For the roof sheathing, the clients chose a shingle manufactured from recycled rubber. The shingles, which even close-up look like slate, met the client’s expectations for sustainability; cost-wise, the roof is comparable in price and durability to a standing-seam metal product.
“Our focus is always on the building envelope, first,” says Edgcomb. “Once you have a durable, high-performance envelope, you can add the systems.”
To provide about 94% of the home’s electricity, a 10.8 kW system, consisting of 1,000 square feet of pole-mounted PV panels, was installed in the optimum location on the nearly five-acre property. But it is the hot water system, which supplies radiant floor heating, domestic hot water, and heated pool water in the warm weather months, that uses the most ingenious integration of three high-Efficiency sources.
Solar thermal panels on the roof (500 square feet) heat a custom-made 1,000-gallon water tank, which is used like a battery to store heat for all the home’s requirements. When the sun isn’t producing enough heat, a pellet boiler with automatic feed backs up the solar panels. In the event that these systems cannot keep up with demand, a super high efficiency (AFUE 95) propane boiler will kick in.
Wherever possible, the clients wanted local and sustainable materials used throughout the interior and exterior. Stone for building facings and landscape stonework was harvested on or near the property; reclaimed lumber and FSC-certified wood products from Northeast sources were also used for the structure and finish items such as the kitchen island and desk tops. Countertops made from recycled glass at a Brooklyn, N.Y., fabricator were yet another local selection.
ENERGY-SAVING LIGHTING
Pendants in the kitchen include CFL lamps, and undercounter lighting uses LEDs.
RECYCLED TILE
Glass tile used in the backsplash is from Trikeenan Tileworks.
RECYCLED TOPS
Where a granite look was desired, the owners selected Icestone, which includes recycled glass.
CERTIFIED CABINETS
All cabinets are finished with low-VOC coatings and built with FSC-certified lumber.
RECLAIMED WOOD
Red and white oak floors throughout the home were milled and reclaimed from old timbers.
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GreenBuilder 12.2010
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