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Taft School

    • BPC Green Builders constructed this 3,891-square-foot home in Watertown, Connecticut, to the performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
    • This home on the campus of the nearly 100-year-old Taft School in western Connecticut was designed to fit in with its historic surroundings while the energy-efficiency features built into the home help it serve as a living laboratory for the students.
    • The 13.1 kW of solar electric panels and the solar thermal water-heating system helped the home achieve a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of -14. In its first year of operation, the solar electric system has already produced four times as much power as the home is using.
    • Short, efficient duct runs were achieved by locating the high-efficiency air source heat pump centrally in home.
    • Low-VOC finishes are among the features that helped the home earn DOE ZERH program certification. Additional certifications to the Passive House Institute U.S., LEED for Homes platinum level, and the National Association of Home Builders' National Green Building Standards are pending.
    • ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, including a high-efficiency refrigerator, dishwasher, and clothes washer, reduce energy and water use in the home.
    • Triple-paned ultra-efficient windows use advanced technology coatings that retain heat in the winter and block heat in the summer.
    • The majority of the home's heating load can be satisfied by internal heat given off by people, appliances, and equipment, and solar heat gain passing through the high-efficiency windows.
    • A motion-sensor-controlled circulator pump quickly delivers hot water to EPA WaterSense-labeled fixtures in the bathrooms, reducing water and energy usage.
    • The energy-sealing gasket visible on the foundation wall helps ensure an airtight connection with the double-wall assembly above.

      Taft School

      Project Address

      Wilton, CT

      Conditioned Square Footage
      3,891 sqft
      Number of Bedrooms
      4 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
      -14HERS (PV)
      Average Monthly Energy Bill PV
      $85Average Monthly Energy Bill (PV)
      Annual Energy Cost Savings with PV
      $5,300Annual Energy Cost Savings (PV)
      30 Year Savings with PV
      $224,00030 Year Savings (PV)

      BPC Green Builders

      ZERO

      HIA Year
      HIA Status
      Grand Winner
      HIA Category
      Custom

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      Key Features

      Key Features
      All-electric home Cold-climate heat pump Energy / Heat recovery ventilator Heat pump water heater Photovoltaics Triple-pane windows ACH 50 < 2.5 or CFM50/SF of enclosure ≤ 0.25 Double Walls

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      Testimonials

      Video Testimonial

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      Home owner (or occupant) Testimony
      As soon as you walk into this house, you can tell it’s sound, it’s airtight. You feel like you’re wrapped in 100 wool blankets. It’s so warm, you would never know that it’s been below 0 this past few weeks.
      Testimony Citation
      Homeowner

      Additional Media

      Finished Interiors

        Under Construction

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          Other Images

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            Floor Plan