peek below as we ask both women questions about this very topic and more.

PLAN AHEAD FOR A COZY WINTER
A Home Improvement Speakers Series | Kingston Design Connection

Consider making a $12.00 donation to support our home improvement speaker series supporting @ulsterhabitat building 3 affordable homes each year.
To make a donation, visit https://www.kingstondesignconnection.com/habitatpartnership

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Let’s meet Tamar Nagel, Program Manager at NYSERDA, working on the NYS Clean Heat team to discuss a few clean heat-specific questions:

INSIDE+OUT: What are some key benefits of heat pump systems that New Yorkers might not be aware of?

Tamar Nagel: People may not realize that heat pumps are all-in-one systems that efficiently heat and cool your home without using fossil fuels like oil, propane, or natural gas. This makes them one of the safest, cleanest ways to heat and cool. Another benefit of heat pumps that people may not be aware of is that their maintenance level is much lower and more convenient than that of other heating and cooling systems. Heat pumps require minimal maintenance and eliminate the hassle of having to schedule fuel deliveries. Not to mention that you won’t have to struggle with installing room or window-unit air conditioners every spring and removing them come fall.

What are some common misconceptions that people have about heat pumps?

We hear quite a bit that heat pumps will not work in New York once winter arrives. Today’s cold-climate air source heat pump systems work in cold weather and are capable of meeting 100% of a home’s heating needs in New York. While it is true that in decades past, the older air source heat pump systems were less effective when temperatures dropped below freezing, modern engineering has long since broken that barrier (using variable-speed, inverter-driven compressor technology, and improved defrost-cycle controls features that were not available a decade ago).

Another misconception we find is that when people think of heat pumps, they most likely only think of mini-splits. There are actually several different types of heat pump systems, allowing for greater flexibility and more options for New Yorkers with different styles and sizes of homes. You may not have to add units or see any changes in your living spaces if you have existing ductwork.

What is the best way for someone to determine whether or not a heat pump is right for their home?

The NYS Clean Heat website has a fantastic tool—the Heat Pump Planner—which asks residents to answer a few simple questions, allows them to explore their options, and shows them which system might be the best fit for their home.

The best way to determine if a heat pump, and what type of heat pump, is the right fit for a home is by working with a participating NYS Clean Heat contractor (folks can find a list of local qualified contractors in their area on the NYS Clean Heat website). A participating NYS Clean Heat contractor is a great resource for residents from start to finish. They’ll evaluate your home, review options, explain available incentives and tax credits, and help explore financing options. They’ll help guide individuals through the entire process.

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Let’s get to know more about interior designer Maryline Damour of Damour Drake in today’s exclusive interview.

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Maryline Damour: I’m from Haiti and grew up in New York City. I came to the Hudson Valley for the first time in 2005 after reading an article in New York Magazine on the area’s lovely cheap homes. I came for a weekend, spent one day looking at houses, and bought the last one I saw in Kingston near the Rondout. I came back in 2016 because of Fred Drake, and we started our design/build company, Damour Drake.

What inspired your interest in design, and what was your personal journey?

I always read design magazines, but owning my first home in Kingston was where I really got the bug. I had a whole house to decorate and lots of ideas but no know-how. I hired a designer friend to build me bookcases, help me redesign my kitchen, and more. This was also my first foray into gardening, as I hired a landscape designer to design and build a vegetable garden. I learned a lot! I never seriously considered becoming an interior designer until the first earthquake in 150 years occurred in Haiti in 2010. I wanted to help in the rebuilding effort and thought that going to design school could give me the skills to do so. The earthquake occurred in January 2010, and I enrolled at Parsons School of Design in September 2010.

Tell us about the Kingston Design Connection-Building with Community Event and the talk you are giving on August 28th (see the correct date in my response) in partnership with NYS Clean Heat for Kingston Design Connection.

We’ll be live on Radio Kingston with Erica Brown on August 30th. We’ll have a NYS Clean Heat professional sharing the benefits of clean heat plus rebates and tax incentives for homeowners wanting to update their systems. We’ll also have a seasoned contractor discussing proper installation. I’ll be on hand to share how to incorporate these systems in beautifully designed spaces and how to best work with them in renovations. Particularly in older and historic homes, installing heat and AC using mini-splits is easier because it doesn’t require invasive ductwork.

How did you come to partner with NYS Clean Heat?

I met the team at NYS Clean Heat when they approached me to participate in a social media campaign to share the benefits of clean heat. It was a great fit because we not only have mini-splits at home but also recommend them to clients when we renovate and build new homes.

What is your job’s most rewarding and challenging part?

The most rewarding part is seeing something in my head and then walking into the three-dimensional reality. That creation process has always been magical to me. We recently built an addition at home, and I couldn’t get over walking through what was a solid wall and into new rooms! The most challenging is convincing clients to use more color at home. I’m glad we’re moving away from neutrals in interiors as color is fun, restorative…all the things!

What is one question you’re constantly asked or the biggest misconception about what you do?

The most frequent question is how to create a more functional kitchen. The biggest misconception is that we only work on big design/build projects. We do lots of one-room renovations (kitchens/baths) and decorate rooms without doing building work.

How do you grow your business, and how do your clients find you?

Creating the Kingston Design Showhouse (sixth annual coming this October) was what I initially did to connect with local businesses so that I could work as an interior designer in the area and help others connect to keep more design/build dollars in the community. That program has helped launch me and other showhouse participants regionally and nationally. It is a key way clients find local design/build talent.

What about the Hudson Valley makes it unique to live + work here?

Living in a community filled with creatives energizes individuals and towns. Because of amazing organizations like O+, walking around Kingston with the many murals created as part of this organization’s annual event is like being in an outdoor art gallery.

What impact does your business strive to have on your community?

At Damour Drake, we build from the ground up (pouring foundations, framing homes, etc.) and design and build interiors and garden spaces. This seamless process saves clients time and money, as we have all the competencies in-house. It also creates a holistic home inside and out that reflects how our clients want to live, work, and play. Kingston Design Connection’s mission is to connect the Upstate NY design-build industry to each other and potential clients. By participating in our events (including the showhouse), design-build professionals in the region have started businesses together, developed new products together, and are hiring each other more often.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

There are so many! But we might be at Herzog’s the most often as we buy flooring, stone, etc., for building projects. They’re also a retailer of my favorite paint, Benjamin Moore.

What is missing in the area that you wish we had?

I would love to see a greater concentration of design shops and studios in the region. As the region is quite large, it’s challenging to find our amazing creatives.

Tell us something about yourself that people might be surprised to know.

People see me regularly in publications, and I’ve been on TV a few times, so they may think I’m outgoing. If I didn’t work for a living, I’d spend my days alone on a beach with a book.

What is your current state of mind?

I’m a little frazzled as we’re in the middle of producing the showhouse! It’s a massive lift as we engage almost 200 participants each year. I’m lucky that so many believe in our mission of connecting the design/build industry for local economic development. I couldn’t do any of this work without the support of our volunteers, local businesses, and local government.

Photos Courtesy of Philip Mansfield + Carmel Brantley @brantleyphoto

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Connect with Maryline Damour + Damour Drake via Website | Instagram | Facebook
Tamar Nagel of NYSERDA via Website | Instagram | Facebook

BUILDING WITH COMMUNITY

Plan Ahead for a Cozy Winter
Maryline Damour| Damour Drake
Date: Friday, August 30th
Time: 1pm – 2pm
Live on Radio Kingston with Erica Brown | 107.9FM, 1490AM
For more information, just click HERE.