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An Architect Designs a Passive Home for His Family
This pro puts energy-efficient principles into practice in his weekend home in Long Island, New York
In exploring Passive House technology, architect Wayne Turett went above and beyond extensively researching it for his clients. After studying the standards and systems for years, Turett decided to design a Passive House for his own family, acting as general contractor and living in the home during construction so he could learn more to impart to his clients.
His family’s new weekend home — on the North Fork of Long Island in the charming town of Greenport, New York — nods to local barn architecture with urban loft-like interiors. Thanks to its thoughtful siting, tight envelope and energy-efficient systems, the home uses 90% less energy than existing homes and 75% less energy than a new home built to code, he says.
His family’s new weekend home — on the North Fork of Long Island in the charming town of Greenport, New York — nods to local barn architecture with urban loft-like interiors. Thanks to its thoughtful siting, tight envelope and energy-efficient systems, the home uses 90% less energy than existing homes and 75% less energy than a new home built to code, he says.
From the driveway, the entry sequence makes the most of the outdoor spaces. One can enter the home on this level through the garage door or the door off the deck, or walk across the deck to the exterior stairs and up to the second-story deck. The siding is a mix of gray fiber cement panels and rough gray cedar shiplap siding that suits the modern building yet fits in with other more traditional structures in the coastal town.
The driveway and landscaping are not yet finished — Turett has a plan to add a permeable driveway surface composed of chipped bluestone. A barn door-like panel slides over to reveal the garage, which has a charging station for electric cars. The site also minimizes runoff water — the water runs into a trough drain that leads to a dry well.
The driveway and landscaping are not yet finished — Turett has a plan to add a permeable driveway surface composed of chipped bluestone. A barn door-like panel slides over to reveal the garage, which has a charging station for electric cars. The site also minimizes runoff water — the water runs into a trough drain that leads to a dry well.
On the second-level deck, modern steel-cable railings keep the water views open. The overhang shades the interiors from the sun’s heat in the summer while the wide expanse of sliding glass doors allows coastal cross-breezes to cool the home.
Urban Loft Meets Scandinavian Country
By combining the kitchen, dining and living areas into one large open space underneath the cathedral ceiling, Turett was able to keep the home’s footprint smaller and create the urban loft-like vibe he was seeking. The light-colored wood, the abundance of white and the modern furniture give it a relaxed Scandinavian country house feeling.
The wood floors in the house are heart pine with an oil stain that has white pigment in it. “This stain lightened up the floors so that they are not reddish and they have a natural feeling,” he says.
Wood stain: Woca
By combining the kitchen, dining and living areas into one large open space underneath the cathedral ceiling, Turett was able to keep the home’s footprint smaller and create the urban loft-like vibe he was seeking. The light-colored wood, the abundance of white and the modern furniture give it a relaxed Scandinavian country house feeling.
The wood floors in the house are heart pine with an oil stain that has white pigment in it. “This stain lightened up the floors so that they are not reddish and they have a natural feeling,” he says.
Wood stain: Woca
The appliances are energy-efficient. “We bought the kitchen right off the floor at Valcucine and reconfigured it a bit,” Turett says. “It’s kind of like an Erector set and has some unique features.” For instance, this side of the island is faced in pegboard, and the white coverings on the upper cabinets around the window are a stretch fabric that adds lightness and texture. “We can put those right in the wash, and we have a few extras just in case,” he says.
The structure of the shelves, the conical stainless steel vent hood and perforated panels on the island create an industrial look that enhances the urban loft-like style in the house. Eames counter stools add a classic midcentury modern element.
The structure of the shelves, the conical stainless steel vent hood and perforated panels on the island create an industrial look that enhances the urban loft-like style in the house. Eames counter stools add a classic midcentury modern element.
Sustainable Systems
In the dining area, the tilt-turn windows on the right work in concert with the sliding doors across from them to make the most of the coastal breezes. Though the house has air conditioning, Turett says they have not had to use it yet. The home’s windows and doors, overhangs and thick walls keep the house cool without it.
In the dining area, the tilt-turn windows on the right work in concert with the sliding doors across from them to make the most of the coastal breezes. Though the house has air conditioning, Turett says they have not had to use it yet. The home’s windows and doors, overhangs and thick walls keep the house cool without it.
The kitchen table has a simple form and adds more light wood to the mix. Turett specified LED lighting throughout the house. The dining area’s light fixture echoes the structural metal tie rods that support the roof. He chose tie rods because they are less bulky than wood framing, maintaining the light and open feeling up here.
Browse rectangular light wood dining tables in the Houzz Shop
Browse rectangular light wood dining tables in the Houzz Shop
A corner window and skylights make the most of the natural light. “The skylights are more valuable in winter, when they let in the morning light, but they are small enough not to matter in the summer,” Turett says.
Even with all of these openings, the house has an airtight envelope that keeps warm air from escaping during the winter. This is a result of combining high-quality, well-sealed insulation, triple-paned glass and sheathing taped to form the air barrier, all key elements in a Passive House.
The walls are 12 inches thick, and here’s where a Passive House differs the most from a code-built house. Typically a code-built house from inside to out will have drywall, stud walls with fiberglass insulation in between the studs, then sheathing and exterior siding. “My house starts out that way, so, working from the inside out — Sheetrock, fiberglass between studs, Zip sheathing taped at the seams to create an air barrier. Add rigid polyisocyanurate insulation, add 1-by-3-inch furring strips to the rigid insulation and then add the finished siding,” Turett says. “When you cut into that you have to seal around the penetration, so with a window, the window has to be taped to the sheathing. When you have a pipe that goes from inside to out, you have to tape it to the sheathing.” The result is an airtight house — one that maintains temperatures and prevents drafts from entering.
