Jonathan Miller Architects is pleased to announce that one of our recently completed projects has been certified as an ENERGY STAR 2.5 Qualified Home. A typical Energy Star home is 20%-30% more energy efficient than an average new home. We are proud to be involved in a project that is making efforts to respect the environment by reducing energy consumption.

The design is a classical, tripartite design, the central element being a covered waiting area which is flanked by bathroom facilities, a storage area and future room for stairs and an elevator to a second level viewing deck which will also connect via a bridge to an adjacent senior living complex. The facade utilizes simple brick-veneer with a heavy stone base. The brackets and awnings echo those of a nearby train station which is one of the oldest structures in the town. The hope is that this building will look like it has always been there.

Extending out from the side is a covered bicycle storage area. Commuters can ride from their home to the Transit Center, lock their bike in a secure bike-locker (looks just like a school locker, but bike sized), and ride the bus to their destination. Mounted on the roof which covers the bike storage are solar panels which contribute to the lighting and power needs of the building.

The developer of this project has shown great devotion to executing truly sustainable design concepts, from rain gardens and green roofs to bike storage and solar. This Transit Center is only one part of the whole development which is now leading the way in sustainable developments.

To find out more about Woodlands Perryville, its developer, Town Point Development, and the forward looking sustainable concepts that they are implementing, go to their website (www.woodlandsperryville.com) or find them on Facebook.

Every so often we stretch our wings and reluctantly try new construction materials.  I say reluctantly because we have been burnt in the past by materials that were cutting edge and overtime ended up being major problem products: ie, PVC membrane roofing, EIFS, and most recently Tendura Plank porch decking.

However, after consulting with members of our project team we felt it was time to try an insulation system we have been hearing about for several years now – Icynene.  We decided to use it on a LEED-certified and Energy STAR qualified project in Knoxville, TN.  The Icynene system’s strength is not in a higher R-value as much as in its ability to seal the home tightly and prevent unwanted air leakage.

Iceynene explains on their wesite that “R-value measures energy moving in and out of a home through the insulation material (conduction).  But the real energy-waster is air leakage (convection) – the cause of up to 40% of a home’s energy loss (Source: U.S. Department of Energy).”

I like how quite this insulating system makes the home even before gypsum board is applied.  I also like the ability to insulate the ceiling deck so that all attic mechanical ducts are within the insulated envelope of the home providing additional energy performance.  And it is fun making hand and face prints in the stuff before the wall boards go up.  Once the insulation is installed, the house is so tight that the HVAC system must provide fresh air to keep the indoor air healthy for the inhabitants, so a poor mechanical system with this product could be a real problem.  My biggest complaint about Icynene so far is the strong odor the product emits when being installed.  Also, like most chemically created products, it consumes a great deal of energy during manufacturing.  Icynene cost about %40 more than standard Fiberglass batt insulation but the trade off is some significant payback on the utility bill.   In the end, I am confident the product will perform well for the home’s inhabitants for generations to come.

Think smaller. Space costs money to build and maintain, and most people live in a fraction of what they build.  If you think you need 5,000 square feet, cut your wish list in half.  Toss out the space you won’t use, and you might find that 2,500 is perfect.

We came across the above quote by Russell Versaci in the March/April 2009 edition of Southern Accents and were intrigued by the possibilities.  Reducing the size of houses that we design is something we are interested in, especially as many of our clients begin to come to us with reduced budgets.

This past year we designed a home based on similar principles that Versaci talks about and we thought we would offer it to the discussion.  The building site is an irregular lot in a subdivision which would most likely have gone unused had we not sought it out specifically with the idea of building a small house.  This home is 25%-35% smaller than the surrounding homes, but has enough street presence to blend in.  It is designed as a home for life with the master on main, complete wheelchair accessibility and  space planned into the master bedroom for future medical equipment.

Specs:  2,600 square feet, 3 bedroom, 3.5 baths

We’ll leave you with another Versaci quote:

Design your house like a yacht.  Plan your space so every inch serves a purpose.  Take a cue from the Colonial Revival and Arts & Crafts homes  of the early 20th Century, and maximize storage with built-in bookshelves, china cupboards, and armoires.

Note: Speaking of designing your house like a yacht, check out a great book on small houses: Little House on a Small Planet by Shay Salomon.  She has a section in there on that particular idea.  More to come on this great book.