In-Town Gambrel

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