Embedded Files
Design covers a wide range of topics. On the one hand, it’s simply the planning stage of a construction project. On the other hand, it’s where all of the critical decisions are made, including how the house will look and be experienced by its occupants and visitors. Some of the key elements to consider regarding design:
Location. Is the house in the city or the countryside? Packed in tightly with its neighbors or on enough land to be a farm? Are shops, jobs and services available nearby, or do they require travel? Are public transportation or bicycling options, or does any travel require a vehicle? These are some of the many issues regarding location.
The 18 Woodland Grove house is located in an area that is centrally located in town. You can easily avoid traffic and get to Maine, southern NH via Rt 153, west into Conway Village, East and then north to North Conway, all while avoiding unnecessary traffic. 4 major grocery stores are within 5 miles.
Size. When we developed the Pretty Good House guidelines, we came up with the following targets for building size: 1000 sq. ft. for one occupant; 1500 sq. ft. for two occupants; 1750 sq. ft. for three occupants, and 1875 sq. ft. for four or more occupants. The national average is much higher, and many people find it easy to live in smaller spaces. The important thing is to deeply consider how much space you really need, consider flexible spaces and clever storage solutions to reduce the amount of space needed, and get rid of stuff you don’t need. House size relates directly to resource use and cost, so the smaller the better.
The 18 Woodland Grove house is larger than the standard would prefer. The home is approximately 2600 SqFt, plus approximately 450SqF ready to finish in the basement. This is one of the areas that the “housing market” has pulled the home off the guideline. The market forces are strongly based on the price per Square Foot. The “market” is worth what the majority says it is and unfortunately the size of the house reflects that. With the cost of all new construction where it is, the size is required to justify it to the “market”.
Orientation. The ideal house, from an energy point of view, in cold climates, will face south, with some windows (but not too many) on the east and west, and few or no windows or doors on the north. There will be a south-facing roof to support photovoltaic panel installation. But every site is different, and compromises need to be made. Fortunately, windows, doors and solar panels keep getting better. But it’s still best to keep the house oriented within 30 degrees of south, if possible.
The 18 Woodland Grove house balances the street view with the south orientation. The house sits 22 degrees to the south east, while the garage is turned to face perfectly south for future solar panels. Only two windows face north, while the remainder gather southern sunlight. One window in the primary bedroom faces east to gain the morning sun. The house was very intentionally designed for the lot and to work with the surroundings and solar heat gain.
Shape and complexity. The larger the surface area of exterior walls and roof is for a given floor area, the less efficient the building is to build and heat (or cool). The most efficient surface-to-area shape is a sphere, but that’s not practical to build. (Sorry, Buckminster Fuller.) The next most efficient shape is a cube, so boxy two-story homes are common for high-performance homes. Single-story homes, especially ones with a lot of corners, will generally cost more to build and will use more energy than a comparable two-story home. Complicated rooflines are also more expensive than simple roofs and more difficult to insulate well. Complicated rooflines are also more prone to leaking over time and may provide less area for roof-mounted PV arrays.
The 18 Woodland Grove house is a large simple 1.5 story box, with a bedroom addition and a garage connection. The roof is intentionally designed with no valleys and no roof penetrations for reduced risk and increased durability.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for a house to be loved by more than its owner it should follow societal rules for what makes an attractive house. You may choose to follow historical styles, contemporary styles or a blend of the two.
The 18 Woodland Grove house is a tradition new england style with a “modern farmhouse” aesthetic.
Comfort and performance. These two are closely linked; a big part of what makes a high-performance house high-performance is that it’s comfortable to live in. The building envelope should be air sealed and insulated well enough that an occupant does not feel too hot or too cold or feel drafts. A well sealed and insulated building envelope requires a smaller and more affordable heating system.
The 18 Woodland Grove house is very airtight at .23 ACH50 and very well insulated.
Integration of trades. In conventional homes, the various tradespeople that come through during construction do what they need to do, usually without a lot of thought to how it will affect other trades. A better approach is to plan ahead so everyone knows what to expect and so there are no conflicts. A good general contractor (and the design professionals) should be familiar enough with all trades that they can direct traffic in the right direction. This is often a downside to owner-built homes; although it’s possible to build a very good house without a lot of experience, there is a lot to know and to anticipate, and it can be helpful to have a GC on board who has been around the block a few times, preferably with other high-performance homes.
The 18 Woodland Grove house was designed and built with the coordination of systems in mind. The plumbing is all stacked and close, as well as accessible. Short hot water lines mean hot water fast and lower amount of wasted water and energy. Two independent ducted heat pumps, one on each floor, mean shorter duct runs and more control over the indoor environment. This increased comfort, durability and efficiency.
Portions of this page attributed to Mike Maines, "Guidelines for designing and building a Pretty Good House". Visit the Pretty Good House website to read more by clicking here.
Google Sites
Report abuse