Project Description

This is a four bedroom, four bathroom home located within walking distance to downtown New Canaan.  The homeowners are retired and wanted a new home with traditional styling that could achieve net-zero performance. With a 16.28kw photovoltaic system installed, the homeowner is able to maintain net zero performance, even including charging his Tesla. Because the house is on a smaller downtown lot, the owners also wanted to use exterior hardscape strategies to create a private outdoor space for the summer months.

Type: New Construction, Custom Green Home

Project Architect: Evolve Design Group

Special Features:

  • Custom kitchen with exposed beams and huge island
  • Dining room is open to the kitchen with direct access to the terrace
  • Coffered ceiling in the living room
  • Wood-burning fireplace with interior and exterior fieldstone veneer
  • Character-grade, rift+quarter-sawn white oak flooring

Green Building Approaches:

  • 16.28kw PV system
  • 4” of EPS foamboard insulation over vapor barrier in crawl spaces
  • 6” of EPS foamboard insulation applied to the interior face of crawl space walls
  • 4” of EPS foamboard insulation under the basement slab and between slab and foundation wall
  • 2-1/4” of XPS insulating drain board over exterior face of basement walls
  • 2” of continuous closed-cell (low GWP) spray foam applied to the interior face of basement walls
  • 3-1/2” of Roxul mineral wool between 2×4 studs on the interior face of basement walls
  • 2×6 wall framing with 5-1/2” dense-pack cellulose insulation
  • Walls are wrapped with 4” of European fiberboard insulation to manage thermal bridging
  • 2×12 roof framing with 12” of dense-pack cellulose insulation
  • Roof is covered with 4-3/4” European fiberboard insulation to manage thermal bridging
  • Fully ventilated roof above fiberboard roof insulation
  • Acrylic sheathing tapes used at wall and roof sheathing planes to achieve exceptional air-tightness
  • European triple-glazed aluminum-clad wood windows with u-values of 0.13 (roughly R-8)
  • Ducted air-source heat pump system heats and cools the entire house
  • Tankless propane-fired, condensing water heater eliminates storage energy losses
  • European energy recovery ventilation system has an independent mini-duct distribution system
  • Engineered red cedar shingle panel siding installed over a ¾” ventilated drainage plane
  • Exterior trim manufactured primarily from recycled fly ash and rated for ground contact
  • 100% LED lighting
  • Low-flow water fixtures throughout