architect wayne turett, after experiencing the benefits of living in the stunning all-electric passive house his firm designed for a year, the architect is well-versed to passionately express just how well energy-efficient technologies can work.
recognized as one of the ‘best paths to net zero,” passive house (or passive haus) refers to a set of standards for energy efficiency that certifies a building’s ability to maintain comfortable temperatures year-round, requiring minimal energy (and expenditure) for heating or air-conditioning. a typical passive house thus consumes about 90 percent less heating energy than existing buildings and 75 percent less energy than average new construction.
the highly-efficient dream home, which fuses a modern aesthetic with a barn exterior, was a three-year labor of love from conception to completion; a mission to live true to his design ethos and commitment to the environment.
he explains, “greenport is more than just an oasis for my family, it is a living model for clients and meant to inspire others, that despite costing a little more to build, the results of living in passive house will more than pay for itself in energy savings and helping the environment. additionally, the air quality inside is a very high standard of luxury.”
with sustainable, lower energy requirements, the passive house approach makes possible the construction of net-zero energy buildings that rely little or not at all on fossil energy sources.
as turett explains, there were three key elements he had to consider when conceiving of his passive house: the envelope, which had to be completely sealed down to only six air changes per hour at 60 pascals of pressure; the insulation outside and inside the air barrier to ensure a much higher r value than code requires; and southern orientation plus added elements, such as roof overhangs, that protect the house from receiving too much sunlight in the summer.
while to the casual observer turett’s humble abode doesn’t look different from any other well-designed contemporary house on the north fork of long island; the difference is in the way it is built and performs. a recent home energy rating system (hers) analysis of the 2,400+ square foot greenport house confirms an estimated annual heating and cooling costs of just over $1,700 a year – an annual savings of $3,645 over the hers reference home numbers.
the entire design of this two-story home was thoughtfully created to not only be energy-efficient, but to make the most of interior and exterior spaces. the main living spaces—the combined kitchen, dining, living rooms and porch—were intentionally located upstairs to soak up water views, while cathedral ceilings in the great room contribute to an open and airy feeling reminiscent of a more modern and urban loft-like experience. downstairs, an outdoor shower helps smooth the transition from the sandy shore to the three-bedroom, two bath space on the ground floor.
[ vitals ]
living area is 2,400+ square feet
heating and cooling costs is just over $1,700 a year – a 900 square foot nyc apartment costs about $1,400 just to cool and use lights.
a motorized dampered exhaust duct in the kitchen
triple-glazed tilt and turn windows
energy-recovery-ventilation (erv) – brings in outside air to bed/living rooms and exhausts stale air from bathrooms/ kitchen
exterior is ship-lapped grey cedar and cement panels
the roof is aluminum standing seam
[ the turett collaborative ]
is a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design practice founded in 1991 by architect wayne turett. ttc’s work includes architectural design, interiors, graphics, industrial products, and furniture design and encompasses dozens of notable commercial, residential, retail, and restaurant projects. this frame of work spans from original construction to renovation and additions, to interior modernizations of historic properties.
[ international passive house association ]
