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Lakeside Cottage

    • BPC Green earned a U.S. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certification on this ultra-efficient lakeside cabin in west Connecticut.
    • BPC Green's two-story cottage features a south-facing roof that provides maximum space to install solar panels in the future. In addition this roof orientation maximizes natural comfort because the overhang allows low-angle sunlight through large south-facing windows in the winter and shades high-angle sunlight in the summer.
    • One ultra-efficient ductless heat pump is all the ultra-efficient 1,680-square-foot home needs for heating and cooling.
    • The home has energy-saving attic perimeter insulation thanks to raised heel trusses that provide added depth for an ultra-efficient 24-inch layer of R-86 cellulose insulation that completely covers the attic floor all the way to the edge.
    • Comprehensive draft protection is achieved by sealing all of the plywood sheathing seams with tape then covering the home with two layers of rigid closed cell foam board, which forms a continuous exterior thermal blanket.
    • The complete dry-by-design wall system includes draining house wrap between the two layers of rigid foam board, taping the seams of the second foil-faced layer to form a water barrier, and installing furring strips to provide an air gap between the insulation and the siding.
    • The ultra-efficient foundation insulation includes R-28 of rigid foam at the perimeter and 18 inches below grade.
    • A slab foundation was added next to the existing uninsulated staggered-height basement, doubling the size of the home's original footprint. The new slab was poured over an ultra-efficient R-55 rigid foam foundation insulation.
    • The enhanced comfort floor insulation includes 2.5 inches of closed-cell plus 5.5 inches of open-cell spray foam in the floor joists above the existing basement as well as the thick rigid foam layer under the newly poured slab foundation.
    • Taping the plywood sheathing seams is one step in the comprehensive draft protection scheme.

      Lakeside Cottage

      Project Address

      Danbury, CT

      Conditioned Square Footage
      1,680 sqft
      Number of Bedrooms
      3 Beds
      Number of Bathrooms
      2.5 Baths
      Number of Floors Above Grade
      2 Floors Above Grade
      Home Type
      Custom
      Climate Zone Temperature
      Cold

      With PV

      HERS Index with PV
      35HERS (PV)
      Average Monthly Energy Bill PV
      $115Average Monthly Energy Bill (PV)
      Annual Energy Cost Savings with PV
      $1,000Annual Energy Cost Savings (PV)
      30 Year Savings with PV
      $43,00030 Year Savings (PV)

      BPC Green Builders

      ZERO

      HIA Year
      HIA Status
      Winner
      HIA Category
      Housing Innovation Award

      Learn More

      Key Features

      Key Features
      All-electric home Cold-climate heat pump Energy / Heat recovery ventilator High-performance wall with continuous insulation Triple-pane windows ACH 50 < 2.5 or CFM50/SF of enclosure ≤ 0.25

      Read the Case Study

      Testimonials

      Video Testimonial

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      Home owner (or occupant) Testimony
      This past winter was exceptionally cold, yet our highest monthly heating cost was $60, whereas my neighbors were spending hundreds if not thousands per month. The energy performance … is not only a great personal benefit, but also a great social benefit because we are doing our part to help our community lower its energy footprint.
      Testimony Citation
      Homeowner and builder Mike Trolle

      Additional Media

      Under Construction

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        Other Images

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          Floor Plan