Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - FIREPLACE? zero clearence, masonry or combination?

I am planning a new home and trying to decide on a fireplace design. I like the air tight zero clearance because of their high efficiency & prolonged burn time. I like the masonry fireplace for its mass that will hold heat even after the fire is out. Is it a good idea to build a masonry chimney but use a zero clearance firebox? I want my fireplace to hook into my central heat system so I can zone heat different parts of the house differently. I am concerned about tar buildup dumping exhaust from a high efficient fireplace into a colder masonry chimney. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Greg.

Hello Greg What you are looking for is a fireplace that look like a fireplace but acts like a furnace. They are available from some wood stove mfg. RSF, Quadra-Fire, Heat&Glo to name a few. These Mfg build great clean burn technology into there fireplaces so you get the best of both worlds a great look and heat. Best to you Melvin