Search results for "Low thermal" in Home Design Ideas

Located in Bodrum this villa gracefully enhances its minimalist architecture with Serapool’s natural stone-textured porcelain products. The Antique Grey series used for the pool flooring introduces a modern and serene atmosphere to the water through refined shades of grey. The infinity tile design visually integrates with the landscape, bringing together luxury and the natural surroundings. The selected pool tiles feature a low water absorption rate below 0.5%, ensuring long-lasting use. They also offer high resistance to UV rays, chemicals and thermal shocks. With a slip resistance value of PTV ≥ 45°, the surface ensures safe walking comfort, while Antique Grey outer trim elements complete the transitions with aesthetic fluidity. This application offers more than a swimming area—it provides a safe, comfortable, and nature-integrated living experience.

Transform Your Home's Entrance with Elegance and Durability
Elevate your home's curb appeal with our stunning front patio solution, perfect for single-family residences. This exquisite outdoor addition combines beauty and functionality to create a welcoming entrance that will impress neighbors and guests alike.
• Premium Nicolock Thermal Cast Concrete Pavers: Experience the timeless beauty of blue stone without the maintenance hassle. These high-quality pavers offer exceptional durability and weather resistance.
• Sophisticated Elevated Design: The raised patio adds dimension and grandeur to your home's facade, creating a striking visual impact from the street.
• Elegant Stone Staircase: A beautifully crafted stone staircase with a sleek black metal railing provides safe and stylish access to your front door.
• Lush Landscaping Integration: Thoughtfully placed bushes and trees frame the patio, softening the hardscape and enhancing your property's natural beauty.
• Versatile Outdoor Living Space: Enjoy a cozy spot for morning coffee or evening relaxation, adding valuable living area to your home.
• All-Season Appeal: The thermal cast pavers maintain their appearance throughout the year, resisting fading, cracking, and frost damage.
• Low-Maintenance Luxury: Spend less time on upkeep and more time enjoying your beautiful outdoor space with these easy-to-clean, long-lasting materials.
Enhance your home's value and create a lasting first impression with this expertly designed elevated front patio. It's not just an addition to your home—it's an investment in your property's aesthetic and functional appeal.

- Installation Type: Floating
- Licensed Uniclic Flooring system
- Square Edge Plank (seamless floor)
- Finish: Three coats water based polyurethane
- Wear Layer: 3mm genuine cork
- Middle Layer: 7mm E1 Class High Density Fiberboard (HDF)
- Integrated Underlayment: 1mm agglomerated cork.
- Plank Width: 12” (315mm)
- Plank Length: 36" (915mm)
- Plank Thickness: 7/16" (11mm)
- Carton coverage: 21.03 sqft
- Pieces per carton: 7
- 25 year warranty (residential installation)
- Underlayment not required
- Hypo-allergenic
- Healthy alternative to carpet
- Excellent thermal and acoustic insulation
- Stain resistant
- Naturally resistant to insects, mould, mildew due to anti-microbial propertiesi
- Low slip surface
- Excellent surface for seniors, children or people suffering from arthritis or joint pain
Order FREE SAMPLES on our website: www.icorkfloor.com
Find the right local pro for your project

Located in Bodrum this villa gracefully enhances its minimalist architecture with Serapool’s natural stone-textured porcelain products. The Antique Grey series used for the pool flooring introduces a modern and serene atmosphere to the water through refined shades of grey. The infinity tile design visually integrates with the landscape, bringing together luxury and the natural surroundings. The selected pool tiles feature a low water absorption rate below 0.5%, ensuring long-lasting use. They also offer high resistance to UV rays, chemicals and thermal shocks. With a slip resistance value of PTV ≥ 45°, the surface ensures safe walking comfort, while Antique Grey outer trim elements complete the transitions with aesthetic fluidity. This application offers more than a swimming area—it provides a safe, comfortable, and nature-integrated living experience.

