2014 Home of the Year: Tamworth Residence

January 28, 2014

Site Staff,

Builder: BEAM Construction Associates, Inc. in North Sandwich
(603) 284-6187
beamconstructionassociates.com

This single-family residence in Tamworth is a small, energy-efficient structure designed for a single, professional mom. The overall dimensions are eighteen feet by thirty six feet, and the total square footage on the main and upper floors is just less than 1,200. There is also a 640-square-foot unfinished basement that is part of heated envelope.

The design requirements were that the building be energy efficient, easy to maintain and comfortable with two bedrooms and two baths, and use as many locally sourced materials as feasible. The budget was very limited.

This home is constructed with locally sourced pine and maple, and regionally sourced Eastern white cedar and red oak. The building has an advanced thermal envelope. Careful attention was given to thermal alignment and minimizing thermal bridging. Energy Star ratings were performed and analyzed by Lakes Region Thermal Scan of Laconia, and the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) rating is 53.

This house represents an important trend in new home construction—the small(er) single-family residence with a price point that offers families with middle incomes the ability to afford a custom-designed, energy-efficient home built from locally and regionally sourced materials, and that requires minimal upkeep throughout the years.

Judges said: “Although modest of footprint, this house is an excellent example of ‘good things coming in small packages.’ The straightforward vernacular building mass employs the regional forms (strong roof gables, shed porch roof) very effectively. The symmetry lends a quiet strength. The use of materials and simplicity of detailing results in a neat, tailored finished work—like a piece of furniture to live in.”