energy efficient home designs - "Design for Value and Energy Efficiency" By: Roselind Hejl "Two story

brick traditional with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, island kitchen, and large deck " !o"nd #amiliar$ %e o#ten talk abo"t ho"ses in terms o# room co"nt, along with a list o# #inishes, s"ch as tile #loors, granite co"nters, or #a"& 'aint. %hile this (ocab"lary con(eys certain #acts, it does not 'ro(ide the tools to think abo"t how to re)design a ho"se in a #ab"lo"s way. *t is (al"able to be able to make the decisions that trans#orm a 'oor design into a ho"se that is memorable, end"ring, and widely a''ealing. To do this we need to go dee'er than sim'ly "'dating #inishes or increasing s+"are #ootage. %e m"st think abo"t how the str"ct"re sha'es the #eelings and e&'erience o# its inhabitants. *n the words o# %inston ,h"rchill, "%e sha'e o"r b"ildings, and a#terwards o"r b"ildings sha'e "s." %hen a ho"se has design #laws, we know int"iti(ely that it does not #eel right. -n the other hand, a well designed ho"se can make "s #eel ins'ired, enriched, and to"ched by a sense o# order. %e o#ten see ho"ses that ha(e some elements in the str"ct"re and site that a''eal to "s, b"t cannot be li(ed in witho"t remodeling. -#ten o"r clients say that they want to #ind a ho"se with good bones .meaning good basic design/, that they can "'date. The tr"th is that most ho"ses ha(e some good design and some bad design. 0ainting walls and "'dating #i&t"res will not co(er bad design. 1o" will need to think abo"t the ho"se in a dee'er way. 2se these design 'rocesses to hel' yo" make the di##ic"lt decisions that will res"lt in a ho"se that many 'eo'le wo"ld lo(e to li(e in. 1. Relate the house to the site. Think abo"t how the ho"se integrates and interacts with the land aro"nd it. This awareness is a basic, b"t o#ten ignored, beginning. The connection and inter'lay between interior and e&terior s'aces enhances both in a 'ower#"l way. 3anage the (iews #rom each window. *s there an "ndesirable (iew into a neighbor4s home or yard$ *s there a nice (iew that is blocked by a wall or #ire'lace$ 5otice how the walkway leads to the street, where 'ri(acy is needed, where noise b"##ering is needed, how drainage will work. 6 side area co"ld be a 'ri(ate garden, accessible #rom the main bedroom. 6 #ront 'orch o(erlooking the street co"ld bring the ho"se into a relationshi' with the neighborhood. 2. Bring in natural light. Ho"ses can be trans#ormed by adding windows and other light so"rces. 7enero"s light #eels sa#e and "'li#ting, and attracts 'eo'le toward it. 5at"ral light raises the le(el o# im'ortance and the bea"ty o# rooms. 8ight all main rooms #rom two sides, i# 'ossible, to red"ce glare and balance the light. 2se glass doors, windows, skylights, transoms, or light t"nnels.

9ee' 'assi(e solar techni+"es in mind as yo" add windows and shading de(ices. The control o# solar energy #or light and heat is #"ndamental #or an e##icient and com#ortable home. 3. Break down hard arriers etween indoor and outdoor s!aces. 7lass doors, screens, and walls that slide o'en can create semi)trans'arent walls, #orming indoor:o"tdoor s'aces that ha(e enormo"s a''eal. Bree;eways, garden rooms, bay windows, and screened 'orches are s'aces that 'eo'le lo(e. These bring 'eo'le into contact with the o"tdoors, yet may be #"rnished in a com#ortable way.