Zola Windows played a crucial role in helping to embrace and engender the “Passive House” construction standard, allowing a landmark protected large commercial building to be transformed into an architecturally precise, low energy, high performance masterpiece. For 60 White Street, a brand new class of window was developed that pushes the technological envelope while faithfully replicating the look appropriate for a 146 year-old historic edifice. Zola’s American Heritage SDH (Simulated Double Hung) window helped create a well-insulated, draft free building envelope akin to a thermos bottle. This award-winning, replica-quality window boasts industry-leading airtightness and thermal performance, coupled with craftsmanship that is befitting of even the most detailed historic restorations.
Photographer: Nico Arellano

Located in Bodrum this villa gracefully enhances its minimalist architecture with Serapool’s natural stone-textured porcelain products. The Antique Grey series used for the pool flooring introduces a modern and serene atmosphere to the water through refined shades of grey. The infinity tile design visually integrates with the landscape, bringing together luxury and the natural surroundings. The selected pool tiles feature a low water absorption rate below 0.5%, ensuring long-lasting use. They also offer high resistance to UV rays, chemicals and thermal shocks. With a slip resistance value of PTV ≥ 45°, the surface ensures safe walking comfort, while Antique Grey outer trim elements complete the transitions with aesthetic fluidity. This application offers more than a swimming area—it provides a safe, comfortable, and nature-integrated living experience.

Located in Bodrum this villa gracefully enhances its minimalist architecture with Serapool’s natural stone-textured porcelain products. The Antique Grey series used for the pool flooring introduces a modern and serene atmosphere to the water through refined shades of grey. The infinity tile design visually integrates with the landscape, bringing together luxury and the natural surroundings. The selected pool tiles feature a low water absorption rate below 0.5%, ensuring long-lasting use. They also offer high resistance to UV rays, chemicals and thermal shocks. With a slip resistance value of PTV ≥ 45°, the surface ensures safe walking comfort, while Antique Grey outer trim elements complete the transitions with aesthetic fluidity. This application offers more than a swimming area—it provides a safe, comfortable, and nature-integrated living experience.

Sponsored
Delaware, OH
Buckeye Basements, Inc.
Central Ohio's Basement Finishing ExpertsBest Of Houzz '13-'21

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

Located in Bodrum this villa gracefully enhances its minimalist architecture with Serapool’s natural stone-textured porcelain products. The Antique Grey series used for the pool flooring introduces a modern and serene atmosphere to the water through refined shades of grey. The infinity tile design visually integrates with the landscape, bringing together luxury and the natural surroundings. The selected pool tiles feature a low water absorption rate below 0.5%, ensuring long-lasting use. They also offer high resistance to UV rays, chemicals and thermal shocks. With a slip resistance value of PTV ≥ 45°, the surface ensures safe walking comfort, while Antique Grey outer trim elements complete the transitions with aesthetic fluidity. This application offers more than a swimming area—it provides a safe, comfortable, and nature-integrated living experience.

Located in Bodrum this villa gracefully enhances its minimalist architecture with Serapool’s natural stone-textured porcelain products. The Antique Grey series used for the pool flooring introduces a modern and serene atmosphere to the water through refined shades of grey. The infinity tile design visually integrates with the landscape, bringing together luxury and the natural surroundings. The selected pool tiles feature a low water absorption rate below 0.5%, ensuring long-lasting use. They also offer high resistance to UV rays, chemicals and thermal shocks. With a slip resistance value of PTV ≥ 45°, the surface ensures safe walking comfort, while Antique Grey outer trim elements complete the transitions with aesthetic fluidity. This application offers more than a swimming area—it provides a safe, comfortable, and nature-integrated living experience.

The A7 Series aluminum windows with triple-pane glazing were paired with custom-designed Ultra Lift and Slide doors to provide comfort, efficiency, and seamless design integration of fenestration products. Triple pane glazing units with high-performance spacers, low iron glass, multiple air seals, and a continuous thermal break make these windows and doors incomparable to the traditional aluminum window and door products of the past. Not to mention – these large-scale sliding doors have been fitted with motors hidden in the ceiling, which allow the doors to open flush into wall pockets at the press of a button.
This seamless aluminum door system is a true custom solution for a homeowner that wanted the largest expanses of glass possible to disappear from sight with minimal effort. The enormous doors slide completely out of view, allowing the interior and exterior to blur into a single living space. By integrating the ultra-modern desert home into the surrounding landscape, this residence is able to adapt and evolve as the seasons change – providing a comfortable, beautiful, and luxurious environment all year long.

