2016 Excellence in Green Design winner: Family Retreat

Photography courtesy of John W. Hession

Sheldon Pennoyer Architects in Concord
(603) 856-8994
www.spennoyerarchitects.com

Pennoyer worked with the homeowners to develop a forestry management plan to enhance wildlife habitat, provide all the interior hardwood flooring for the new house and open views by creating additional meadows that had been lost through the years.

Judges said: There is both an imperative and a paradox related to large homes that strive to be green, as size itself is viewed by many as being innately unsustainable. Yet good capitalization well invested in energy efficiency can lead to a relatively quick return on investment. As building codes and technology continue to push the energy-efficiency envelope, really good architecture is ahead of the curve. Good architecture realized through well-crafted construction using responsibly sourced materials is enduring, reducing its lifecycle cost and carbon footprint. Good architecture extends sustainability to the surroundings, healing the land where needed. Good architecture is enduring over generations, minimizing changes to the homes we love.