Hobart Net Zero in Massachusetts
Completion
Occupancy
Owner occupied; 2 occupants full time. Occasional house guests: 4 for 2-3 weeks per year
Scope
Original 1970's single story ranch (with full cellar) with 1990's one room addition with porch, on pilings. Ranch was demolished to first floor deck, cellar was preserved. One room addition was gutted to studs, floor and roof, and porch removed.
Type of Construction | New, Retrofit |
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Number of buildings | 1 |
Floor area of each building | 3,100 |
Bedrooms | 4 |
Bathrooms | 3.5 |
Stories | 2 |
Conditioned Building Volume | 23,000 cu ft |
Conditioned Floor Area | 2,700 sq ft |
Unconditioned Floor Area | 1,000 sq ft |
Location and Climate Details
Single family residence
Address |
39 Sengekontacket Road Edgartown, MA 02539
United States |
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Location Type | Suburaban |
Climate Region | Zone 5 |
Köppen Climate Type | Cfb |
Lat. / Long. | POINT (-70.5728337 41.4192946) |
Elevation | 12 ft |
Solar Insolation | 3.74 KWh/m2/day Annual Average |
Annual CDD and Base Temp | 41 Ave over las 5 years | 78 deg F |
Annual HDD and Base Temp | 5600 | 65 deg F |
Site
The house is on a ~.85 acre lot on a peninsula including a tidal salt marsh and on the edge of a salt pond, totally within the coastal zone.
Materials and Design Strategy
As it is in the coastal zone, no increase in footprint was allowed; a variance was obtained for a slight increase in height, to allow a second floor. Local regulations limit the amount of fertilizer which can be applied per year; we actually apply none, using native plants. The existing cellar and pilings were preserved and minimal excavation was done to install a nitrogen reduction septic system.
South facing window area, along long axis of house, was maximized; other exposures were minimized. All windows have overhangs which minimize heat gain in summer but allow maximum heat gain in winter. Window SHGC is 0.440, U factor is 0.150. Windows were installed with foam and taped around the edges. Windows are hurricane glassed. House walls are about R-45, roof is R-65. The ranch is build with SIPs and the (gutted) addition is sheathed with nail-base SIPs. Cellar was foam paneled and the rim joists were spray foamed. Blower door testing revealed it met the Passiv Haus standard for air infiltration.
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