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/

Inspiration for a contemporary walk-in closet remodel in Cincinnati with open cabinets and white cabinets

Family room - transitional enclosed medium tone wood floor, brown floor, vaulted ceiling and wall paneling family room idea in Denver with a music area, blue walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

Home office - contemporary built-in desk carpeted and beige floor home office idea in Boston with beige walls

Inspiration for a large transitional courtyard patio remodel in Los Angeles with no cover and a bbq area

Patio - large southwestern courtyard gravel patio idea in Denver with a fire pit

Country Inn apartment at La Fornella in Tuscany.
Eat-in kitchen - cottage eat-in kitchen idea in Atlanta with open cabinets and white backsplash

Antique Coastal farmhouse laundry room with floating shelves, quartz counters, wall mounted drying rack and custom storage cabinet. Rustic casual style.

Graham Yelton for B-Metro
Inspiration for an eclectic enclosed living room remodel in Birmingham with beige walls

Back to back bathroom vanities make quite a unique statement in this main bathroom. Add a luxury soaker tub, walk-in shower and white shiplap walls, and you have a retreat spa like no where else in the house!

Rob Karosis Photography
Example of a classic entryway design in Boston with white walls

A large custom built 3-bin compost bin is tucked into a corner of the yard. Patricia Larenas, Urban Artichoke
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary partial sun backyard mulch vegetable garden landscape in San Francisco.

Christopher Stark
Small trendy built-in desk medium tone wood floor home office photo in San Francisco with green walls

Lettuces and 'Lemon Gem' marigolds growing in a window box off the back deck. The shadow of the roof line falls across the planters in the afternoon, allowing us to grow lettuce even in the summer. Photo by Steve Masley

Deck - transitional deck idea in San Francisco

Inspiration for a large rustic 3/4 stone tile pebble tile floor bathroom remodel in New York with a trough sink, open cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, wood countertops, multicolored walls and brown countertops

Rain barrels collect rainwater from the downspouts and when full they divert it back out to the landscape through pop-up drains and downspout extenders hidden within the plants.

Example of a mid-sized classic kitchen pantry design in San Diego with open cabinets and white cabinets

Example of an eclectic bathroom design in Minneapolis