Michael Ziman of Ziman Development continues to create luxury homes on Long Beach Island while promoting sustainability and well-being
Based on Long Beach Island, Ziman Development (Ziman)’s core business is building sustainable beach homes for families seeking custom properties, where they can enjoy the breathtaking coastline and charming features of the island. Over the last 12 months, Ziman has continued to refine its process and bring in new materials to make more sustainable homes with high utilitarian values, alongside increasing the workforce to handle a higher quantity of complex builds. Not only is Ziman adding diverse build types to its portfolio, but the company is also utilizing AI software to help streamline certain processes.
Since launching in 1999, it has continued to evolve and improve while maintaining best practices to promote efficiency and, essentially, build more homes. Modern Home Builders caught up with company President and Owner, Michael Ziman, a year after he last joined us, to discuss exciting updates on past, present, and future projects.
“When we spoke in March last year, Ziman was building a property in the Catskills in upstate New York with many passive house design elements,” he opens. “A passive house is designed to operate with minimal electricity or gas consumption for heating and cooling. Now that we have finished that phase, we are carefully analyzing the energy usage metrics to determine how different approaches can further reduce consumption.
“So far, the outcome has been positive, and we’ve identified some significant savings. This project serves as a personal test case, set in a high-altitude mountain environment with colder temperatures, allowing us to examine the real impact on energy usage. We’ve observed a definite reduction in electricity consumption for both heating and cooling the house. Additionally, we are generating a substantial energy surplus on the property compared to our usage, which suggests that it operates as a net-zero home. I am now working on the best way to apply these metrics, materials, and processes to my development project in the core business on Long Beach Island.”
New venture plans
Following the completion of this project, Ziman is now working on another collection of new homes on LBI and has just finished a large Bayfront project in Loveladies. Many homes in the area accommodate multiple generations, and the Loveladies property exemplifies how these residences meet the needs of the whole family while also capitalizing on their location. “It’s a beautiful spot on the water where everybody can congregate and enjoy everything that Long Beach Island has to offer,” Michael elaborates. “Our island is long and narrow, with the Bayfront located on the western side. At Ziman, we strive to create homes that take advantage of exceptional sunrise and sunset views over the Bay. This particular house features six bedrooms and includes wide-open living spaces, perfect for those who wish to spend quality time together.
“We create spacious homes featuring areas for socializing, gaming, and enjoying scenic views with a modern yet timeless aesthetic. We are collaborating with Serenity Design, which has helped with the finishing touches on this property and is currently assisting us with an 8,000 square-foot home located on a picturesque peninsula, which we’ve discussed using as a ‘show house’ to highlight our creativity.”
Although Ziman is renowned for high-end home builds, Michael has plans for the company to venture into the commercial side of construction – more specifically, a wellness retreat-style getaway. After a personal visit to a holistic retreat, he had the idea of developing his own in the Catskill Mountains, the same area as the passive home mentioned previously. “My trip was fantastic, and I began thinking about building a retreat on land I purchased in the Catskills,” Michael reveals. “I think there’s going to be a sizeable shift towards more intentional, experiential-based vacations, where people are looking to learn and grow, become happier and healthier, detach from their screens, and get back to basic human nature. Having this beautiful spot in the mountains has allowed me to pursue this idea, and it’s a process. I’m scheduled to meet with the township in February to talk about the concept and gather support before we start going through site plans and approvals.”
With this innovative wellbeing project on the horizon, Ziman is also undertaking multiple projects on Long Beach Island – its primary focus for 2026. “We currently have ten projects located on the island that have either recently started or are going to commence in the next two months,” finalizes Michael. “At this stage, we are preparing for 2027 and starting the design process for homes that will begin construction after the summer. We are also planning to purchase an additional eight lots in 2026 for the design and construction of homes next year, alongside our ongoing client projects. Looking further ahead, our goal over the next five years is to complete 20 high-end, complex custom homes each year. We will continue to embrace technology to assist us and will expand our team to manage more of these projects. Most importantly, we’re proud to continue honoring our One Tree Pledge, which involves planting one tree for every square foot we build. We launched this initiative in 2020 in partnership with American Forest to help offset the greenhouse gases produced from building and living in our homes. To date, we’ve planted over 300,000 trees, and this pledge remains close to my heart.”