Located on the underutilized back lot of a small rural subdivision, the Castleton Residence is a showcase for stabilized rammed earth as an exceptional local material for future housing in Ontario. This single family home is located beside a white pine woodland, nestled into a sloped meadow on the property. The slope faces east over a valley, yet the building’s form reaches out to capture the available southern light. The success of the project hinged on using Passive House strategies to reduce energy use sufficiently so that most of the heating and all of the cooling does not require mechanical equipment. As the first project for aerecura rammed earth builders and the future home of the company’s owners, it was a step into the unknown, a classroom and an example of integrated design at its finest. Sylvia Cook, owner and former Physics teacher, stated it best, when she said, “It’s the first science experiment I’ve ever done that has really worked.”
The owners, two retired high school teachers concerned about climate change and the wastefulness of current building methods decided to build with rammed earth, because rammed earth and passive design offer the most sustainable, effective use of financial resources. Passive design strategies were emphasized over any mechanical strategies. Orientation, materials choices, overhangs, insulation, windows, and air tightness trumped any consideration for mechanical technology. The mechanicals consist only of a 94% efficient, fully ducted ERV and a heat exchanger off the hot water tank providing any additional space heating requirements beyond passive solar. The home’s striking design was an integral part of a model home to showcase rammed earth and launch a construction company in the hopes of beginning a new industry in Ontario.