Issue 227 – HOUSES 2012
Features
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From a Leaky Old House to a Tight New Home
A young couple retrofits the house next door as an investment in deep energy savings
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Carriage-House Comeback
An 800-sq.-ft. backyard cottage exemplifies the benefits of downsizing and reveals a new housing opportunity
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Zero Energy, at Last
The sun lends a big hand to this efficient home in the North Carolina mountains
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A House for All Ages
An energy-efficient modern-day farmhouse offers single-floor living wrapped in low-maintenance, charming detail
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Designed for Its Place & Time
At the top of his game, architect Obie Bowman orchestrates his signature materials and details into a contemporary retirement house
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What is Building Science?
Few people understand it. Nobody agrees what it is, how to learn about it, or who's responsible for it. It has never been more important
Article
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A Practical Approach to Passive HouseAn architect's "best work to date" is a super-efficient home that you could build.
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Building a Healthy HouseFor a chemically sensitive homeowner, a cleaner indoor environment meant focusing on six key concepts.
What is the Difference
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What's the Difference: Designs for AccessibilityAccessible design, universal design, and aging-in-place design
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What's the Difference: Window-Shading OptionsSolar screens, exterior blinds, shutters, and awnings
Drawing Board
Fixtures and Materials
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Alternative to Pressure-Treated DeckingPerennial Wood decking from Eastma Manufactured by Eastman 800-530-7495; www.perennialwood.com Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, Tenn., has been making acetic anhydride for years. In the 1930s, the company used…
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Foam Forms for Concrete CapsRigid-foam wall-cap forms from Stegmeier Manufactured by Stegmeier 800-382-5430; www.stegmeier.com Cost: $130 to $150 for a box of 10 8-ft.-long pieces; $140 for a box of 10 spring-steel clamps Stegmeier…
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Low-Profile Ventilation for Tiled RoofsInconspicuous vents blend with the roof surface without being an eyesore.
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Seamless ReceptaclesReceptacles from Bocci Manufactured by Bocci 815-741-9768; www.bocci.ca/collection Cost: $50 to $75 Bocci 22 electrical components install flush with finished-wall materials, eliminating conventional cover plates for switches, receptacles,…
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Lighting: Beyond the BasicsManufactured by Eleek 815-741-9768; www.eleekinc.com If you’re in the market for ersatz colonial wall sconces or run-of-the-mill pendant lights, you can probably skip the Eleek catalog. If your tastes run…
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A Quiet Garage-Door OpenerGarage openers from Sommer Manufactured by Sommer 877-766-6607; www.sommer-usa.com Cost: $350 to $450 Standard garage-door openers have a fixed motor that powers a belt or chain to open and close…
