Houzz Tour: A Green Cape Cod Beach House
We were thrilled to discover these beautiful house photos when Zero Enrgy Design firm joined houzz earlier this week.
This modern house was designed as a summer and weekend house for a professional couple. The couple wanted the house to accommodate their large family, including grown children and grandchildren.
Located on a beautiful Cape Cod beach, the house has a magnificent west-facing view of the water and sunset.
Architectural and energy performance details
Planning for the extreme variation in occupancy, the home is split into a 'Living Bar' and a 'Sleeping Bar'. The Sleeping Bar is the expansion module, with numerous bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate the entire family. The Living Bar includes the living and dining areas, as well as a secondary master bedroom – all that the couple needs when the children are away. This programmatic zoning allows the Sleeping Bar to be shut down during the majority of the year to decrease energy use.
The geothermal system, coupled with a radiant heating system supplies all of the heating and cooling for the year. Aside from energy efficient appliances and water heaters, the architect worked with lighting consultant to ensure that all of the spaces are well illuminated using energy efficient fixtures. The owners also decided to minimize the home's reliance on fossil fuels. Propane is used only for cooking and there is no natural gas.
The roof has a large solar electric array to offset energy usage through the use of net metering. The combination of energy efficient building envelope and systems with the solar array allows the home to produce as much energy as it uses over the course of a year.
Flooring was limited to slate, bamboo, and polished concrete, while omitting any carpeting that might capture dust, mites, mold, or moisture. and an air exchange and energy recovery system provides clean fresh air throughout the year.
The exterior finishes allow the home to blend into the dunes. The site is vegetated with indigenous plants that prevent erosion and won't require irrigation.
This modern house was designed as a summer and weekend house for a professional couple. The couple wanted the house to accommodate their large family, including grown children and grandchildren.
Located on a beautiful Cape Cod beach, the house has a magnificent west-facing view of the water and sunset.
Architectural and energy performance details
Planning for the extreme variation in occupancy, the home is split into a 'Living Bar' and a 'Sleeping Bar'. The Sleeping Bar is the expansion module, with numerous bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate the entire family. The Living Bar includes the living and dining areas, as well as a secondary master bedroom – all that the couple needs when the children are away. This programmatic zoning allows the Sleeping Bar to be shut down during the majority of the year to decrease energy use.
The geothermal system, coupled with a radiant heating system supplies all of the heating and cooling for the year. Aside from energy efficient appliances and water heaters, the architect worked with lighting consultant to ensure that all of the spaces are well illuminated using energy efficient fixtures. The owners also decided to minimize the home's reliance on fossil fuels. Propane is used only for cooking and there is no natural gas.
The roof has a large solar electric array to offset energy usage through the use of net metering. The combination of energy efficient building envelope and systems with the solar array allows the home to produce as much energy as it uses over the course of a year.
Flooring was limited to slate, bamboo, and polished concrete, while omitting any carpeting that might capture dust, mites, mold, or moisture. and an air exchange and energy recovery system provides clean fresh air throughout the year.
The exterior finishes allow the home to blend into the dunes. The site is vegetated with indigenous plants that prevent erosion and won't require irrigation.