DG_EA Projects

Residential

Fallen Leaf Lake

Ashland, OR

Commercial

Educational

Rypins - Risdon Residence

Conditioned Space:
1905 s.f.

Cost:
$200/s.f

Wall Construction:
ICF

Completed:
Spring 2009

Builder:
Owner-Builder

The owners, like most Angora Fire victims, were devastated when they lost their home that they had put so much work into themselves. Although the original house was small (about 1700 s.f.) and cold in winter while hot in summer, it was home. At the initial design meeting it was decided that the new home would be only slightly larger than the original, as Green as possible with an aesthetic that borrowed from the industrial look that is seen in many urban areas while respecting the forest setting.

Photographs

The first thing you will notice about this house as you approach it is the strong passive solar component. Designed around an aesthetic of forest industrial, the solar component becomes the dominant feature of this home. The majority of glass is south facing to take advantage of solar gain with some smaller windows on the West and North for light and cross ventilation. The roof overhangs have been sized to admit the winter sun and take advantage of the free warming and to block the summer sun to prevent overheating. The openness of the plan makes this small home feel much more spacious than its 1905 square feet would suggest and while there are large expanses of glass facing the street the home still feels private. The form of the building and exposed steel and concrete structural elements helps define the forest industrial aesthetic.

Plans

The floor plan is elongated along the East-West axis to provide for more southern exposure and a shallower depth to allow the sun to penetrate to the back of the home. While the previous one story home on this site suffered through a dark winter due to the trees across the street blocking the low winter sun, computer modeling showed that the second story of the new home would receive direct sunlight throughout the winter. The home was designed with a summer entry directly into the Atrium space and a winter entry that serves as a coat room and airlock that prevents cold winter air from directly entering the heated spaces. The mechanical room is located within the house so that any excess heat given off remains within the building envelope instead of being wasted. Trombe wall panels located on the upper level serve as solar collectors in the winter and will assist in providing cooling ventilation during the summer. Operable windows at the top of the south facing glass wall will also provide stack ventilation during the summer.

Construction

Insulated concrete form (ICF) construction provided a well insulated, tightly sealed building envelope with the all important thermal mass to store the suns energy and maintain a comfortable thermal environment day and night. Thermal insulating curtains will provide nighttime insulation over the windows. Radiant heat embedded in the floors will provide a more comfortable thermal environment that complements the passive solar system. Domestic hot water will be provided by solar panels integrated into the storage area located over the garage. An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) provides fresh air for ventilation while capturing 94% of the heat that would otherwise be expelled.

Green Features

Passive solar design
Daylight design
Centrally located mechanical room
Trombe walls
ICF Construction
Spray foam Insulation (roof, windows, doors ductwork & plumbing)
Solar domestic hot water
96% efficient, modulating boiler
Radiant heat
Energy Recovery Ventilator
Energy Star appliances
High efficiency lighting throughout house
Dual flush, low flow toilets
Front load, water efficient washing machine
Native landscaping, turf removal & drip irrigation
Low emitting materials (Low VOC paints, water based concrete stains & sealers)
Sustainable materials (MDF doors, fiber cement fascia, sustainable oak flooring)
Radon mitigation

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