“You did a great job of interpreting our needs and interests in the design and we've been pleased with all the compliments we've received.  Your interest in environmental design helped us think about new ideas to improve on the sustainable and energy efficient aspects of the design.  We particularly like the cooperation and interaction between you and Bob, which led to a better result, as confirmed by Bob's comments.” Owner Tall Timbers Residence

TALL TIMBERS HOUSE: is a new 2300 square foot LEED Certified home designed to reflect the client’s priorities in enriching the lives of their family and the environment.

PROJECT NAME: Tall Timbers House

PROJECT TYPE: New Single Family Residence

PROJECT CONTEXT: The home sits comfortably among its neighbors in a quiet cul de sac.  The cottage’s low eaves nestle into the surrounding landscape and welcome views of the surrounding meadow and rolling hills beyond.  Built to be durable, sustainable and elegant, the house takes advantage of modern materials and systems as well as traditional craftsmanship to enhance its livability and durability.

PROJECT LOCATION: Glastonbury, CT

PROJECT COMPLETION: Spring 2007

PROJECT PROGRAM: The client wished to create a home would reflect their environmental values while accommodating their functional needs for years to come.  They challenged us to create a home which was inspiring, moving beyond utility by being gracious and welcoming without being any larger than necessary.  They pointed to Bungalow and Craftsman architecture as a style for the design.

DESIGN SOLUTION: The site had a natural clearing from which you could easily access the road and public utilities in the front and views and south light in the rear.  The main volume was laid out with an “L” shaped plan with the kitchen, dining and living room on the south side and first floor master suite in the el.  To give the home more presence from the street, we separated the garage as a separate barn like volume which rotated 45 deg in plan.  The space between the garage and house created a screen porch which opened to the southern private views and closed to the north and the road.  The funnel shape coxes the summer breezes through the space.

The main living spaces occupy the south side of the home opening to one another making larger than the plan suggests.  From the front entry views to the dining room and stair give the home an elegance without the waste of an oversized entry. Columns and beams define the spaces and add architectural interest.  The north side of the main volume holds an efficient mudroom, laundry and ½ bath which serves both the front door and the daily back entry.  The master bedroom suite is entered behind the stair making it feel remote but convenient.  A small away room/office is adjacent tot the living room.  A pair of french pocket doors gives privacy, while sharing light.  Upstairs 2 additional bedrooms with a shared bath and central living space works well for visiting children, yet the heat can be turned down when not in use.

The open meadow to the rear made a horizontal loop geothermal heating and cooling system practical for the home, and we created a dormer which could hold a 3kw photovoltaic array in a discrete location on the home.   With the building envelop constructed so tight from blown fiberglass insulation and careful detailing, we introduced an energy recovery ventilator to generate introduce fresh air in an energy efficient way. 

From early in the design process and continuing into construction we challenged each person involved to increase their awareness and response to environmental considerations and details which would affect the homes longevity, efficiency and appearance.  As a result, we undertook the LEED for Homes and Energy Star certification, which includes verification of the design documents and construction methods, testing them against strict environmental standards and performance criteria.  From erosion control during construction to the selection to the final finished we used the LEED standards to help to prioritize the design choices our client’s budget and green goals.   The result was about a 5% increase to the budget, which we found would fully pay off in energy and maintenance savings in less than 5 years.  The Owner has found that through the tight home construction, energy efficient systems and the photovoltaic array that their monthly utility bills average well less than $100/month which is about 75% less than the average comparable home.  The home achieved the first Gold Certification in Connecticut under the LEED for Homes Program.

MATERIALS: Durability and low maintenance where priorities of the design.  We used deep overhangs to protect the siding, while enhancing the craftsman feel.  Cement siding was used as a band closest to the ground to minimize splash back damage while farmed white cedar siding was used in the areas under protecting overhangs.  Vinyl clad high efficiency windows and solid pvc azek trim further extended the maintenance cycle of the home. We used hardiboard panel siding with azek battens to distinguish the garage from the house and the texture of the siding and trim details give the smaller home an elegance the owner desired. Locally quarried crushed stone and patio materials were used in the hardscaping and the landscaping used non invasive drought tolerant plants, with minimized lawn area.  Inside we used environmentally friendly materials such as prefinished bamboo floors, MDF doors, and American cherry for the numerous built ins and accents.

PROJECT COST:  The project cost was approximately $250 per square foot of heated living space.

PROJECT TEAM:	Russell Campaigne AIA Mary Jo Kestner AIA Joshua Grochowski Cavin Costello
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER:	Scott Erricson, PE, E2 Engineers New London, CT
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:	Bob Dykins Glastonbury House Smith So. Glastonbury, CT (860) 209-4731
GEOTHERMAL:	Guy Wanegar A&B Cooling andf Heating Corp 660 Nutmeg Road North South Windsor CT 06074 (860) 528-4436
PHOTOVOLTAIC:	Mark Waldo Waldo Renewable Electric waldosolarct@lycos.com www.waldorenewable.com

Article by Hartford Courant: Green…And Gold

Article by Consumer Reports: Green homes get new rating system