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Fairhaven High Performance

    • Bellingham Bay Builders built this 2,828-square-foot custom home in Bellingham, Washington, to the performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
    • The 2-by-6 walls are clad with durable fiber cement and stained cedar and topped with reflective metal roofing for a lasting finish.
    • Deep overhangs and porches protect the walls and windows from high overhead summer sun as well as rain and snow.
    • The insulated double-pane windows have an average U-value of 0.25 and low-emissivity coatings to slow heat transfer. The builder also selected upgraded sliding doors that had better hardware and air sealing properties.
    • The home's refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer, and clothes dryer all meet ENERGY STAR product criteria for energy and water savings.
    • The home's hot water was provided by a heat pump water heater that had ducting to pull intake air from the vented attic in the garage (likely the hottest air in the house) while exhaust air was ducted out a side wall to reduce any impact cold exhaust air might have on the home's winter heating costs.
    • The home's daylight basement slab was poured on 4 inches of EPS rigid foam, while the walls were wrapped in 1.5 inches of EPS. Below-grade walls were also protected with a polyethylene membrane adhered to the walls and a dimpled plastic rain mat over the rigid foam.
    • The 2-by-6 wall assembly is covered with coated OSB sheathing taped at the seams, 3 inches rigid mineral wool insulation, and 1/4-inch rain-screen battens, while 5.5 inches of fiberglass batts fills the walls.
    • The home is equipped with an 8.96-kW PV system and is anticipated to perform at net zero in its first year.

      Fairhaven High Performance

      Project Address

      Bellingham, WA

      Conditioned Square Footage
      2,828 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
      Mixed
      Climate Zone Humidity
      Marine

      With PV

      HERS Index with PV
      2HERS (PV)
      Average Monthly Energy Bill PV
      $10Average Monthly Energy Bill (PV)
      Annual Energy Cost Savings with PV
      $3,100Annual Energy Cost Savings (PV)
      30 Year Savings with PV
      $135,70030 Year Savings (PV)

      Bellingham Bay Builders

      ZERO

      HIA Year
      HIA Status
      Winner
      HIA Category
      Housing Innovation Award

      Learn More

      Key Features

      Key Features
      All-electric home Energy / Heat recovery ventilator Electric Vehicle Charger Installed or Wired for Charger Heat pump water heater High-performance wall with continuous insulation Photovoltaics ACH 50 < 2.5 or CFM50/SF of enclosure ≤ 0.25

      See the Poster

      Testimonials

      Home owner (or occupant) Testimony
      Designed from the ground up to optimize energy performance, produce on-site renewable energy, utilize recycled materials, conserve water and other resources, provide a healthy indoor environment, and last for generations. That’s high-performance building.
      Testimony Citation
      Bellingham Bay Builders

      Additional Media

      Finished Elevations

        Finished Interiors

          Under Construction

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            Floor Plan