This is an example of a huge transitional front yard stone formal garden in Chicago.

- Installation Type: Floating / Glue Down
- Edge type: square edge (seamless floor)
- Finish: Three coats German water based polyurethane
- Made with formaldehyde free adhesives
- 25 year warranty (residential installation)
- Underlayment not required
- Hypo-allergenic
- Healthy alternative to carpet
- Excellent thermal and acoustic insulation
- Stain resistant
- Naturally resistant to insects, mould, mildew due to anti-microbial properties.
- Low slip surface
- Excellent surface for seniors, children or people suffering from arthritis or joint pain
The photo shown is floating floor. We also have the glue down tile for this color.
Price for glue down tile: $2.29/sqft
*** Price may change without notice. Please check our website for the most current price.
Order FREE SAMPLES on our website: www.icorkfloor.com

Carefully-composed layers of hardscape and landscape with a variety of textures enhance the sense of comfortable privacy. A clean-cut bluestone border frames a rectangular lawn and echoes the soft lines of boxwood hedges in the distance. The line of thermal bluestone expands to form a dining patio where a table of warm ipe wood makes a striking centerpiece. Across the lawn, a zinc fountain draws the eye and ear, serving as a focal point for the outdoor room.
Photo by George Dzahristos.

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation.
The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft.
This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months.
With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

We love how the ActivWall Gas Strut Window and Horizontal Folding Door enhance this custom home's kitchen and outdoor living space.
Open up your space with ActivWall.
• Gas Strut Window - This innovative product opens up and out to create a serving bar. The insulated single panel window offers unobstructed visibility and can be utilized interior or exterior in both residential or commercial settings.
• Horizontal Folding Door - This product folds to either one side of the opening or both sides, creating a flexible space. They can be utilized in both commercial and residential settings as well as either exterior or interior. Our superior American engineered hinges and motion hardware allow for the smooth operation of units and thermally broken aluminum and dual-paned low-E glass make the AL62-HF extremely energy efficient.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing
7RR-Ecohome:
The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together?
The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot.
Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Structural Remodeling
Franklin County's Heavy Timber Specialists | Best of Houzz 2020!

The Tilt Turn window is a European-style window with two distinct functions: swing it in like a door or tilt the top of the sash into your room for ventilation. One handle controls both operations. The tilt turn is a great window for unique situations where you want additional ventilation or access.
Features
• A popular European Style window
• Dual-functioning: Swing like a door or tilt the top sash for ventilation using the same handle for both (or each) operation/s
• Great for emergency exit access
• Low-e argon
• Double Glaze
• U Factor = 0.19
• SHGC = 0.23
• Thermal Transmission = 0.21
• Modular turn-tilt fitting system with visible hinge side
• Simple and intuitive operation
• Versatile and simple adjustment
• Individual design matching due to powder-coated hinge parts or caps in different colors
• Large central reinforcing chamber for optimum static performance.
• Robust walls guarantee greater stability and durability of windows, as well as increased protection against noise and temperature changes.
• System reinforcement profile made of galvanized steel, ensuring stiffness, and correct functioning.
• Compact design, delicate bevels and slants give the profiles a modern and elegant look.
• Extremely durable and modern gaskets ensure that windows are tight and reliable.
• Five-chamber construction provides ideal thermal protection
How It Works
1. Turn the handle 90 degrees to open the sash like an inswing door
2. Turn the handle 180 degrees and it locks the bottom sash into the frame, tilting the top in to allow air exchange
Visit Our Online Shop To Browse and Shop Our In Stock Selection Available Now : www.shop.libertywindoors.com
To Learn About Custom Window Orders and For More Information About The Tilt and Turn Windows Visit : www.libertywindoors.com
TEL : (973) 773-2188
EMAIL: infonj@libertywindoors.com

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing
7RR-Ecohome:
The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together?
The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot.
Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

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
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