I am a builder and wanted to design a very efficient home on a tight budget. I was able to achieve this by cutting the budget in some areas and splurging in others. I designed this house to fit in its setting comfortabley, more importantly though, I wanted the efficiency of the home’s working systems to resemble the efficiency of its design.
The walls are built with 2 x 10’s, flashed with open cell, and the rest of the cavity was then packed with cellulose. It is a cold roof, with the ceiling flashed with open cell, and then covered with 16″ of cellulose. Triple glazed windows were unfortunatley not in the budget but we felt the large glass sizes were essential in creating, and then forwarding, the resident’s relationship with the surroundings, regardless of the weather or season.
The house is heated by two systems. The main heat source are two Mitsubishi Mr. Slim mini split air source heat pumps. They have exceeded all expectations in the comfort they provide and efficiency at which they operate. The secondary heat source is a wood boiler with a glass door located between the living room and kitchen. It provides the heat for the radiant heating in the slab on the first floor. Following is the unit we chose: http://www.hydro-to-heat-convertor.com/freestanding.html . It too has exceeded expectations in its efficiency and heat production, and allows us to enjoy the beautiful fire while providing the whole house with heat. There is also a Zhender Heat Recovery Ventilator that provides constant fresh air to each room in the home.
When it came to finsihes we were limited as we put most of our financial resources into the systems and envelope described above. We elimated all window and exterior door trim by wrapping those corners in plaster. We installed a flat casing at all interior doors and for the baseboard prior to the board and plaster going up. We also made all the cabinetry flat and clean with no panels or wainscotting anywhere. This finsihed look lends itself to the overall contemporary and efficient feel of the home. We were able to install walnut floors throughout most of the home which provide a warm feeling and create a connection to the outside wooded surroundings. We purchased “shorts” or cut-offs from a flooring mill, saving them from being used as fuel which turned out to be an economical way to get a beautiful floor.
Last, and my favorite aspect of the home, is the use of the reclaimed lumber we were able to salvage from a project our construction company was working on at a local harbor. The project entailed removing an 80 year-old pier and rebuilding it. Most of the timbers of the old wood deck were rotted or damaged beyond repair. But, I was able to find enough good material to make the efforts of salvaging, cleaning, transporting and then implementing them into the design and finishes of the home all worth while. Ultimately, we used the timbers as structural beams throughout the home, on the front and screened porch as exposed framing members, and then in many different locations as finish elements. The most significant of which is the kitchen island top which reveals the most beautiful piece of oak we found, milled to 4″x16″x8′ and sandwiched between two pieces of southern pine with a tight vertical grain, we lightly pickled the top to show off the grain. Also, the stair case wall/rail system, a staggerd southern pine assembly made to reasemmble an old wooden sea wall, sets the tone as you enter the house.
Having lived in the house for 6 months we are uplifted daily by the connection it creates between our family and the natural surroundings. The home’s systems and design have exceeded our expectations. Mostly, we just look forward to making this our family’s home going forward.
