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The Truro Home in Cape Cod is a stunning combination of modern architecture that works in harmony with nature rather than against it. Environmentally conscious as well as energy-efficient, the Truro home takes full advantage of the west facing view of the ocean.
The owners of the Truro home had some special needs. They needed to accommodate their full grown family which included multiple children and grandchildren but also wanted it to be comfortable and cozy enough for just two of them. “Planning for the extreme variation in occupancy was an issue the designers dealt with from the start,” says the team of Zero Energy Design, the firm responsible for the concept and execution of Truro home.
ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) is an architecture and energy consulting firm are also committed to reducing energy consumption needs of home they design. They are striving for 50 percent less energy use than what building codes require to encourage sustainability and energy independence. Several of the principles in the firm are all LEED accredited as well.
The ZED team tackled the variance in occupancy by creating a split “bar” of living and sleeping quarters. “This programmatic zoning allows the Sleeping Bar to be shut down during the majority of the year to decrease energy use,” says the ZED team.
Other methods used to create an Energy-efficient home
- A geothermal system with radiant heating system
- double stud framing which allowed for continuous foam insulation
- Energy-efficient water heater, appliances, and even worked with lighting company for energy-efficient fixtures
- Solar roof panels with a battery back-up and energy management system from GridPoint
Although homes like Truro homes are a rare find, we can still find ways to make our home energy efficient. WellHome provides energy audits as well as retrofitting. They are the leading providers in the U.S. So take this free quiz to see the step you need to take to make your home a more efficient one. And you could win up to $2500 of Energy-efficient upgrades by WellHome.
Source: Zero Energy Design, Modern House Architect
Photo Source: Eric Roth
