This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional single-wall ceramic tile eat-in kitchen idea in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, glass tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Example of a large classic l-shaped ceramic tile enclosed kitchen design in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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Example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white cabinets

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Example of a small transitional l-shaped slate floor kitchen design in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops and mosaic tile backsplash

Large transitional u-shaped slate floor and gray floor enclosed kitchen photo in Philadelphia with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, stone tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional single-wall ceramic tile eat-in kitchen idea in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, glass tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Kitchen - mid-sized traditional medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Philadelphia with white cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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A mudroom-landing zone for the kids next to the kitchen, with cubbies for each and benches upholstered in performance leather.
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Mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

The Monterey is a large Peninsula (3-sided) wood burner with flush face for a custom style installation. The Monterey comes standard with smooth white hearth bottom and the industries highest quality refractory panels and textured charcoal powder coat finish. Features Radiant smooth-faced (all models) or circulating louvered (Inglenook only) Massive smoke dome for reliable operation Insulated firebox for increased performance in colder climates (available in select models) White Refractory Panels Heavy duty log grate Includes mesh fire screens Outside air kit available for maximum performance Durable textured powder coat finish Uses IHP 12 DM (1700º) double wall air cooled wood burning chimney Uses IHP 12 HT (2100º) heavy gauge double wall air cooled wood burning chimney, recommended for cold climates (required for Canada) 20 Year Limited Warranty

Photo-Jim Westphalen
Small modern white one-story metal exterior home idea in Other

Riviera ranch plan by Landmark Performance Homes in Omaha, Nebraska. This plan features an open entry, office, flex or dining space plus 2 other bedrooms on main level. Large great room with cozy gas fireplace and offset shelving for display. Open kitchen with SS appliances, quartz counters, wood flooring and huge walk-in pantry with space for 2nd fridge and counter for appliances. Finished lower level features large bar for entertaining, 2 bedrooms and media area. We can custom build this plan 402.672.5550 #buildalandmark

Inspiration for a powder room remodel in Omaha

Custom 1.5-story Brandenburg plan by Landmark Performance Homes. This home features modern finishes. We can custom build this,or any of our floor plans in the Omaha metro area. Call 402.672.5550 for more information #buildalandmark

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