Good news.  Zero Energy Design just received LEED Certification (GOLD) for our Little Compton House from the U.S. Green Building Council.

For more about LEED Certification visit:   http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

Time Lapse of the Construction

Our first Thanksgiving.

Yes, we managed to pack 14 people into the house, and around the table.   Though very cozy, our passive home accommodated everyone very comfortably.   This was the same group that had regularly gathered up in New Hampshire at a home easily three times the size.  We all commented on how our new home had really taken on the role of central gathering spot for our extended family.  We enjoyed the views from the dining room table, and the access to the woods and farmland.  We did miss the mountain views of New Hampshire — but in Rhode Island, we have the ocean that we can easily access.

Another plus:  our total utility consumption for the entire month of November was below $70.  That includes all power. And because the house is so small, our taxes are very modest.  So, ZED and Aedi Construction have built us a home that is environmentally sustainable — but economically sustainable as well.

This summer we did the blow test to see if we’d pass the Passive House Certification.

Unfortunately, there was so much wind outside that the equipment did not work.   So, we’re waiting on ZeroEnergy Design to come and do the final test.

Good news is that the house has been the sanctuary we had hoped.  It’s been able to amply fit our family of six, our dog Lola, and many visitors.

And, our entire utility bill has been hovering around $80 a month.  So, it has been truly sustainable.   We’ll post some photos soon of the landscaping (by Nilsen Landscaping).  Hopefully we can soon report that we’ve passed the Passive House Certification.

Would our furniture fit in this modern space?

That was the big question for us.  Would we have to buy an entire new set of “Dwell-compliant”  scandinavian furniture to match the modern lines?  We were hoping the answer would be NO because:

a. didn’t have budget to buy new furniture

b. in keeping with our desire to “go green” and be sustainable, we wanted to use what we had

c. what we had available was a storage unit full of furniture–somewhat worn, yet very nostalgic–from Hilary’s parents’ N.H. home.

We were delighted to discover that the furniture fit beautifully.   Though we never measured the rugs, nor considered them while choosing paint samples, they were the perfect match for the living space.  We had decided to stick with concrete floors — largely for budget reasons.  With these rugs, we really didn’t need wooden floors.     The dining room table around which Stephanie had designed the eating nook anchors the entire living area.     For me what was very counterintuitive is how SMALL the dining room table looks in this space.   It had appeared much larger in the larger home from which it had come.  Isn’t scale supposed to create the opposite effect?

We worried that the loft paint floor color was far brighter and more saturated than expected.  But the quilts and basic furniture matched the color–and though we hadn’t taken the time to measure the furniture dimensions, everything fit into place.  We’re still trying to figure out the pulley system to hoist duffel bags up to the space.   That will be an ongoing project.

What’s incredible about this space is how quiet it is at night.  The triple paned windows seal off most outside noise which is far different than our drafty dutch colonial–perched on a busy street.  But if we want to hear the noise of the geese, or the wind blowing off the trees, we can easily put the windows in vent mode.  And we figured out how to quiet the noisy energy efficient water heater in the loft.  By taking it off of “hybrid” mode at night, it makes absolutely no noise.

One added benefit of the triple paned windows.  At night, they reflect the candlelight as though they’re triple mirrors.  So when we light a dozen or so candles in the living space, it feels like there are about forty candles lit.  Very beautiful.

In the modest-sized sleeping spaces, the large windows with views of farmland and sky make us feel like we’re camping outside–except that there’s no draft!  So, on our first night with furniture, we sleep very comfortably.   The house fits our large family even better than expected.

A big question remains.  Will the house pass the blow test next month that will allow it to officially be certified a “passive house.”

It’s been a while since we posted.

March was very cold in New England.  The perfect season to complete the house to see if the whole “passive thing” actually worked.   Good news:  It did!    Even when the temperature dips below zero, the house remains incredibly warm–and superbly well-insulated.  And the energy costs to keep the workers warm and well-powered have been incredibly modest (just around $100/month all in).  On the coldest days in March,  we found ourselves having to open the windows to bring the temperature down to the low 60′s which I like.  The great thing about the windows is that they open nice and wide if you want to let a lot of air in — but then they also vent just from the top if you want to let in a small amount of air (ideal for the winter).

In March we were also able to see Stephanie’s design work come to life.   The space is very small–yet it feels very open and spacious.   The lines are  clean and simple, yet also very elegant.  At first we weren’t sure what we’d think of the modern fixtures and bright colors– but every ties together beautifully.   We were also concerned that the northern exposure wouldn’t have enough glazing to allow us to enjoy the agrarian view — but the sliding glass door and windows do the trick perfectly.

Next up for us is the QUESTION:  Will the older furniture we have from Hilary’s parents NH home fit into this modern setting?

Hilary and I visited the site on January 8th and were thrilled with the progress.  The interior of the house has now been dry-walled and plastered, and the Heating System is now fully functional.  Although there  was snow on the ground and the temperature was well below freezing — our passive house was very warm, without even a hint of a draft.  (This is a far cry from our 1927 Dutch Colonial House where in places the draft could blow out a candle).  I photographed the electric heating system which is no larger than a big circuit breaker box.  It’s incredible that the small unit provides more than ample heating for the entire house.

All the kitchen cabinets, countertops, and appliances  are in.   We’re getting very close to completion!

The visit also underscored the beauty of the setting.   From the kitchen, we observed more than 100 Canadian geese on the adjacent Young Farm. The hollyberry bushes that Andrea Nilsen planted in the late fall are thriving — and complement the hollyberry trees in the nearby woods.  A fallen, curved tree trunk to the entrance of the woods provided a perfect frame through which to look back at the house.  We can’t wait to actually spend time at this great new home created by ZED and Aedi Construction!

We had a wonderful post-thanksgiving visit to the construction site  with  friends.  The insulation package has all been blow-in and the interior is ready for dry-wall.   This is probably the thickest amount of insulation we’ve ever seen!!  The house will be very warm this winter.

Although the footprint of the house seemed very small to us early the fall, it’s feeling larger and larger as the inside of the house is taking shape.  Rob Cosinuke loved the landscaping — “it’s like a  piece of art on a perch.”

After the visit, we went to the nearby beach and walked on the rocks.  The kids even went for a swim. Looking forward to the house being completed.

Here are shots of the Frame starting to go up.