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Featured Design Project |
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Drawing a Fresh Bath
Newton Centre, MA
Client:
Professional couple with children recently moved from San Francisco.
Description:
When architect James H. Ritchie designed a Craftsman residence for himself in 1912, he chose to include many of the latest features and technologies available at the time. Nearly 100 years later, the homes newest owners saw that time had been frozen inside the house. Some features of the home were wonderful and necessitated preservation while other aspects were in dire need of updates - especially the bathrooms.
Original Bathroom:
The bathroom used by the master bedroom lacked any significant updates and offered the original toilet, sink, and shower. Modern simple conveniences such as storage space were non-existent. Weak lighting made it hard to see oneself in the small mirror. A drafty window left the room constantly cold. The best option for the full bathroom remodel was to move the entire bathroom to a sunporch that abutted the master bedroom which allowed all the lacking elements to be addressed, and the space of the old bathroom to be utilized as a walk-in closet.
Bathroom BEFORE Renovation:
 
SunPorch BEFORE Renovation, Later Converted Into Master Bathroom:
Client Request:
Find space for both a tub and a daily use shower, provide the master suite with more closet space, and please make the master bathroom feel fresh, healthy, and bright.
Design Solution and Photos AFTER Renovation:
Where previously in the bathroom there was only a single sink and a dark shower, the sunporch now incorporates twin sinks for the couple, a shower with a clear glass surround, and a sleek tub directly beneath the windows. The old location has been converted into a walk-in closet, providing greatly needed storage space for the master suite.
The clean feeling with wonderful light was achieved with the larger window size, using a light colored quartz vanity top, floating the custom bamboo cabinetry, and incorporating twin frameless mirrors with tall vertical light fixtures.
To maintain privacy, the toilet and shower are set back from the wider window, while the tub is nestled well below the sill and allows for full natural light while bathing.
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| Home Energy Rating System (HERS) |
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 Home energy ratings provide a standard measurement of a home's energy efficiency using a combination of energy modeling tools and field test results on new and existing homes.
In new homes, the rating process is often used to verify energy performance for the ENERGY STAR homes program.
For existing homes, an energy rating allows a homebuyer to easily understand the energy performance of the home being considered. Over time the measurement of existing homes is likely to become a more mainstream practice.
The modeling software used in the rating can also help identify specific, cost effective ways to upgrade the home's energy efficiency.
There are two types of ratings:
Forecasted ratings - Ratings performed prior to the construction of a home or prior to the installation of energy improvements to an existing home.
Confirmed ratings - Ratings completed using data gathered from an on-site inspection, which include performance testing of the home.
ZeroEnergy Design has a Certified HERS rater on staff and offers energy modeling with cost analysis to improve home & building energy performance. Certification facilitation is also offered in combination with the firm's architecture & engineering services.
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| Exploring The Pinehills Community |
A recent extended tour of The Pinehills in Plymouth Massachusetts emphasized the effort and features that went into creating the large 3,000 acre development. With a total of 3,000 homes planned, 9 separate builders with different styles and philosophies are constructing both small and large neighborhoods there.
Tony Green, Managing Partner, explained that the process of home siting was driven by the views, the highest land elevations, and preserving the trees, rather than dictated by the path of the roads. The hilly terrain provides the opportunity to build most homes on a slope with views out over the tree tops.
Later in the process after the homes were sited, the roads were designed using a tighter road width, stacking utilities underground, and keeping natural contours to provide the feeling that the road was built long ago. The remaining 2,000 undeveloped acres provide open space and offer walking and biking trails for the enjoyment of residents.
In addition to featuring the open space, some neighborhoods within the community have adopted higher goals for their homes, such as Five Lanterns, a selection of 25 residences that include the Boston magazine Design Home 2008. ZeroEnergy Design helped them achieve Energy Star certification with performance of 25-30% better than a new code built home. They also offer a healthy home package that improves indoor air quality.
A newer neighborhood in The Pinehills opened this past weekend called Barefoot Cottages, offering homes with a smaller footprint and wide open first floors. The darker colors, unique windows, varied steep rooflines, and several siding styles present a more rural New England look to the homes.
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| Michelle Kaufman Designs Shuts Down |
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Falling prey to the economic downturn, prefab home company Michelle Kaufman Designs closed it's doors. As one of the most recognized names in the prefab industry, this may be a repeat of previous history lessons for hopeful prefab companies. Is prefab really a practical answer to the demand for housing? The markets seem to be answering.
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2009 CUSD House to be Presold |
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FOR SALE: 2009 Cornell University Solar Decathlon House
On Display at:
- New York State Fair, Syracuse,NY 8/27-9/9
- National Mall, Washington,DC 10/9-10/18
- High Voltage Lab, Ithaca, NY August and November
The 2009 Cornell University Solar Decathlon House is being presold by the team. A phenominal amount of effort and technology are being used in the construction of the house, and the end result can be yours for a fraction of its value.
Summary provided by the 2009 CUSD Team:
Cost to Build - This house is built using state-of-the-art materials donated by top tier suppliers. Cumulatively, the materials are worth more than $425,000 to purchase. In addition, professional and student labor valued at over $200,000 went into building, assembling, and finishing the house. Finally, an equivalent of over $100,000 of professional fees was spent for design and project management purposes. IN TOTAL OVER $725,000 OF MATERIALS, LABOR, AND PROFESSIONAL FEES WENT INTO DESIGNING AND BUILDING THIS UNIQUE AND TECHNOLOGICALLY INNOVATIVE HOME.
Method of Sale - Offers at, or near, the asking price are now being accepted. If no acceptable offer is received by October 30th, the team will sell the house via auction on Saturday, November 14th in Ithaca at Cornell's High Voltage Lab.
Tour the House - Interested parties may tour the house at the New York State Fairgrounds from late August through late September, on the National Mall during the competition in October or at the High Voltage Lab in late October and early November.
Asking Price- $189,000
Details - Buyer is responsible for transporting the house from Ithaca, New York, or Washington DC; building any desired house foundation; performing site work; and connecting the house to their local power grid. Contact your local movers, local utility provider, and general contractors for these services. A buyer can expect to pay an additional $50-100,000 for such services depending on distance, site location, and site plans.
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