Unity combines state-of-the-art technology and machinery to build homes that are healthy, comfortable and durable. Since 2012, we’ve built close to 200 homes in the Northeast and beyond. Below you can find the most current and previous press releases and press statements issued by Unity Homes. For media inquiries, please contact Stacey Nachajski at snachajski@bensonwood.com.
November 16, 2023
Registered Carpentry Apprenticeship Approved for Bensonwood by the Department of Labor
Walpole, NH – Bensonwood will be joining other New Hampshire construction companies in sponsoring a Registered Carpentry Apprenticeship. This 3-year program was launched in 2021 by ApprenticeshipNH. Apprentices will be full-time employees with benefits at Bensonwood while getting on-the-job training and taking related instruction at NHTI in Concord, NH.
Leaders at Bensonwood see this program as a means of encouraging more young people to join the profession of carpentry and pursue certification in the field while employed.
“Educating new associates, each other, clients, partners, and the public about high quality construction is deeply embedded into our culture,” says Employee Success Officer, Emily Benson, “this is formalizing and extending what we have offered new associates for many decades.” Educational exchanges through international apprenticeship programs have been happening in the company since the early 1980s.
Further planning to launch this apprenticeship program successfully will happen over the next few months with the support of a grant funds accessed through the Community College System of New Hampshire and Apprenticeship Building America, a program funded by the Department of Labor. The company expects to begin accepting apprentices in the Summer of 2024.
Interested parties are encouraged to follow the company’s social media accounts for upcoming announcements or contact emily@bensonwood.com.
March 19, 2020
New Unity Home Construction May Qualify Homeowners for a $25,000 Rebate from Mass Save
Unity has received a letter from Mass Save, confirming that our building envelope assembly meets the intent of the All-Electric Home Incentive Level 2 Continuous Insulation requirement. This “All-Electric Incentive” requires new homes to meet the criteria for either Level 1 or Level 2 performance, which you can read more about here.
To help you meet Level 2 performance for the full rebate amount, Unity has been confirmed to meet the Level 2 Continuous Insulation requirement. This means that all Unity homes built in Massachusetts can qualify for Level 2 energy rebates of up to $25,000, as long as the incentive program is active. Building a Unity Express plan is an excellent money-saving pairing when applying for this incentive, as the high performance Express designs are pre-engineered and ready to go as-is. The incentive, however, is available for all Unity Home designs.
When you start the process of building a Unity home, our team will guide you on the following steps that are necessary for successful application to the All-Electric Home Incentive:
- Confirm that your home is serviced by a Mass Save sponsor; including Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact JPE, Eversource, Liberty Utilities, National Grid, or Unitil.
- Select a Mass Save-approved HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rater from this list to enroll the project before construction begins. We provide the approval letter for the HERS rater, stating that Unity Homes products meet the continuous insulation requirement.
- Be sure to choose a qualified heat pump from this approved list, which our Unity team and your local builder can assist with.
If you would like to stay informed, we welcome you to sign up for our monthly newsletter. Please reach out to Mark Hertzler, Director of Unity Homes, with any questions: mhertzler@unityhomes.com.
March 19, 2020
A Time For Calm Diligence
Dear Unity Homes Community,
The rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic is impacting individuals and companies around the world. At Unity Homes, our highest priority has always been the health, safety, and well-being of our employees, their families, our clients and business partners, and all who come into contact with us at our different facilities and job sites. For this reason, we are implementing a comprehensive plan that serves to reduce the risk of exposure to and slow the spread of the virus. This plan includes closing our offices for visitors and guests and requiring as many people as possible to work remotely.
We encourage our friends everywhere to take the extra precautions necessary to safeguard their health and that of others. It’s everyone’s responsibility to help stop the spread of this virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and your local health authorities are the best resources for updates and answers to questions.
Everyone has been working diligently while adjusting to all the changes which add to a heightened state of anxiety. My sincere thanks for everyone’s patience and understanding. We will move forward together and continue to be a force for positive good in our world.
Thank you for your business, loyalty and patience.
Tedd Benson,
CEO and President
July 19, 2019
Unity Home Wins Net Zero Competition
NH Saves, a program of New Hampshire’s utility companies, announced last week that a Unity Home had won first place in this year’s Drive to Net Zero competition. The Personalized Värm-style home in Newbury, NH features high performance construction and an extensive photovoltaic (PV) array that generates more power than the home uses. Read press release
June 10, 2019
Unity Homes “Nano” Client Receives Small Home Hero Award
Janet Obermann, a client of Unity Homes, received a 2019 Small Home Hero Award highlighting her new Nano home as a model for what individuals can do to build affordable new homes in urban centers while also living sustainably. Obermann, along with the City of Northampton, received the award from Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity as part of their Big Enough Project. The Big Enough Project aims to increase access to homeownership by promoting policies, financing, design and zoning that support the construction of small houses in Hampshire and Franklin Counties. Download the press release.
January 10, 2019
Unity’s Tedd Benson featured on PBS show, Ask This Old House
Unity’s sibling company Bensonwood has had a long association with the PBS program This Old House. Last fall our friends from the spinoff Ask This Old House visited Unity’s new production facility in Keene, NH for an episode that aired recently, and is now available online.
Unity founder Tedd Benson guided Ross Trethewey, the show’s Home Technology Expert, through Unity’s design process and the panel production facility. Watch the Episode
June 26, 2018
Press Release: Solar Array Powers Unity Homes and Bensonwood’s New Production Facility
The new 110,000 square-foot fabrication facility, which became operational in April 2018, is now equipped with an expansive rooftop solar array that has a commissioned “turn on” date of June 30, 2018.
A new 136-kilowatt photovoltaic array is expected to produce 40 percent of the electricity needed at the new Bensonwood/Unity Homes panel manufacturing facility at 25 Production Avenue in Keene, New Hampshire. The solar array components and its installation were provided by local and family-owned Green Energy Options of Keene, New Hampshire. Download Press Release
April 25, 2018
Press Release: Unity Homes and CertainTeed Announce Strategic Partnership
CertainTeed, a leading North American brand of building materials and subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest and most innovative building products companies, announced its newly formed joint development agreement with Unity Homes, the Walpole, New Hampshire-based home manufacturer with the mission to raise the bar on high performance, low energy and affordability. The partnership was spearheaded by NOVA, Saint-Gobain’s external ventures arm dedicated to fostering strategic partnerships with startups around the globe. These industry-leading companies are teaming up to revolutionize the way American homes are built and to open a new door to innovation in the high performance home market. Download Press Release
April 20, 2018
Press Release: Grand Opening of New Production Facility
Unity Homes is a brand of Bensonwood, which celebrated the grand opening of a panel production facility in Keene, NH on April 20. The new facility produces insulated enclosure systems for high performance buildings.
Company founder Tedd Benson summed up the significance of the new enterprise: “This facility heralds a new era in our ongoing quest to demonstrate a better way to build,” he said. “It builds on the foundation of experience and know‐how that we have developed over decades, and it positions us to remain a leader in housing innovation for many years to come.” Download Press Release
