This Pro Tour takes attendees into Fine Homebuilding’s ProHOME, a single-family residence specifically designed as a teaching tool for builders and designers. The home is a building that will appeal to clients both in terms of energy performance and comfort and functionality.

The ProHOME was conceived as a single family residence with the flexibility to accommodate a range of family dynamics, including young children, age-in-place living, multi-generational living, or an in-law suite. Designed to be a net-zero home, the ProHOME will be powered by a PV array to be installed post-build by the builder.

The home is designed to be a contemporary farmhouse in order to fit the traditional neighborhood, with a roof design that incorporates a cross gable and shed dormer, a foundation faced with cultured stone, and bevel and nickel-gap siding. Maximum emphasis was put on the exterior envelope to reduce heating and cooling loads in order to accommodate a “right-sized” mechanical system.

Because this building is intended to help educate practitioners, some features will be left deliberately unfinished, giving Pro Tour attendees a peek into aspects of a home that are usually “hidden” in the final product. For example, the basement and the bonus room above the garage will be only partially finished allowing visitors to see details of the exterior assembly and framing package.

The ProHome was built with educational labor as part of FineHomebuild's outreach to bring more young professionals into the industry. You can read more about FineHomebuilding's efforts to attract new building practitioners at Keep Craft Alive.

Site Details

• 1,800 sq. ft.
• Mitsubishi air-source heat pumps
• Foundation is composed of concrete and Amvic ICFs and is a hybrid frost-protected shallow foundation assembly
• ZIP System sheathing
• Double-paned Integrity windows demonstrate that triple glazing is not a must for zero-energy homes
• Cavity insulation is fiberglass batts from CertainTeed and exterior insulation is rigid mineral wool from Roxul beneath a Cor-A-Vent rain screen and Boral siding
• Mechanically vented with a Zehnder ERV ducted with ComfoTubes

Schedule