Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Omaha.

Kitchen open to rear garden through sliding glass doors and screens that slide into exterior pockets. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely. Contractor: Young & Burton, Inc.

Heath Aster / Symphyotrichum ericoides Heath Aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides) receiving pollination form a couple of Goldenrod Soldier Beetles (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus), Washington County, Minnesota Photo: Ben Lowe, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic

This new contemporary home was commissioned by a design-loving family in Boulder, Colorado who had just purchased a house on a corner lot and wanted to build something new and contemporary with views of the Flatiron mountain range beyond. Working over a distance was easy with extensive 3D modeling leading the way. Though not on a super-busy corner, limited openings to the street were utilized counter-balanced by extensive glass and access to the side and rear yards. A detached garage was necessary because of off-street parking access from an existing alley that ran behind the house, so a breezeway connecting roof was designed to join the structures visually and provide cover in snow and rain. Hydronic radiant heated floors run throughout and large windows reveal selective views to the neighborhood. Exposed steel beams and wood framing tell the story of structure inside. White-white kitchen and baths provide clean neutral environments for food and bathing. Upstairs high ceilings allow clerestory windows inviting light but not view. The master bedroom is aimed at the Flatiron Mountains as is the large wraparound walking deck with flying roof overhead, all clad in red cedar. Much was learned about the local Colorado building environment along the way, guided by nearby structural engineers and contractor. Boulder has strict sun-shadow rules where 3D modeling was critical to show compliance. Energy and heat-loss concerns limited glazing at certain exposures but allowed us to open things up elsewhere. This home is a great example of working within a strict budget and achieve high design quality results. Built by Morningstar Homes with photos by Patterson Architecture + Interior Photography.

November 4, 2012. Brick, N.J. Many residents of hard-hit areas like this neighborhood in Brick, N.J., that is without electricity, are getting meals, snacks and water from Red Cross feeding trucks while they drag the soaked contents out of their homes. As of Sunday, the Red Cross has served half a million meals and snacks to the victims of Hurricane Sandy across 16 states. Photo by Les Stone/American Red Cross

“EURO-LAKEVIEW ESTATE” This beautifully wooded lake-side estate is owned by a very special couple who contacted the Fred Parker Company design-build team from the company’s Houzz.com professional website profile. The owners were interviewing design-build firms, and Custom Builder and AIBD Building Designer Ron Parker and ASID Interior Designer Lila Parker connected with this special couple on their first appointment. The couple was recently married and both had survived the loss of their spouse in years past. Ron and Lila accepted this as a very special opportunity to fulfill the owner’s dreams for this home through taking a fresh and very unique approach to this amazing residence and property. The incredible home was originally designed and built by the husband for his family. Ron and Lila understood the importance of honoring and respecting the significance of these memories. The wife had a beautifully restored home on White Rock Lake and desired for the design and feel of her existing home to be incorporated with the architecture and style of this home to be renovated. The Parker’s design / build team embraced this tremendous opportunity and were awarded the contracts for design and construction. Additions were created to expand the Kitchen and Dining Area overlooking the lake. A beautiful European style kitchen was designed to include flush inset and stained cabinets; quartz counters with a “waterfall effect” at the island and serving bar; significant cabinet and storage details; large and expansive Andersen Windows and Patio Doors, custom wood beams, and oversized porcelain tile flooring. The Family Area was redesigned with a custom entertainment center and new Andersen Doors and Windows. Other remodeling and interior design upgrades were completed in the home including converting the existing Dining Room and Butler’s Pantry into a Library and Reading Area, and remodeling the Powder Room to include a free-standing contemporary vanity. Changes and upgrades were also made to the Study and Master Bath. A large patio was built with stone retaining walls, borders, planters, and steps leading to the beautifully terraced yard. This project also included a quaint and refreshing detached Art Room addition with cathedral ceiling, nestled in the trees overlooking the lake. A new two-car garage addition with storage closets was also added to the existing garage. Due to the proximately of these additions to the lake, special permission and critical guidelines were required by the Corps of Engineers and local city building authorities. These legal requirements created design, engineering, and building challenges which were approved and completed as required. Ron and Lila Parker and the Fred Parker Company Design / Build Team are extremely proud of the work that was achieved to redesign, renovate, and update this amazing estate for this fine couple and their families. Ron’s personal mission statement “To meet or exceed the client’s expectations and end with a good relationship” was certainly tested but he believes this was respectively achieved as indicated by the client’s eloquent “Five-Star Houzz Review”.

Folded Bird Photography windows,
Example of a trendy exterior home design in Melbourne

Tony Colangelo
Entryway - craftsman entryway idea in Vancouver

“EURO-LAKEVIEW ESTATE” This beautifully wooded lake-side estate is owned by a very special couple who contacted the Fred Parker Company design-build team from the company’s Houzz.com professional website profile. The owners were interviewing design-build firms, and Custom Builder and AIBD Building Designer Ron Parker and ASID Interior Designer Lila Parker connected with this special couple on their first appointment. The couple was recently married and both had survived the loss of their spouse in years past. Ron and Lila accepted this as a very special opportunity to fulfill the owner’s dreams for this home through taking a fresh and very unique approach to this amazing residence and property. The incredible home was originally designed and built by the husband for his family. Ron and Lila understood the importance of honoring and respecting the significance of these memories. The wife had a beautifully restored home on White Rock Lake and desired for the design and feel of her existing home to be incorporated with the architecture and style of this home to be renovated. The Parker’s design / build team embraced this tremendous opportunity and were awarded the contracts for design and construction. Additions were created to expand the Kitchen and Dining Area overlooking the lake. A beautiful European style kitchen was designed to include flush inset and stained cabinets; quartz counters with a “waterfall effect” at the island and serving bar; significant cabinet and storage details; large and expansive Andersen Windows and Patio Doors, custom wood beams, and oversized porcelain tile flooring. The Family Area was redesigned with a custom entertainment center and new Andersen Doors and Windows. Other remodeling and interior design upgrades were completed in the home including converting the existing Dining Room and Butler’s Pantry into a Library and Reading Area, and remodeling the Powder Room to include a free-standing contemporary vanity. Changes and upgrades were also made to the Study and Master Bath. A large patio was built with stone retaining walls, borders, planters, and steps leading to the beautifully terraced yard. This project also included a quaint and refreshing detached Art Room addition with cathedral ceiling, nestled in the trees overlooking the lake. A new two-car garage addition with storage closets was also added to the existing garage. Due to the proximately of these additions to the lake, special permission and critical guidelines were required by the Corps of Engineers and local city building authorities. These legal requirements created design, engineering, and building challenges which were approved and completed as required. Ron and Lila Parker and the Fred Parker Company Design / Build Team are extremely proud of the work that was achieved to redesign, renovate, and update this amazing estate for this fine couple and their families. Ron’s personal mission statement “To meet or exceed the client’s expectations and end with a good relationship” was certainly tested but he believes this was respectively achieved as indicated by the client’s eloquent “Five-Star Houzz Review”.