The house is all electric and is heated and cooled with a duct mini-split system, aided by an energy-recovery ventilator. An ERV is important in an airtight building, as it exchanges fresh outdoor air for stale indoor air. The ERV can be boosted in areas that need it more, such as in the kitchen when cooking, or in the bathrooms to maintain healthy air quality.
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Even with all of these openings, the house has an airtight envelope that keeps warm air from escaping during the winter. This is a result of combining high-quality, well-sealed insulation, triple-paned glass and sheathing taped to form the air barrier, all key elements in a Passive House.
The walls are 12 inches thick, and here’s where a Passive House differs the most from a code-built house. Typically a code-built house from inside to out will have drywall, stud walls with fiberglass insulation in between the studs, then sheathing and exterior siding. “My house starts out that way, so, working from the inside out — Sheetrock, fiberglass between studs, Zip sheathing taped at the seams to create an air barrier. Add rigid polyisocyanurate insulation, add 1-by-3-inch furring strips to the rigid insulation and then add the finished siding,” Turett says. “When you cut into that you have to seal around the penetration, so with a window, the window has to be taped to the sheathing. When you have a pipe that goes from inside to out, you have to tape it to the sheathing.” The result is an airtight house — one that maintains temperatures and prevents drafts from entering.
The house is all electric and is heated and cooled with a duct mini-split system, aided by an energy-recovery ventilator. An ERV is important in an airtight building, as it exchanges fresh outdoor air for stale indoor air. The ERV can be boosted in areas that need it more, such as in the kitchen when cooking, or in the bathrooms to maintain healthy air quality.
Find local design pros who specialize in sustainable design
Outdoor Living
“We call this deck our summer living and dining room,” Turett says. The large doors create easy transitions from indoors to out. Turett concealed storage behind the sofa by covering the doors in matching cedar shiplap and using hidden hardware. The family stashes cushions, a spigot and hose, suntan lotion and other outdoor necessities in the closet.
Shop for outdoor furniture
“We call this deck our summer living and dining room,” Turett says. The large doors create easy transitions from indoors to out. Turett concealed storage behind the sofa by covering the doors in matching cedar shiplap and using hidden hardware. The family stashes cushions, a spigot and hose, suntan lotion and other outdoor necessities in the closet.
Shop for outdoor furniture
Marine-style sconces add a modern nautical touch. There’s more outdoor living space on the decks below, as well as an outdoor shower.
Bedroom Level
The main level in this upside-down floor plan contains the bedrooms.
The main level in this upside-down floor plan contains the bedrooms.
Although their grown children enjoy visiting the home, Turett and his wife have the place to themselves some weekends. So he created this floor-to-ceiling door that allows them to open up their master suite when they are here alone. “We can see right through to the window at the other end of the house when it’s open. And when it’s closed it looks like it’s the end of the house,” he says. Opening the oversize door gives them the urban loft feeling that they like.
The couple wanted to continue the open feeling into their master bathroom. The opening over the bathtub provides a view through to the master bathroom’s long mirror from the bedroom. A sliding barn door on the bedroom side can be closed for privacy. The shower is open to the rest of the bathroom.
A line of river stones creates an interesting transition between the shower floor and bathtub, and it also delineates the flooring change from heart pine to Stonetto, a nonslip quartz-based composition that looks like stone. A door to the left of the shower opens to a deck. “This door gives the shower an indoor-outdoor feel,” Turett says.
A floating vanity and a long mirror with integrated LED lighting maintain a clean, minimalist look.
Browse lighted mirrors in the Houzz Shop
A floating vanity and a long mirror with integrated LED lighting maintain a clean, minimalist look.
Browse lighted mirrors in the Houzz Shop
The master bedroom also opens to an outdoor deck. Placing the bedrooms on the first level allowed for this access.
When the project is completed, Turett will begin the process of Passive House certification that confirms the house uses 90% less energy than existing homes and 75% less energy than a code-built new home. Because they only use the home on the weekends and their systems are so efficient, they have decided against photovoltaic panels for now. But if they choose to add them, he estimates the house would reach zero energy, meaning it would generate as much power as it uses over the course of a year.
More on Houzz
Read more about Passive Houses
Tour more energy-efficient homes
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Shop for your home
When the project is completed, Turett will begin the process of Passive House certification that confirms the house uses 90% less energy than existing homes and 75% less energy than a code-built new home. Because they only use the home on the weekends and their systems are so efficient, they have decided against photovoltaic panels for now. But if they choose to add them, he estimates the house would reach zero energy, meaning it would generate as much power as it uses over the course of a year.
More on Houzz
Read more about Passive Houses
Tour more energy-efficient homes
Hire a home design pro
Shop for your home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Architect Wayne Turett of The Turett Collaborative and his wife
Location: Greenport, New York
Size: 2,300 square feet (214 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
The lot was subdivided off a larger lot in the village of Greenport and is long and narrow. The lot’s shape, a desire for an open floor plan and the charming local barns that dot the North Fork of Long Island inspired the home’s long and simple form. Turett oriented the house to capture the views of Stirling Basin, where the family keeps a sailboat. This side of the house also has southeastern exposure, which helps keep the house warm in the winter.
Exterior stairs (the set seen here was temporary) lead to the second floor, which houses the public living spaces — the living room, dining room and kitchen. Turett turned typical floor plans upside down so these rooms would have the best views of the harbor and enjoy the cathedral ceiling provided by the gabled roofline. A long deck serves as an outdoor extension of these spaces, complete with a lounge and dining area that have water views.
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