". #hink of outdoor s!aces as large rooms. %hen all areas o# the site are tho"ght o# as li(ing s'aces, new ideas o'en "'. These o"tdoor s'aces e&'and the ho"se by creating a sense o# semi)enclos"re in (ario"s ways. Their edges can be de#ined by trees, #ences, wings o# the ho"se or other b"ildings. <or e&am'le, an o"tdoor room may be a shady nat"ral s'ace on the site enclosed by a line o# trees and shr"bs. -"tdoor li(ing s'aces can be co"rtyards, walled gardens, trellis co(ered bree;eways, stone 'atios, or o"tdoor showers. Think abo"t their "se and connectedness to the ho"se. -#ten, we see an e&terior s'ace that is b"ilt as an isolated destination 'lace ) a second #loor deck, #or e&am'le. *# yo" ha(e to make an e##ort to go there, the s'ace will not be "sed. -"tdoor s'aces are most "sed when they are on 'aths "sed by 'eo'le coming and going. This is why a #ront 'orch is a (ery a''ealing design element. 0eo'le nat"rally meet here, and the 'orch connects with neighbors walking by. 6 'o'"lar o"tdoor li(ing area is the backyard deck. This is o#ten seems to be an a#tertho"ght, tacked onto the ho"se. ,an it be co(ered and screened$ $. %onsider widening roof o&erhangs or adding !ro!!ed shutters o&er windows. This is a green b"ilding techni+"e in warm climates, blocking solar 'enetration. The (iew o# the o"tside roo# str"ct"re seen #rom inside the ho"se e(okes a sense o# shelter and 'rotection. *# 'ossible, e&tend the roo# in some areas to create co(ered 'orches or bree;eways. Rooms that are sim"ltaneo"sly o'en and 'rotected are (ery a''ealing. *nside the ho"se, e&'osed ra#ters, r"stic beams, or wood s"r#aces on the ceiling create #eelings o# strength and character in the home. '. Re&iew traffic flow - a crucial( ut often ignored( design element.

%alk down the 'aths that bring yo" inside the #ront door, then lead yo" to (ario"s rooms thro"gh the ho"se, and again to the o"tdoors. =o they c"t thro"gh the middle o# li(ing areas$ %hen this ha''ens the li(ing area will ne(er #eel com'lete and com#ortable. ,irc"lation 'aths sho"ld lead along the edges o# main rooms, and e##iciently to 'ri(ate rooms. 6 ma;e like #loor'lan creates a sense o# wasted energy and con#"sion. <ew e&terior doors may res"lt in a s"btle #eeling o# being tra''ed. Bring m"lti'le "ses to hallways and connecting s'aces with bookshel(es, windows or window seats. !et a'art the main entrance with details s"ch as a co(ered 'lace to stand, s'ecial doors, benches, or 'otted 'lants. ). %om!are the si*es of rooms in !ro!ortion to each other. 0eo'le ha(e an int"iti(e sense o# the correct hierarchy o# s'aces. !mall li(ing s'aces will seem wrong when combined with large bedrooms. Homes with awkward design can o#ten be im'ro(ed by remo(ing walls to make one large s'ace #rom se(eral smaller ones. ,onsider the "se and #"nction o# each room. *s the room to be "sed 'ri(ately, s"ch as a bedroom, st"dy, or library$ -r, will the #amily gather here to cook and eat in#ormally$ !ome ho"ses incl"de #ormal areas, others do not. !ome ha(e many rooms, others are (ery o'en. There is no right or wrong decision here. Ho"ses that ha(e a tr"e and int"iti(e a''eal ha(e a clarity as to the #"nction o# each room. +. %hoose materials as an integral !art of the design - not as decorator selections made at the end. <or e&am'le, str"ct"ral materials can be e&'osed, or #looring can be "sed to connect and "ni#y s'aces. Bring in the bea"ty and te&t"re o# nat"ral materials. 2se materials that o##set each other ) warm and cool colors, ro"gh and smooth te&t"res, solid and delicate walls. 2se materials to connect the ho"se to the site ) #or e&am'le, a wood clad ho"se s"rro"nded by woods, or a stone ho"se ne&t to o"tcro''ings o# stone. -r, connect the ho"se to the neighborhood with historic colors and siding. Re'eat materials and colors to "ni#y the interior and e&terior