By Rob Wotzak
An Efficient Design and a Carefully Detailed Envelope Add up to Big Energy Savings
Craftsman bungalows are celebrated for being comfortable, practical and carefully crafted from local natural materials. This LEEDGold home in South Glastonbury, Connecticut, incorporates all of these qualities and more. To meet the home owners' goal of creating an enjoyable and economical place to retire, CK Architects penned an attractive, efficient, and adaptable plan. A meticulously detailed building envelope, a discretely mounted photovoltaic array, and a geothermal HVAC system keep the home affordable.
Let nature work for you. Beneficial natural conditions paired with good design choices helped maximize the project's sustainable features. An L-shaped house plan and a central screened porch let cooling breezes pass right through the house. An existing clearing made it easy to install the geothermal loop and then cover it with a meadow of wildflowers. The landscaped portions of the site contain large beds of noninvasive, drought-tolerant plants, minimizing the need for irrigation and yard work.
Designed for easy living. Farmed white cedar shingles, fiber-cement siding, and cellular PVC trim ensure that the house is equally maintenance free. CK Architects left the core living area open with plenty of south-facing windows, creating a bright, functional, and efficient space. Less frequently used, the guest rooms are deliberately isolated from the rest of the house, allowing John and Karen to reduce their heating demands when visitors aren't around.
Early actions pay off. The build team's commitment to environmental responsibility made joining the LEED for Homes pilot program an easy decision. Doing this early in the process guided smart choices on everything from initial site preparations to interior finishes. Architect Russell Campaigne estimated that the green building methods added about a 5% premium over a comparable home built to code. With utility bills for the first year averaging less than $100 a month (pretty good considering Connecticut has some of the highest electric rates in the country), it seems that the investment is paying off.
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