FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe

In every issue you'll find...

  • Expert insights on techniques and principles
  • Unbiased tool reviews
  • Step-by-step details to master the job
  • Field-tested advice and know-how
Subscribe Now!
Subscribe
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
  • Join
  • Log In
Subscribe
Design

Rhode Island Rock Star

This New England home is low-impact, no-maintenance, and zero-energy, but it also has big views from its rocky shoreline site.

By Brian Pontolilo Issue 274 - April/May 2018
Screened porches are a staple of coastal New England homes. Here, the traditional, light-blue beadboard ceiling has a couple of skylights to brighten the covered outdoor space. All framing and decking materials are naturally decay-resistant wood and are installed to stand up to the coastal environment. The deck railing is a stainless-steel cable-rail system with a superslim profile meant to be as invisible as possible and to preserve the views.

Every custom home begins with a wish list, and these homeowners made some bold strokes with their list of priorities: to make as little impact on the site as possible, to have a low-maintenance exterior, to achieve net-zero energy use, and to reveal every possible view of the shoreline property. Designed by Garth Schwellenbach of C&H Architects and built by Caldwell & Johnson, the house is surprising and delightful and meets all of the homeowner’s goals.

Read more about the design and build process of this home in the full article, “High Priorities,” in FHB #274.

Also check out Garth Schwellenbach’s 6 Tips for Net-Zero House Design.

Click the Launch Gallery button below to see six more incredible views of this home, with more information on the project.

Photos by Nat Rea.

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

The house was built on the foundation of an existing home. The poured concrete foundation walls and footings were in good shape, but the existing basement slab was removed to allow for new interior footings, below-slab insulation, and vapor and air barriers. Reusing the foundation reduced site impact on the environmentally sensitive shoreline lot, but required the new design to comply with the existing 42-ft.-square footprint. The north side of the house was extended with a 3-ft. cantilever, but otherwise held to the existing foundation plan and deck perimeter.

The exterior finishes include factory-coated aluminum siding and roofing, which are manufactured with recycled materials and can be completely recycled at the end of their life cycle. The standing-seam metal siding has a similar look to traditional board-and-batten siding, with a modern no-maintenance update. No exterior painting or staining is required, even in the harsh coastal environment. The installers helped to develop and bend custom aluminum trim profiles for windows, doors, roof overhangs, and other transitions.

Energy production was limited to a roof-mounted PV system, so the house was designed with maximum roof area on the south side. The steep roof pitch provides a large uninterrupted surface for a 13.1kw array. As of now, the project is net-positive, making more energy that it consumes, but it takes at least a year to know for sure that it is truly a net-zero-energy home. The panels are Sunpower 335W X-Series Signature Black modules.

Screened porches are a staple of coastal New England homes. Here, the traditional, light-blue beadboard ceiling has a couple of skylights to brighten the covered outdoor space. All framing and decking materials are naturally decay-resistant wood and are installed to stand up to the coastal environment. The deck railing is a stainless-steel cable-rail system with a superslim profile meant to be as invisible as possible and to preserve the views.

The house draws from a varied pallet of architectural styles, from midcentury modern details to traditional coastal textures and forms. The floor plan is oriented to maximize views in the most important rooms in the house. On the first floor, the open plan allows a clear view from nearly anywhere in the public areas, whether the homeowner's are cooking in the kitchen, eating at the dining room table, or lounging in the living room or sunroom.

Windows and doors are often the weak link in an otherwise efficient building envelope. To get to zero-energy use in a climate zone with cold winter months, and in a house that has lots of glazing, high-performing windows and doors were a must. The Schuco products used are triple-glazed with insulated aluminum frames. The windows are a tilt-turn design and the doors are either lift-and-slide or standard swinging. The frames have a rating of U-0.23, the glass is U-0.088, and they have a warm-edge spacer rated at U-0.018. The glass has a low-e coating as well.

The window layout was designed to allow enough operable sashes to provide a good cross-breeze throughout the house, with as few screens as possible to maintain the clear view. The 9-ft. ceiling heights throughout the house also play a role in maximizing the views, bringing them deeper into the rooms. But pushing the head of the window all the way to the ceiling in a house susceptible to extremely high wind gusts required a robust structural system—a steel moment frame was to reinforce the south and east walls, allowing the expanse of glazing.

×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Steel Sheet Piling Supports This House in the Dunes

This seasonal lakehouse retreat sits on top of a bluff with a modern open plan and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Featured Video

Micro-Adjust Deck-Baluster Spacing for an Eye-Deceiving Layout

No math, no measuring—just a simple jig made from an elastic band is all you need to lay out a good-looking deck railing.

Related Stories

  • Get Stunning Views With Folding Glass Doors
  • Fastener System for Solving Deck Fascia Board Expansion
  • Improve Home Efficiency With Inflation Reduction Act Rebates
  • Forming Foundation Walls

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All
  • Dial In Your Deck Details
  • Podcast 413: PRO TALK With Deck Builder Max Hegedus
  • Manufactured Deck Railings Make for an Easy Installation
  • Designing Outdoor Spaces: How To Get More From Your Home By Extending It Outside
View All

Decks

View All Decks Articles
  • pulling posts into position
    Pull Posts into Position
  • Trimming Deck Stairs
    Trimming Deck Stairs
  • small deck with cable railings
    Grab Your Seat: Build a Custom Deck Start-To-Finish
  • building deck stairs
    Framing Stairs to an Out-of-Level Landing
View All Decks Articles

BOOKS, DVDs, & MERCH

Shop the Store
  • Pretty Good House
    Buy Now
  • Outdoor Projects
    Buy Now
  • Code Check Building 4th Edition
    Buy Now
  • 2021 Fine Homebuilding Archive
    Buy Now
  • Shop the Store

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 309 - Aug/Sept
    • 10 Steps to Install Crown Molding on Cabinets
    • How to Get Sturdy Walls Without OSB
    • Choosing the Right Construction Tape for the Job
  • Issue 308 - July 2022
    • Pretty Good House Book Excerpt: Copper Farmhouse
    • 10 Dos and Don'ts for Electric In-Floor Heat
    • A Sturdy Rail for Outdoor Stairs
  • Issue 307 - June 2022
    • How to Raise a Post-Frame Home
    • Trimming Deck Stairs
    • Evolving an Energy-Efficient Envelope
  • Issue 306 - April/May 2022
    • Framing Stairs to an Out-of-Level Landing
    • Building a Zero-Energy Home for Less
    • Good-Looking and Long-Lasting Traditional Gutters
  • Issue 305 - Feb/March 2022
    • The Steady Surge in Residential Solar
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: William B. Rose
    • How Good Is Your Air Barrier?

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2022 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in